Max Temkin, co-founder of the popular card game Cards Against Humanity, has left the Chicago-based company after former employees went public with allegations that he fostered a racist and sexist workplace.
In a statement written by six active co-founders, Cards Against Humanity announced that Temkin stepped down June 9, three days after they opened an internal investigation.
The investigation was launched in response to a series of social media posts from former employees accusing Temkin of cultivating an office culture which was harmful to Black and female staff members.
Now that there is great traction for the #secondcityisover party, I want us to turn our focus to another beloved Chicago institution #cardsagainsthumanity. As their first black/queer black woman employee, I’d love to share my experience of working there. #cahisover (1/?) pic.twitter.com/lFf0Xu1bED
— Tay Zonday Stan (@atheresastewart) June 6, 2020
#CAHisover I was Max’s first direct employee for CAH. I was told if I continued dating a person Max’s friend had a crush on, I’d be fired. I was 25, this was my second professional job in Chicago, and I didn’t just feel powerless, I felt humiliated...
— Elaine Short (@elainetall) June 8, 2020
The Cards Against Humanity co-founders also said they would be hiring one firm to improve their human resources, hiring and management practices, and another to lead communication and bias training for partners and employees.
“As Cards Against Humanity rapidly grew from a hobby project in our parents’ basements to a company with 18 full-time employees, we made a lot of mistakes,” the company said. “We want to apologize to employees who were unheard or disrespected in our office. We are truly sorry. We also want to state unequivocally that we condemn harassment of anyone who has posted stories about their experiences at Cards Against Humanity.”
The statement also includes the co-founders’ responses to questions from a Polygon reporter, in which they acknowledge that they reduced Temkin’s managerial duties years prior after staff members complained about him.
Temkin did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
Cards Against Humanity, founded in 2010 through a Kickstarter campaign, grew into a multimillion dollar business through their edgy, often politically incorrect card game that became a staple at parties.
The company moved out of their Logan Square storefront and bought their Bucktown office in 2014, where they still create their “party game for horrible people.” In February 2020, Cards Against Humanity opened the Chicago Board Game Cafe in the same neighborhood.
