After the wave caused by the quashing of Roe v. Wade last week, many American companies, including the video game industry, let their employees know that they will have health and travel assistance in the event of an abortion. A clear stance, but not in the case of Bethesda Games Studios, with employees unhappy with the company’s response.
Image credit: ZeniMax / Bethesda Games Studios
A little, but not a lot
The quashing of Roe v. Wade means that each American state can establish its own laws concerning the right to abortion. And as long as you follow the news, it will not have escaped you that several states have subsequently announced that they are putting in place a ban on the practice of abortion, sometimes under conditions.
Several employees of ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Games Studios expressed their dissatisfaction, on the lack of position and transparency of their employer, in particular on what they consider as the reluctance of these companies to support the employees. And when you know that many Starfield or Redfall developers are located in states with anti-abortion laws, this is an important issue for Bethesda.
ZeniMax Media is a publisher with strong infrastructures in Texas. The latter being one of the American states with very restrictive anti-abortion laws. We can cite Bethesda Austin and Arkane Austin, which is currently developing Redfall, or iD Software, whose studios are located north of Dallas.
The pressure increases towards the administration of the company, but also internally since moral conflicts also divide the employees. Kotaku reports, for example, an incident that took place on Slack, a workspace dedicated to the exchange between employees, in which a Bethesda employee expressed his dissatisfaction and his position in favor of laws against abortion. A topic that has since been closed and deleted by a Bethesda executive, asking employees to keep religion and politics out of this channel.
The decision around Roe v. Wade went public last week, but it’s been about seven weeks since the American public learned about a potential change, which has been sure to spark several angry outbursts. That’s what prompted a group of female Bethesda employees to write and send a letter to ZeniMax administration, asking them to take a stand on the event and on ZeniMax’s health rights. their employees.
As more ZeniMax employees see their rights threatened, as more of us demand to know if our employer will support us, as competitors come forward in support of their own workers, the company’s silence remains inexcusable and contrary to the company’s stated values.
It took almost two months for the group to receive a response, in the form of a message on Bethesda’s official Twitter account: “NWe believe that the ability to make choices about one’s body and lifestyle is a human right. »
Except that by doing this, Bethesda has created another controversy with homosexual or transgender employees, who point the finger at the wording of the sentence, including the use of the words “lifestyle choices”. Because it suggests, according to them, that the sexuality or gender identity of employees is a matter of choice.
A frustration that did not fail to react Jamie Leder, COO at ZeniMax, with an email to his employees:
I want to apologize for any offense caused by the previous communication and reassure you that we will continue to protect our employees’ options and access to essential health care as we continue to move forward.
The group of female employees continue to express their dissatisfaction with the company’s lack of clarity regarding employee health rights. Microsoft, which bought ZeniMax, has already indicated that they will support their employees in travel, in the event of an abortion decision. Except that insofar as ZeniMax was not absorbed by Microsoft, their leaders may very well not follow the same position. This increases tensions even more, with a demand from female employees who want a security plan to be put in place to ensure a non-discriminatory atmosphere for pregnant employees, the establishment of a health plan giving access to contraceptives, the ability to negotiate relocation and accommodate staff in accordance with local state laws.
In another email, Jamie Leder said ZeniMax would be in discussion with their US healthcare provider to improve benefits for employees who may have to travel for medical services. A speech that is considered unsatisfactory by the employees of the company, who consider that there is a flagrant lack of precision on the part of their employer.