Keywords Studios’ job hopeful sues firm in US over claim it used previous conviction against him

Gaming

Keywords last year bought Climax which has worked on titles such as Crackdown 3

Keywords last year bought Climax which has worked on titles such as Crackdown 3

Keywords CEO, Bertrand Bodson

Keywords last year bought Climax which has worked on titles such as Crackdown 3

Jonathan Keane

June 12 2022 02:30 AM

Keywords Studios, the Irish video games firm, is facing a lawsuit in California from a job candidate who claims he was discriminated against over a previous conviction.

The Dublin-based, London-listed company, which is valued at more than €2bn, provides services such as testing and translation to other games companies.

A prospective job candidate at Keywords Studios’ Burlingame offices is challenging the company’s rescinding of a conditional job offer.

The candidate said he was offered a position as VR Playtester in late 2021 to identify bugs or other issues in games.

The offer was pulled, he said, after the company discovered he had a drug-related conviction. He argues this is in violation of California’s Fair Chance Act, which restricts companies in asking applicants to disclose convictions.

“We are confident in our policies and processes, and that we have followed due process in line with local laws, so we will be defending ourselves through the appropriate legal channels,” a company spokeswoman said.

The candidate was convicted in 2016 for falsifying prescriptions and obtaining controlled substances for his own use.

He said that he has been rehabilitated and out of probation for four years and that his conviction is not relevant.