Activision, California Spar Over Reach of Harassment Allegations

Activision Blizzard Inc. has been aware for years that a California agency’s investigations into the game maker’s workplace culture included both full-time and contract workers, the state told a judge in Los Angeles.

Female contract workers were subjected to the same company-wide hostile work environment, including sexual harassment, assault, and discrimination as traditional full-time employees, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing said Tuesday. And under state law, contract workers are expressly included in the definition of “employee,” the agency said, urging the court to keep those workers included in a lawsuit against the company.

The filing is the ...