DFEH Files Enforcement Action to Compel Riot Games, Inc. To Provide Employee Pay Information

Sacramento – The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing today filed an investigation enforcement action against Riot Games, Inc. The Department is seeking to require Riot to provide the Department with employee pay data as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged gender discrimination at the Los Angeles-based video game developer.

According to the DFEH’s enforcement suit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Riot Games, Inc. has refused to provide the Department with adequate information for DFEH to analyze whether women are paid less than men at the company. DFEH seeks the information as part of an investigation into alleged unequal pay, sexual harassment, sexual assault, retaliation, and gender discrimination in selection and promotion.

The superior courts have jurisdiction to compel compliance with DFEH document requests, subpoenas, and interrogatories during a DFEH investigation before any lawsuit is filed.

“DFEH has broad authority to investigate potential violations of California’s civil rights laws
similar to grand jury proceedings,” said DFEH Director Kevin Kish. “When companies fail to cooperate voluntarily with our investigations, including with our investigative discovery, DFEH will exercise its right to seek assistance from the courts. Doing so ensures our investigations are informed by relevant evidence and completed without unnecessary delay.”

The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) is the state agency charged with enforcing California’s civil rights laws. CRD’s mission is to protect the people of California from unlawful discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, and state-funded programs and activities, and from hate violence and human trafficking. For more information, visit calcivilrights.ca.gov.

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