Pokémon Go Developer Faces Allegations of Sexism and Pay Discrimination

A lawsuit has been filed against Niantic, the creator of Pokémon Go, alleging a deeply ingrained culture of sexism within the company. According to reports from The Verge, the lawsuit describes Niantic as a 'boys club' where female employees, particularly women of color, face significant biases. One of the key allegations is that a female employee was paid substantially less than a male colleague, despite holding a more senior role with greater responsibilities. This discovery was made possible by a California law that requires companies with more than 15 employees to include pay ranges in job listings. The employee found that her salary was below the minimum pay range for her role by nearly $10,000. When she raised these concerns with Niantic's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Director and Principal People Partner, the response from upper management was allegedly hostile. The lawsuit claims that executives justified the pay disparity by stating that the employee's discussions about workplace issues with colleagues were a factor. An internal survey conducted by Wolfpack, Niantic's employee resource group for women, revealed that many female employees perceived the company culture as sexist, disadvantageous to women. Following this, the group was reportedly barred from conducting further employee surveys without executive approval. The plaintiff was also impacted by Niantic's decision to close its Los Angeles office. Niantic has been contacted for comment on the allegations.