Disgruntled EA Employees Seeking Case? (November 12, 2004)

[ChrisReid]

GameSpot is reporting that a number of Electronic Arts employees are pursuing a lawsuit to recover unpaid overtime expenses. The story originated in a live journal that has been making the popular internet rounds recently. GameSpot took it a step further and contacted a local law firm and they confirmed some of the basic information.

GameSpot contacted attorney Robert C. Schubert, a partner at the San Francisco law firm Schubert & Reed. He said that he has initiated legal proceedings to start a class-action lawsuit on behalf of a group of EA employees. "We are seeking unpaid overtime for a good number of [EA] employees who weren't [properly] paid," Schubert told GameSpot this afternoon. "EA contends they were exempt," Schubert said. "We contend otherwise."

You can find the full article here.

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Original update published on November 12, 2004

 

[Worf]

I'm surprised it actually took this long. Those of us who do software development long knew about the working conditions at game studios. (With good reason - supply and demand. Everyone at one time or another wants to get into the game industry, so game companies can treat their employees like crap, because there'll be 1000 other people who want your job.)

It's no dream job - it's almost a form of slavery. Now, depending on local laws, some employees may definitely be exempt under local labour laws (because the industry asked for it, and the employees asked for it, and it was assumed that the employees, who tend to be degree-bearing intellectuals, were smart enough to limit their exposure). The other software developers know to stay clear away from gaming companies, and stick with more boring application software. Heck, it's possible to get 40-hour workweeks that way.