As we all know the world is going through a pandemic, and it’s having a massive impact on the global economy. Stuff is still happening, and media is still releasing, but delivery mechanisms are shifting. And, most importantly, the way people work is drastically shifting. There’s no telling what the new normal will be after this is all over, but for now, millions are working remotely where possible. But some employers are going the extra mile, regardless of federal regulations or minimums. According to some recent reporting from Waypoint/Vice editor Patrick Klepek, the folks working under the PlayStation brand are being taken care of.
According to a memo I've been briefed on, all NA/European PlayStation employees will continue working from home through at least April 30, due to coronavirus. Workers will continue to be paid, "regardless of ability to perform remote work due to job function or responsibilities."
— Patrick Klepek (@patrickklepek) March 27, 2020
For now this report is just on Twitter, as Klepek still appears to be gathering information from sources. Klepek claims to have been briefed on an internal memo, which is relevant to North American and European PlayStation employees. These people working for PlayStation-adjacent companies are all working from home, regardless of their roles. This memo supposedly contains confirmation that remote work will continue through April 30, 2020 at a minimum. But that’s not the surprising part. The memo includes notes that all employees will be paid normally, even if their specific roles don’t translate well to remote work. Individuals are also getting a one-time stipend of $1,000 for home office tech needs. And on top of all that, contract workers under PlayStation (contingent workers) are also receiving pay.
Considering the United States federal government has had to pass legislation to guarantee many citizens things like unemployment benefits in this time of crisis, it’s remarkable when individual companies take measures beyond the requirements. Klepek has posted his signal (anonymous calling service) number in his Twitter thread, as he seems to be looking for a larger story on games industry employment situations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Check the threading on the embedded tweet above for all the original context.
