Slashdot Mirror
EA To Pay Overtime Wages
Months after EA: The Human Story was released to the web, Gamasutra.com has word that EA will begin paying out overtime to some of its employees. Which is not to say they don't give it any spin. From the article: "The employment environment at EA was built to allow you flexibility as professionals, with the expectation that time on the job could be managed without watching the clock. Unfortunately, labor laws have not kept pace with this spirit of entrepreneurialism, innovation and creativity." Additionally, taking overtime makes you ineligible for bonuses and this largely has nothing to do with the coders and artists who have filed suit against the company.
Company policy changes!!!!! Sounds like a script idea for the next Star Wars movie.
I don't understand: are they saying that because there are no laws preventing them from subjecting their employees to such unethical working conditions that they haven't felt obligated to treat their employees ethically (until now)? Or are they instead saying that it is unfortunate that such laws are, in fact, in place because now they can no longer be successful "entrepeneurs"?
Or is there a third choice?
The employment environment at EA was built to allow you flexibility as professionals, with the expectation that time on the job could be managed without watching the clock.
Yeah right. I've heard this line before-- and it's almost always used as a justification for long work days.
Nobody in management will raise an eyebrow I work for 14 hours a day, lose my morale and leave the company, but if I come in at 11:00 & leave at 4:00, you bet they'll complain-- even if I am getting the work done.
94% of Repubs and 21% of Dems voted to renew the Patriot Act
Take out this and introduce that while at the same time only applying to SOME. as usual only the managers get both because they're 'special'? pathetic.
It's good to see that something is happening at EA on the recently publicized employment issues there. And while their announcement has the flavor of unhappy grumbling, it nonetheless must create some ripples across the industry because of EA's size and influence. Maybe this means that the games industry is starting to grow up and take some responsibility for how their employees are treated. It's a bit ironic though that EA makes reference to the very entrepreneural spirit that their flurry of buyouts and exclusive deals seem to be trying to stamp out! That may not be their intent (yeah, right...), but large monopolistic bodies do tend to discourage the creation of competitive startups.
To the making of books there is no end, so let's get started
The way I read this, their previous strategy was "dump sixty or seventy hours of work on an employee's desk, tell them to do it, and allow them to exhibit 'entrepreneurialism, innovation, and creativity' in getting it done."
Now that they're implementing overtime, they can't just assume that the employees will work those sixty or seventy hours "if necessary"*. So they'll start structuring their employees' days in such a way that they'll almost never have to pay out overtime, but will require solid work during the 40 hours the employee is on the clock.
I don't think most of their employees will miss the days of yore, when they got to bask in their company's "entrepreneurial culture" for most of their waking hours.
Sheesh. What a load of PHB-speak.
You want the truthiness? You can't handle the truthiness!
"The newly overtime-eligible employees will have very structured work days and structured work hours." Translation: Sure, we'll pay you overtime. But we won't let you work overtime. And you still better have that code on my desk by 9am.
"Challenge Everything"
In order for a group to be eligible for overtime, they must challenge a group of administrators of equal size to a CounterStrike tournament and win.
The difficulty is in winning since the administrators spend all day playing CounterStrike.
If they win, they get paid overtime plus the time they spent grappling with the admins for overtime. Should they lose, the time spent grappling with the admins will be taken off vacation days.
Frink: Nice try floyd, but you were designed for scrubbing, and scrubbing is what you shall do.
Now, who will be able to afford the games?
Slashdot: Failed Car Analogies. Amateur Lawyering. Anecdote Battles.
"Rage of the PHB!"
perception is reality
The employment environment at EA was built to allow you flexibility as professionals Flexible, as long as sleeping, eating, and having friends are not factors in your life. Also, denying bonuses to those who dare oppose them... erm... Request overtime pay, is pretty low. If I was an EA employee, barr quitting, (after stealing tons of office supplies), I would take overtime pay over the so called bonuses because knowing the way EA treats their livestock, sorry.. employees, you won't see a bonus. ever.
Behold, another webcomic!
So do I understand this correctly, I can either gamble that the bonus for the game covers my overtime, or that I take overtime payment?
So are EA employees going to have to clock in and out every day, and during their lunch hours?
"The employment environment at EA was built to allow you flexibility as professionals, with the expectation that time on the job could be managed without watching the clock. Unfortunately, labor laws have not kept pace with this spirit of entrepreneurialism, innovation and creativity."
/shrug
So what does that make the military as a job? Salaried employees with no chance for overtime, or bonuses and your own death as a potential hazard. I'm proud to serve my country, but what the heck is EA saying about their practices before? Okay, I'm a bit OT there, but it seems a lot of bigger software companies BUY innovation by buying out the small companies that are being creative.
