2 female Riot Games workers sue for discrimination, lost wages

One former and one current Riot Games employees have sued the developer of the popular “League of Legends” video game for harassment, discrimination and violating California’s Equal Pay Act. Their suit was filed in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles earlier this month.

Both plaintiffs allege that the employer fails to pay female workers the same as their male co-workers, something that inhibits them from advancing within their field of work. They’re asked a judge to allow them to file a class-action lawsuit on behalf of all female employees who work there who’ve experienced similar treatment.

As for the former worker, she argues that she found herself being assigned additional work when her supervisor resigned from the company. She says that she was never compensated for doing it though. She also reports that three men were interviewed as a potential replacement for her boss instead of her.

The worker, who still works for the company, was reportedly told by one of her supervisors that they hired females for junior positions because men wouldn’t fare well in those same roles. When that same individual took over as her boss in a new department that she’d transferred to, she was told that she should consider transferring jobs, or she may be fired.

Both women contend that the employer champions a “bro culture” and has several unwritten policies aimed at marginalizing females. They note that only 20 percent of the 2,500 workers at Riot Games are females. The plaintiffs argue that the company is very permissive of sexual harassment and other types of ill-treatment of women because of this.

The plaintiffs in this case are seeking to have Riot Games reimburse them for their unpaid wages as well as punitive damages.

Sexual harassment and discrimination are prohibited under both state and federal law. Having an employee work for free or less compensation than they were hired to make is also illegal in both California and the United States. Employees who were treated unfairly often get only one shot to prove their case. An experienced Los Angeles County employment litigation attorney can help you make it the most productive one.