Activision is suing Netflix over "poaching" a former executive
Activision is taking Netflix to court, over the latter allegedly stealing their CFO while he was still under contract. This isn't the first time this has happened before, as both Viacom and Fox have sued Netflix, and won, in the past over these same claims, in 2018 and 2019 respectively. However, this is the first time Netflix has potentially poached someone from a video game company. News outlet Deadline has posted the legal document, which shows that Activision Blizzard is seeking punitive damages for Netflix's actions, along with a ruling that would prevent Netflix from ever trying to hiring any current Activision workers with contracts. A few snippets from the legal papers have Activision lawyers claiming that "to shape its workforce to its desires, Netflix not only ruthlessly fires its own employees that it deems “adequate,” but is engaged in a years-long campaign of unlawfully poaching executives from Netflix’s competitors regardless of their contractual obligations. In so doing, Netflix intentionally disregards well-established California law".
The at the time Activision Blizzard CFO, Spencer Neumann, had a contract with the company that began in 2017, and spanned until April of 2020. Despite this, Neumann bailed on his Activision job in favor of being employed by Netflix in early 2019, regardless of the contract breach. According to the document, Netflix's co-CEO Reed Hastings was directly involved in hiring Neumann, meaning the "disregard" for the law went all the way up to the top of the streaming giant. Activision hasn't specified just how much money they're seeking in damages, but it'll be determined in the ensuing court trial.
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