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.

Comments

What does that mean?

[kenthorvath]

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 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?

Re:Can I work a 5 hour day?

[Tsunayoshi]

Of course, in one of the eye-witness employee complaints I read on the internet, one employee was doing everything on his assigned task list each day and leaving when he completed them. His managers kept dropping hints like "you should be helping out your fellow employees" or "you should stick around in case someone else finds a problem with your code" and other types of BS. How can you "professionally manage" your own hours if you are blacklisted as a non-team player for getting your shit done in a reasonable amount of time and leaving when you are done?