The Tencent-owned company said it will pay $80 million to
the members of the class-action suit, comprising all current and former
full-time women employees and temporary agency contractors in California who
worked from November 2014 to the present.
An additional $20 million will be paid towards attorneys'
fees and miscellaneous expenses, Riot Games said in a statement.
"In an effort to drive ongoing transparency and
accountability, Riot has also committed to having its internal reporting and
pay equity processes monitored by a third party jointly approved by Riot and
the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing for three years,"
the company said.
Final approval of the settlement by the court is pending,
with a hearing expected in the coming months, the statement added.
The lawsuit was filed in November 2018 by now-former
employees Melanie McCracken and Jess Negrón, alleging gender discrimination as
well as sexual harassment and misconduct at Riot Games, the Washington Post reported
on Monday. The suit was followed by two inquiries led by California state
agencies, the report added. © Reuters