Bungie, the incredible force behind the popular Destiny 2, has unfortunately gotten itself involved in another complex legal situation, with its former HR manager, Ingrid Alm, right in the middle of it all. Ingrid claims that initially, her suggestions regarding possible racial issues within the company were disregarded. And to top it off, she was eventually dismissed shortly after raising these concerns.
Ingrid Alm, a previous HR manager at Bungie, joined the studio around May 2022 and recently raised concerns in the state of Washington. In her complaint, she mentioned facing retaliation and unfair dismissal. According to Alm, she believes she was let go from Bungie after being assigned to investigate a situation involving a Black employee.
Bungie gets sued by ex-HR for racial biases
The story begins with Alm assigned to evaluate the work of an employee, who is referred to as ‘James Smith’ in the legal papers. To Alm’s surprise, when they approached Smith, he mentioned feeling racially discriminated against by his manager. Smith, the only Black team member among 50 colleagues, believed he was being treated unfairly and targeted because of his race.
Destiny 2 and Marathon developer Bungie is currently being sued for retaliation and wrongful termination by a former HR manager, who alleges she was let go when she raised a potential case of racial discrimination to her supervisors. https://t.co/b59zQa0ycF pic.twitter.com/SBZEXFHhH1
— IGN (@IGN) October 8, 2023
Alm suggested that Smith’s supervisor undergo sensitivity training, but unfortunately, the request was met with resistance and denial. The supervisor’s long tenure and positive reputation at the company were cited as reasons for the reluctance. Afterward, there were claims that Bungie recommended Smith’s termination, which Alm argued could be due to racial bias.
In an effort to tackle this complex situation, Alm decided to seek help from Dr. Courtney Benjamin, the Director of Equity and Inclusion at Bungie. Benjamin strongly advised against terminating Smith, considering the existing evidence and the potential risks involved. Unfortunately, this intervention didn’t align with the higher-ups’ opinions, leading to a series of unfortunate events for Alm.
It started with a written warning, followed by being placed in the “needs improvement” category during a review, and finally being ultimately encouraged to leave the company. In a twist of events, Alm found herself cut off from company access. To her surprise, an email appeared in her inbox, accepting a resignation she had never tendered. Although Alm had never signed any documents acknowledging voluntary resignation, she was abruptly ousted.
In the midst of all this, Bungie firmly refutes every single one of Alm’s claims in their response. However, the studio doesn’t provide an alternative version of events from Alm’s perspective. They simply state that they lack the necessary knowledge or information to confirm or deny the allegations.
Alm, on the other hand, has taken legal action against Bungie, alleging retaliation and wrongful termination. In their lawsuit, they are seeking compensation for lost wages both in the past and future, as well as damages for emotional distress and attorney fees. It’s important to note that the trial, which will be heard by a jury, is scheduled for January 22nd of next year.