Fired and Forgotten: The Battle for Severance

In a shocking turn of events, seven former BioWare Edmonton employees have filed a lawsuit against Electronic Arts, alleging that their severance packages fell short of what they were entitled to. The lawsuit has brought to light the harsh realities of the gaming industry, where employees are often left to fend for themselves when companies decide to downsize. According to Alberta's Employment Standards Code, employees who have worked for 10 years or more are only entitled to eight weeks of pay. However, common law standards suggest that employees could be eligible for significantly more, taking into account factors such as the state of the economy and the difficulty of finding new employment. With the gaming industry currently experiencing a wave of layoffs, it is likely that these former BioWare developers will face significant challenges in finding new work. The lawyers representing the former employees believe that they should receive approximately one month of severance per year of service. Given that the seven former employees averaged 14 years of tenure at BioWare, this would translate to a substantial amount of financial security. While 14 months of severance may seem generous, it is essential to consider that severance packages are typically measured in weeks, not months or years. EA CEO Andrew Wilson has faced criticism for his role in the layoffs, particularly given his previous experience as chair of the compensation committee on Intel's board of directors. During his tenure, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger was awarded a contract that included 18 months of severance, 150% of his performance-related bonus, and automatic vesting of the next 18 months' worth of time-based equity awards if he were to be let go without cause. The fact that EA is now attempting to justify its decision to lay off hundreds of employees, despite being a wildly profitable company, raises questions about the true motivations behind the move. With a net income of $802 million for the year ended March 31, 2023, it is clear that EA is not struggling financially. Instead, the company seems to be prioritizing its bottom line over the well-being of its employees. The situation is further complicated by the fact that EA has already taken the financial hit for its restructuring plan and is still generating significant profits. The implication that paying the former employees their severance packages could jeopardize the development of Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is absurd, given that the studio has already absorbed the costs of the layoffs and is still operating with a substantial workforce. Ultimately, the decision to lay off hundreds of employees and deny them adequate severance packages is a reckless and arbitrary move that puts the fate of Dragon Age: Dreadwolf at risk. It is essential for EA to reconsider its actions and prioritize the well-being of its former employees, who have dedicated years of their lives to the company. By paying them the severance they are owed, EA can demonstrate a commitment to fairness and justice, rather than prioritizing its own interests above all else.