I guess what I'm trying to ask is if this will really change the product (aka games) that we get with the EA stamp on them? My vote is that it won't since the pay scheme doesn't influence the small innovative company about to have it's game bought out and distributed by EA.
If you are reading this, then you are one of those people whom I just can't take seriously.
EA sure is being a dick about this. Personally, I'd take overtime because that would pay you more than any bonus ever would. That is, *if* you get a bonus. Chances are that your game could tank and there wouldn't be anything.
If this is all EA is going to give their workers, the employees should seriously unionize and get some *real* concessions from management. EA could not and would not survive a strike. The employees have the power if they'd only take advantage of it.
The San Jose Mercury News had an article, and the memo that was sent to the employees.
If they want to lead the way, they should put cap on the number of hours worked and restructure their teams to allow everyone to get ample team off during the crunch times.
Basically, from what I've read, you need to make something like $45 an hour ( just being on salary doesn't make you exempt ) if you're programming a computer.
Interestingly, it looks like graphics artists for computer games might not fit the definition. From that first google hit : "California law also provides a list of "disqualifiers" which will prevent an employee from achieving exempt status. Among these are trainees or entry level employees who are still learning to become proficient, as well as those who have not yet attained the skill level and expertise necessary to work independently and without close supervision. Also disqualified from exempt status under California law are those who are engaged in operation, manufacture, repair, or maintenance of computer hardware, as well as engineers, drafters, machinists or other professionals whose work includes the use of computers or computer assisted design but who are not in a computer systems analysis or programming occupation. Likewise excluded are writers of material related to computers for print or on-screen media, or who write or provide content material for computer related media, as well as employees who create imagery for effects in television and movies."
IANAL, though, and a direct reading of the law doesn't make it clear that someone working in model animation for a computer game isn't covered. I guess that's what the pending lawsuit will determine?
Like anyone ever gets any bonuses of any real substance anyways.
But here's the spin EA will give their employees: They will make it sound like they would be beter off opting for the "chance" of bonuses. IN the end, the bonus will liekly be smaller (or nothing) compared to what overtime would have paid.
Now game designers have roughly the same expectations in the workplace as...hmmmm...McDonald's fry cooks. How enlightened of them.
StupidChildren...the reason jesus is crying
"entrepreneurialism"
usually means risking your own capital so you can keep the profits. If I work for salary on Madden 2005 or the Sims 2, how am I an entrepreneur? I don't own the license, copyright, title, or any other element. I didn't put up any money or find funding. It was all work for hire for EA, which keeps all the profits.
"innovation"
usually means creating a new way to solve a problem. If I am told by my manager what kind of content to create and what language to use to do it, how am I innovating? If I am working on a sequel game, what is being innovated? How many successful in-house created games has EA released that are NOT already created franchises from industry leaders (like Will Wright) or sports games?
"creativity"
usually means doing something novel or unexpected. American Football has been around for a long time, a football simulator is not that creative. If my manager tells me what kind of game to work on, what am I creating?
EA runs a shirt factory but likes to pretend that it runs a couture house. Nice try.
"The employment environment at EA was built to allow you flexibility as professionals, with the expectation that time on the job could be managed without watching the clock. Unfortunately, labor laws have not kept pace with this spirit of entrepreneurialism, innovation and creativity."
I noticed this line was in the leaked memo too. Really its barely a coherent statement. Theres no structure or meaning to be found directly only inferred. What perfect PR spin.
Now knowing what I know about the situation I guess their saying that by limiting what they can require of their employees they are stifling their ability to make money and be creative. That in its self is a paradox in the ways it makes a company that produces recreational products look like a souless money grubbing company that values its quarterly profit before its customers.
What I found even worse in that statement was saying that laws have not kept up with that way of thinking. How laughable because in fact it is EA that has not kept up with the laws governing labor. This is a perfect example of the way business was back in the days before unions flourished. Days when people like EA_spouse would have something bad (usually by company thugs) happen to them just for bringing attention to this situation. I dont really believe in unions but I know they brought better treatment when they were first started.
To accept these statements we would be going backwards not forwards. Does the technology sector really need to suffer to learn what manufacturer's, miners, and laborers already know? Whats the next step forward paying employee's in scrip?
It would be interesting to see what the job prospects are like for those brave enough to switch to having paid overtime.
Apart from probably being told that they would not be allowed to do any overtime by management, it's likely they'd soon be out on their ear for doing less work.
For those still working at EA, there are better companies out there.