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= Employment Quality of Life Standards (EQoLS) =

== Overview ==

The IGDA is committed to its ongoing efforts to secure Quality of Life for Professional Game Developers.  One of the ways we are actively pursuing that goal is through the IGDA Employment QoL Standards Program.

The IGDA Employment QoL Standards taskforce will develop a comprehensive set of core elements that reflect best employment practices for Studios in the Game Industry.  These basic elements will then be translated into a set of standards.  

IGDA Affiliate Studios will then be able incorporate these model contract provisions into their Employment practices and then state that their Studio complies with the IGDA Employment QoL Standards.  

This will provide a level of comfort to potential hires and also provide the Studio with a significant advantage in the industry talent pool.

To assure compliance, IGDA members will be able to confidentiality verify that the studio practicies comply with the IGDA Employment QoL Standards and report any inconsistencies between the terms of an IGDA Certified Employment Contract and the actual practices of the Studio to assure compliance.


===Proposed Application Procedures and Scope===

'''''IGDA Employment QoL Standards Standing Committee'''''

The IGDA Employment QoL Standards process will be managed by a standing committee formed by the Board of Directors of the IGDA which will include volunteers who will review the studio practices to assure compliance with the specific terms of the IGDA Employment QoL Standards.  

'''''The Process'''''

Any IGDA affiliate Studio will be permitted to assert they they will comply with the IGDA Employment QoL Standards. 

'''''Covered Employees'''''

The IGDA Employment QoL Standards presumptively apply to all employees of the studio, except officers and directors.  When agreeing to comply with the IGDA Employment QoL Standards a studio may request additional classes of employees be excluded from the requirements of the IGDA Employment QoL Standards for manager level employees.

'''''Implementation of Certified Employment Contract'''''

Once the Employment Contract is Certified, all employees not specifically exempted from the scope of the application of the CEC must be employed under the terms of the CEC or the IGDA QoL certification may be revoked.  Existing employees of the Studio will be required to be  covered by the CEC within 60 days of Certification.


'''''Employee Challenge Actual Practices'''''

Any employee of an IGDA Employment QoL Standards compliant Studio who is a member of the IGDA may bring a Challenge to the employment practice of theStudio to the IGDA Employment QoL Standards Standing Committee for a claimed digression by the Studio from the terms of the IGDA Employment QoL Standards in practice.  The facts in such grievance will be submitted to Studio without revealing the name of the employee who submitted for a response and the IGDA Employment QoL Standards standing committee will take whatever further action it deems necessary prior to ruling on any such challenge, including a warning or termination of the Studio's IGDA Employment QoL Standards compliant Status.  At all times the identity of the employee who submitted the challenge will remain confidential.

== Timeline ==

The ECQC Taskforce will work through the top level issues that impact every developer's Quality of Life.  Then these top level issues will be codified into a set of employment best practice that can be adopted by studios.  

We expect to launch the program and implement the formal best practices for Studios some time in 2009.

== Procedure and Application ==

The IGDA Employment QoL Standards process will be made available to all affiliate Studios of the IGDA on a voluntary basis.  The compliance of a studio to theIGDA Employment QoL Standards will be voluntary.  The statement of compliance with the IGDA Employment QoL Standards bby a studio will amount to an agreement by the Studio to comply with those Standards.

The Taskforce is in the process of working to define the appropriate class(s) of developers who will be covered by the IGDA Employment QoL Standards.

== Core Issues - QoL Employer Policies and Employee Benefits ==

=== Rights ===
* [[ECQC/Non-compete|Non-compete]]
* [[ECQC/IP ownership|IP ownership]]
* [[ECQC/Portfolio Use of Company IP|Portfoliio Use of Comapny IP]]
* [[ECQC/non-solicitation|Non-solicitation]]
* [[ECQC/Game Credit|Game Credit]]
* [[ECQC/Tolerance and Equal Opportunity | Tolerance and Equal Opportunity]]

=== Benefits ===
* [[ECQC/Health Insurance|Health Insurance]]
* [[ECQC/Revenue or Profit Sharing|Revenue or Profit Sharing]]
* [[ECQC/Retirement Benefits|Retirement Benefits]]

=== Time ===
* [[ECQC/Overtime|Overtime]]
* [[ECQC/Vacation, Sick Leave or PTO|Vacation, Sick Leave or PTO]]
* [[ECQC/Family Leave | Family Leave]]
* [[ECQC/Formal Crunch Policy|Formal Crunch Policy]]

=== Work Conditions ===

* [[ECQC/Office Layout|Office Layout]]
* [[ECQC/Washroom and Kitchen Facilities|Washroom and Kitchen Facilities]]
* [[ECQC/Privacy|Privacy]]
* [[ECQC/Environmentally Safe Workplace|Environmentally Safe Workplace]]
* [[ECQC/Ergonomic Workstations | Ergonomic Workstations]]
* [[ECQC/Parking | Parking]]

== The Taskforce ==

* Tom Buscaglia, The Game Attorney (Chair)
* Dustin Clingman, President Zeitgeist Games, Game Instructor, Full Sail
* Jason Dell Rocca, Executive Director, IGDA
* Erin Hoffman a/k/a EA Spouse, Gamewatch.org and 1st Playable
* Ben Mathis, Character Artist and Modeler, Neversoft Entertainment
* Gaurav Mathur, Art Department Director, Factor 5
* Marc Mencher, President, GameRecruiter.Com
* Gina Neff, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication, University of Washington
* Marty O'Donnell, Audio Director, Bungie Studios
* Brian Reynolds, President, Big Huge Games
* Jeffery Rose, Attorney
* Richard Woods, Managing Director, Black Lantern Studios, Inc.

== Exteral Resources/References ==

Links to external articles, web sites, books and so on...

* Book: [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0131855239/ Talent Force: A New Manifesto for the Human Side of Business]
* Book: [http://worktolive.info/ Work to Live: The Guide to Getting a Life]
* Article: [http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20060309/mencher_pfv.htm Non-Disclosures & Non-Competes: To Sign Or Not To Sign?]