20 MAY 2016
Define "volunteer." Is it someone who works for free? At a Con, is it someone who works in exchange for admission? If that arrangement violates labor laws, but the said volunteers don't mind, should there still be a class action lawsuit?
Well, there's one now and it's aimed at Emerald City Comicon. The suit alleges that ECCC treated its volunteers like employees but didn't pay them. Specifically, the plaintiffs say that ECCC didn't keep a record of hours worked, didn't compensate volunteers for their time and violated the minimum wage law. And if you're thinking, "Well, duh, they're volunteers," that brings into the question the legal definition of a volunteer - usually someone who works for a non-profit. (That's not ECCC. SDCC qualifies, though.) Also at stake: if you exchange your time for a badge, are you still really a volunteer or an employee who accepted an alternate form of payment?
The lawsuit targets 2014 and 2015; this year ReedPOP paid ECCC volunteers, as they generally do. This could fizzle out, or it could stir up an interesting discussion on volunteering at Cons. We know that when it comes to popular Comic Cons, there are usually more willing volunteers than shifts available. But even if prospective attendees are willing to overlook a few pesky laws, they're not the ones who cast the deciding vote. We'll see how this plays out.
Showing posts with label minions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label minions. Show all posts
Pro applications & other ECCC updates
17 NOVEMBER 2015
We've had another burst of Emerald City news, both for attendees and pros.
Pro half table applications are open. If you're wondering what a half table is, it means you get 3 feet of a 6 foot table in Artist Alley. You also get access to discounted hotel rooms for exhibitors and an Artist Alley badge. Deadline: 5 pm PST on 11 December.
Professional applications are also open. This is for entry to the show and includes "the full spectrum of the Pop Culture industries." Which, practically speaking, is huge so it helps that they list these categories: librarians, writers, producers, publishers, licensers, artists, buyers, editors, creators and retailers. The deadline here is 11:59 pm PST on 26 February but they caution you to apply early - once these badges are gone, they're gone.
Minion information (volunteering) will be posted soon.
The ECCC team wants to know which fandoms should be represented at ECCC for meetups, so go ahead and tell them on Tumblr.
And as a reminder: you can still keep requesting the celebrity and comic guests you want to see. Just check to see if they've already been requested.
We've had another burst of Emerald City news, both for attendees and pros.
Pro half table applications are open. If you're wondering what a half table is, it means you get 3 feet of a 6 foot table in Artist Alley. You also get access to discounted hotel rooms for exhibitors and an Artist Alley badge. Deadline: 5 pm PST on 11 December.
Professional applications are also open. This is for entry to the show and includes "the full spectrum of the Pop Culture industries." Which, practically speaking, is huge so it helps that they list these categories: librarians, writers, producers, publishers, licensers, artists, buyers, editors, creators and retailers. The deadline here is 11:59 pm PST on 26 February but they caution you to apply early - once these badges are gone, they're gone.
Minion information (volunteering) will be posted soon.
The ECCC team wants to know which fandoms should be represented at ECCC for meetups, so go ahead and tell them on Tumblr.
And as a reminder: you can still keep requesting the celebrity and comic guests you want to see. Just check to see if they've already been requested.
ECCC Minion applications are open
27 OCTOBER 2014
If you want to volunteer at Emerald City Comicon, applications are now open.
Given the speed at which badges have been selling (and have sold out in some cases), it's probably smart to move fast on this. No, it's not hypercompetitive like SDCC volunteering is, but it's still a highly popular option. And there have been a lot of people asking about it, which indicates high interest. Also, if you're a high-level Minion, you get an extra free day - not just the day you're working.
Applications are reviewed every 3 weeks, so don't get nervous if you don't hear back right away. Please note that you must be 18 as of the Con (27 March 2015) to qualify.
Good luck.
If you want to volunteer at Emerald City Comicon, applications are now open.
Given the speed at which badges have been selling (and have sold out in some cases), it's probably smart to move fast on this. No, it's not hypercompetitive like SDCC volunteering is, but it's still a highly popular option. And there have been a lot of people asking about it, which indicates high interest. Also, if you're a high-level Minion, you get an extra free day - not just the day you're working.
Applications are reviewed every 3 weeks, so don't get nervous if you don't hear back right away. Please note that you must be 18 as of the Con (27 March 2015) to qualify.
Good luck.
ECCC Minion applications bumped to October
12 SEPTEMBER 2014
The application process to be an ECCC Minion - i.e., a volunteer - has been bumped to October. Does that matter? Maybe a little if you were waiting to see how your application panned out before buying your badge.
(FWIW, I'm amazed at how bitter people are over the idea that the 3-day badges are already more than half sold out. Shows you how jaded SDCC has made me. I don't even blink when something seems inconvenient now.)
The Minion launch has been delayed due to "some internal development" which for now is partially a mystery. What has been shared: every Minion needs to be 18 and up as of the Con, 27 March 2015. Sorry, minors.
The application process to be an ECCC Minion - i.e., a volunteer - has been bumped to October. Does that matter? Maybe a little if you were waiting to see how your application panned out before buying your badge.
(FWIW, I'm amazed at how bitter people are over the idea that the 3-day badges are already more than half sold out. Shows you how jaded SDCC has made me. I don't even blink when something seems inconvenient now.)
The Minion launch has been delayed due to "some internal development" which for now is partially a mystery. What has been shared: every Minion needs to be 18 and up as of the Con, 27 March 2015. Sorry, minors.
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