Niantic Faces Lawsuit Over Gender Pay Issues
Last week, Niantic laid off 230 workers and closed its Los Angeles office. Now, it’s in hot water again. A former worker sued them, saying they paid women less for the same work.
Lawsuit Details
An ex-employee, suing anonymously in California on July 7, accuses Niantic of breaking the state’s Equal Pay Act. They also claim the company didn’t stop discrimination. The ex-worker, an Asian woman, joined Niantic in February 2020. By 2023, her salary went from $70,000 to $115,000. Yet, she found out a male colleague made more than her for a lesser job in 2021. Her salary was also below the company’s pay range for her position.
After finding this out, she talked to other female workers. They too felt Niantic paid and treated men better. They tried raising concerns through an employee group called Wolfpack. But it only led to more trouble.
Fear and Retaliation
After raising concerns, the employee felt threatened by Niantic’s management. Despite her worries about sexism, they warned her it could hurt her job performance.
Later, Niantic stopped Wolfpack from surveying employees. This was after a survey showed many women felt the company was sexist. Niantic’s chief marketing manager even removed mentions of sexism from a presentation.
All these issues led to a lawsuit. It claims Niantic was a terrible place for female workers, especially women of color. This news came right before Niantic announced big layoffs.
Bigger Issues at Hand
Niantic has had problems with game development before. But this lawsuit puts them alongside companies like Activision-Blizzard and Riot Games. These companies have also faced criticism for how they treat female employees.
ESN.GG reached out to Niantic for a comment, but there’s been no word yet.
This lawsuit shows a serious issue within the tech and gaming industry. It’s crucial that companies treat all employees fairly, regardless of gender.