Inside EB Games: When The Dream Job Becomes A Nightmare

In the beginning, everyone loves working at EB Games.

The dream job: being involved with the games industry, with like-minded people who have the same hobbies, enjoy the same things, speak the same language. A place where everyone loves video games. Of course they do, why else would they be working at EB Games?

Kotaku AU spoke to a number of people for whom working at EB was a dream job.

That dream job would turn into a nightmare.

[Balsanoid]

Maybe the off the clock thing is an Australian EB issue. I ASM'ed an EB Games store that was later bought out by Gamestop in the States. I know I would have lost my job if I ever asked one of our employees to work off the clock.

That said, EB Games/Gamestop is still a horrible company. Corporate doesn't give two s***s about their employees and harass the hell out of the customers. I won't even shop there anymore.

That's terrible to hear about this rape case. I hope justice is served!

[Chevalier]

I was ASM for EB Games (In Canada) and have been working for 7 years currently and the kind of stuff like unpaid hours and all that abuse is unheard of here. I have worked a couple dozen midnight launches and everyone has been paid. Even a short midnight launches got us at least 3 hours pay.

Where I am at none of that stuff is an issue. I can't believe they can get away with that stuff in Australia. We have HR and can go to managers for issues and escalate if it's required.

[rainslacker]

Do that in most states in the US and all the person has to do is call the employment security commission and get compensated should they have actually worked. If it's mentioned that it happens with all the employees, then an investigation takes place, and all the employees that worked for the past 3 years may be getting a check for the hours they worked...although not sure how they figure that out.

From what I've seen of their set up here in the states(at GameStop) you have to be clocked in to use the computer to take pre-orders or look up stuff, or check people out, so not sure they could get away with it.

I can't imagine any corporation would do that officially here in the states. It's asking for huge fines and lawsuits, as well as massive penalties on back taxes that likely didn't get paid.

[Chevalier]

You literally can't do anything on our systems without being logged in to work. If you try to it puts you into the time sheet/ program.

[Death]

Must be an Australian thing. I worked at an EB in the States years ago. Never ran into any issues like the ones in the article. Midnight launches were indeed paid events and the DM/RM all acted professionally. It's a minimum wage job, it's not like you can't simply walk out and find a job for the same pay.

[CorndogBurglar]

Could the unpaid hours be an Australian issue? In the states it would be VERY easy to get an attorney and prove that you worked unpaid hours.

I'm just not real sure why no one has done this yet if its really a rampant issue.

Don't get me wrong, its horrible there is no HR department. That is something EVERY big company should have. Also, the actions of this Mark Distefano guy are absolutely disgusting.

[ameliabaz]

I can't speak for EB Games because I've never worked there, but I've worked in jobs where its expected of you to work overtime for free or to 'volunteer' your hours or else you mysteriously stop showing up on the roster. And if you're a casual worker, you have less rights than a part-time or full-time worker. The boss can drop you like a hot potato without explanation and there's not a whole lot you can do about it since it's 'only' casual work.

And since our economy is in the shitter, a lot of people will do anything to hold onto their job....even if its minimum wage and you're being treated like crap. It doesn't help that the government recently brought in a rule that people under the age of 30 can't recieve welfare if they quit their job, so you're basically screwed unless you have another job lined up right after quitting. People (especially those in miimum wage jobs) are literally too scared to quit their job lest they end up with no money and can't afford rent or food anymore.

And unfortunately many Australians have this bizarre attitude where they think people should be grateful for ANY job (even if it's a crap job with nasty bosses) because it's better than no job at all, and that complaining about your job or standing up to your boss is a sign that you're a lazy immature dole-bludger who needs to 'harden up' and stop being entitled.

[CorndogBurglar]

@ Amelia

It might be expected of employees to work overtime hours for free, but its highly illegal to not pay people for their time. I get that management might stop putting you on the roster, but its still illegal to not pay someone for their worked time and the company can get sued back to the stone age for doing it.

[Poroz]

So glad I do not shop here anymore.