This is deeply depressing and not at all surprising that a game company was involved. The industry is heavily male and also infamous for hiring women as decoration at events, both public and private.
They only talk about this happening at one company - a game company - which is totally believable, as this is a logical extension of what some of the bigger game companies have been doing for a long time. They also say that this fake employee ruse is not their usual business - mostly the models are being hired for serving/coat check/hosting duties at company parties. So this is all very believable in its specifics, but it’s hard to know what one can extrapolate from it, if anything. A “record number” could just mean one in this context, if no one had requested such a thing, before…
I’m surprised you’re all so sourpuss about an innovative, legal business. Models have always been decorations. And they fill a vital role. Without paying them, honestly how many people would attend this year’s Christmas party at the White House? Two? Three?
Yeah, sadly, but with the game industry it’s not just conferences. Every GDC there’s companies hiring models to mingle at industry parties, and at press events, too. (And I know the game industry isn’t alone in that either.)
My take if I were an employee: Hey, instead of getting a model to pretend to be interested in me for an hour, why don’t you just…I don’t know… give me that money as a Holiday bonus instead? No? Not as much fun as socially engineering your staff for info? Hilarious! Here’s my my two weeks notice.
They might have language to such effect, but it’s 100% unenforceable.
There’s certain rights you just plain can’t give up; contract law just sits on a lower tier than many other types of law. That’s why you can’t sell yourself into slavery, why special laws have to exist to even allow you to sign away the right to sue your cell carrier (forced arbitration), etc.
This happens all the time in L.A., as I have several friends who have done it. Agencies hire attractive, connected, and/or interesting people to go to parties and ensure that the event is successful. They are asked to arrive at the start of the party and have to stay for a minimum amount of time. Usually there is very little money involved but they can enjoy whatever the party has to offer.
No. i recall looking into it a few months ago here in the BBS about a story of a woman coming forward who was under an NDA. There are legal provisions that allow a person bound under an NDA where they can legally break it if there is criminal wrong doing. I can dig up a link if you’d like.
If a situation arises where somebody complains that “the PurdY gUrlZ weRe, like, toTaL buZZ K’LLleRs” this will get back to the modeling agency in which case they may decide not to hire the model again.
