GAME has put employees across its business in furlough with payouts until the end of April.
On March 24, GAME was forced to close all 247 of its stores after government shut down all "non-essential" retail stores.
In an email sent yesterday, March 31, and seen by Eurogamer, the Fraser Group company (Mike Ashley's business) informs workers that they will pay their regular pay from March 26 to 30 April 2020, but will not guarantee full pay – or jobs – after the end of April.
This standard payment, Eurogamer understands, is used based on average monthly wages, rather than contracted hours, which will come as a relief for many GAME employees on low-hours but full-time contracts.
“We work at unprecedented times,” the letter reads. "Every day our lives and our economy see great changes. COVID-19 affects every aspect of what we do. We are all involved, as individuals, businesses and society as a whole. Our economy strives for survival. We will continue to do everything possible to ensure that our business remains as strong as possible to achieve. for the rest of us.
"We have to make difficult decisions to ensure that as we emerge from our current situation our business is in a better position. The workload has dropped; our business, like so many others, is small. We must work to respond to these situations,
including job reductions.
"As you know, based on the latest UK Government guidelines and the busiest roads in the works, we had no choice but to close all our stores as soon as the sale neared on 23 March 2020. Because our stores are closed and because your work is related to trading in our stores, since this day, or shortly afterwards, you couldn't and you were unemployed – this is because you are not your job.
"Beyond business, there are many exciting stories of what our people have done to support us, our colleagues and their communities, nationally and locally – thank you."
One source at GAME said that the principal's office staff failed yesterday. GAME's archive in Basingstoke continues to operate amidst the release of videogames such as The Big 3 Deadline Debt and Final Fantasy 7 Remake.
As for workers, they will be paid as usual by workers' pay and pay until the end of April. Employees were told that after the end of April, assuming their jobs were still available, they would receive 80 percent of their salary, up to a $ 2500 a month salary, as part of the Fraser Group spending the government recently announced Coronavirus Job Retirement Scheme.
However, the letter continues to issue a dire warning to employees: "You and I should plan for the next few months to be difficult for our business."
The Fraser Group said it could ask workers to reduce their wages, or, create redundancies. "… we cannot get over the possibility that they may take drastic measures; we are in difficult situations."
The GAME staff we spoke with, who asked for anonymity to protect their jobs, have reacted to this book.
"It actually gives more people financial stability next month and it's more comforting," says one source. "I can't speak for everyone but I think it's good news for these uncertain times. I hope that when they have to come back next month the world will be back."
"That's what I think," said one member of the GAME staff member. "The full pay off until the end of April is right. I had to apply for Universal Credit and then I would look for a new job altogether."
The news is being reported in major newspapers such as Mike Ashley's attempt to "fix the name of his sales force", as his target team sees their annual salaries reduced to just $ 40,000. This week Ashley, who also owns Sports Direct, issued an apology for her attempt to keep the stores open by disobeying legal advice.
