A judge has denied Activision Blizzard's request to stay the case against it by the California DFEH. Activision Blizzard argued there were possible ethics violations as two lawyers currently working at the DFEH previously worked for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and contributed to both investigations against the company.
Activision is currently embroiled in two lawsuits: one with California's Department of Fair Housing and Employment, and another with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Both accuse the Call of Duty developer of unfair work practices, discrimination, and sexual harassment.
However, the EEOC reached a potential settlement in their case against Activision for $18 million. That money would go to create a fund that would compensate claimants.
The DFEH criticized the EEOC's settlement as being both insufficient and also detrimental in their ongoing case against Activision. The EEOC responded by revealing that two lawyers who previously worked on their investigation are currently working for the DFEH on their case against the publisher, opening the door for possible ethics violations.
In response to the revelation, Activision Blizzard asked the court to delay their case with the DFEH so that these allegations of ethics violations could be investigated. The DFEH countered by calling the request "baseless."
Judge Timothy Patrick Dillion agreed with the DFEH. As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, Judge Dillion denied Activision’s request for a stay, providing no explanation in his ruling.
Activision Blizzard seems to be scrubbing away references to its past, recently removing several employee references from its games, and renaming Overwatch's McCree to Cole Cassidy. However, employee interviews with PC Gamer doused optimism that the company would truly change. The report said Activision Blizzard management is "uninterested" in addressing employee demands for an end to forced arbitration and better work conditions, two changes that were requested during last summer's walkout.