EA Games staff sue the company

EMPLOYEES HAVE launched a class action lawsuit against EA Games for "forcing them to work from 9am to 10pm, seven days a week", with the occasional Saturday evening off for good behaviour and for no extra cash.

GameSpot uncovered the class action, which is levelled by a partner of one of the employees, after spotting an online rant by a blogger.

GameSpot talked to lawyer attorney Robert Schubert, a partner at the San Francisco law firm Schubert & Reed, who said he has initiated legal proceedings to start a class-action lawsuit on behalf of a group of EA employees.

It turns out that "a good number" of EA employees weren't properly paid because the company thinks they are exempt. Those exempt include 'animators,' 'modellers,' 'texture artists,' 'lighters,' 'background effects artists,' and 'environmental artists'.

In an email sent to staff, EA Games said it will not fire people who join any class action, although it did offer people legal advice if they wanted to opt out of any class action.

In an email to employees the company said: "It is EA's position that it treats its employees fairly and lawfully, and that it has properly classified its employees within the meaning of the law." µ