Interesting recent presentation and Q+A about Hey for Work features from Jason Fried at Hey/Basecamp:
https://www.pscp.tv/w/1eaKbnLoAMYKX
EDIT: FYI -- release date info estimates from Jason in the presentation above -- he says there are about 11,000 people on the Hey for Work waiting list, and starting next week, they will invite about 1000-2000 at a time, then sometime in February will possibly be the "public launch" of Hey for Work.