EA Settles Leander Hasty Class Action Labor Lawsuit – Tam Su Suit Still Pending

Text of EA’s Leander Hasting Settlement Press Release
Text of Leander Hasty Class Action Complaint
In the case started by an upset spouse’s posting to a blog, EA’s Software engineers have won a $14.9 million settlement from Electronic Arts, in a settlement of the Leander Hasty class-action lawsuit over unpaid overtime. EA also agreed to pay the employer’s share of the payroll taxes. Some entry level programmers (fewer than 200) will be reclassified as hourly workers, making them eligible for overtime pay. They will be allowed a one time grant of restricted company stock, but will no longer receive stock options or bonuses. Major deadlines will be moved to Fridays instead of Mondays in order to encourage a normal five-day working week. The 34 page settlement sets aside a separate $30,000 award for Hasty, who filed the original suit, and $15,000 for John McDonald, who joined the suit later. The settlement must be approved by the Superior Court of San Mateo County, California before it becomes effective. The original Kirschenbaum lawsuit settled on October 5, 2005 when EA made a $15.6 million payout. The Tam Su case is still pending.

Sources: Gamasutra | L.A. Times | San Jose Mercury News | Washington Post (AP) | GameDaily.biz | ars technica | IGN | GameSpy | GameSpot | Next Generation | CNet | Punch Jump | Daily Tech | The Inquirer

Activision (Canulti):

• Second Employee (Canulti) Unpaid Overtime Suit Brought Against Activision (July 20, 2006)

Activision (Erimez):

• Another Unpaid Overtime Lawsuit – This Time Against Activision (May 2, 2006)

EA (Lender Hasty): EA programmers

• EA Settles Leander Hasty Class Action Labor Lawsuit – Tam Su Suit Still Pending (April 26, 2006)
• “EA Spouse” Revealed to be Erin Hoffman (April 26, 2006)
• Electronic Arts to Institute Limited Overtime Policy (March 10, 2005)
• EA Hit by Second Employee (Leander Hasty) Lawsuit (February 21, 2005)
• The “EA Spouse” Post that Started it All (November 10, 2004)

EA (Tam Su):

• EA Faces a Third Employment-Related Class-Action Suit in Florida (Tam Su) (October 11, 2005)

EA (Kirschenbaum): EA animators, texture artists, and modelers

• EA Settles Kirschenbaum Labor Dispute Lawsuit – Hasty Suit Still Pending (October 5, 2005)
• Electronic Arts Faces (Kirschenbaum) Overtime Lawsuit (November 12, 2004)
• The “EA Spouse” Post that Started it All (November 10, 2004)

Sony:

• Sony Computer Entertainment Sued by its Animators and Graphic Artists. (February 11, 2005) – This case is still pending as far as I know.

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