Some of the former workers accused the stars of not paying their deserved wages despite their wealth, while some others alleged that they were being subjected to sexual harassment and violent behavior of those famous faces.
- Aug 26, 2023
AceShowbiz - Celebrities may have captured fans' hearts with their charm and skills, but apparently not all of them have good relationships with their own employees. Some stars were slapped with lawsuits leveled at them by former workers who were not happy with how these celebrities treated them.
Some accused the stars of not paying their deserved wages despite their wealth. Some others alleged that they were being subjected to sexual harassment and violent behavior of those famous faces.
Here are ten celebrities who were involved in legal battle against their ex-employees.
1. LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian
In 2014, LeAnn Rimes and her husband, Eddie Cyprian were slapped with a lawsuit by ex-maid, who accused them of a hostile work environment created by ageism, racism, and discrimination. Gloria Cevallos claimed she was called "a fat old lady" and an "old Salvadoran b****h" by two other women in their employment.
Cevallos also mentioned Eddie's mother Hortensia in the lawsuit. She said she overheard Eddie's mom complaining about the state of the house to him. In addition to dmand the pay that's due her, the former employee wanted a continued paycheck until she can find another position.
2. Courtney Love
In 2012, Courtney Love was sued for wrongful termination, nonpayment and breach of contract by former assistant Jessica Labrie who claimed she owed unpaid wages and that during her time of employment. Labrie also alleged that she was subjected to unethical requests such as being ordered to falsify legal documents and hire a hacker - all of which Labrie refused to do.
Labrie's attorney Joshua Gruenberg states that his client suffered from headaches, insomnia and a number of other medical ailments during her employment due to Kurt Cobain's widow's behavior. Love's publicist Steve Honig denied the accusation in a statement which read, The allegations are completely unfounded and are being made with malice by a disgruntled former employee."
3. Brandy
R&B star Brandy's former housekeeper Maria Elizabeth Castaneda filed a $250,000 lawsuit against the artist in March 2022, accusin her age discrimination. The ex-employee, who worked for Brandy for nearly 20 years, also claimed accused the singer of additional violations related to state-mandated breaks, meal periods, overtime and more.
Later in November of the same year, they eventually reached a $40,000 settlement with her former housekeeper. It was also said that the former employee's attorneys, Kevin A. Lipeles and Thomas H. Schelly of the Lipeles Law Firm in El Segundo, sought fees from the star. In their filing, they suggested that as part of the settlement, Brandy had agreed to pay the amount determined by the court.
4. Lady GaGa
In 2011, Lady GaGa's former personal assistant, Jennifer O'Neill, sued the singer for unpaid wages. O'Neill, who used to be the star's friends and roommates, claimed that the "Bad Romance" hitmaker didn't pay her overtime wages when she worked GaGa for 13 months from 2009 until February 2010.
The former employee alleged that the "A Star Is Born" actress paid her a flat rate of $50,000 annually when she was first hired and then upped it to $75,000 annually the second year. However, she wasn't paid any overtime despite the fact that she worked "on call" 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The case went to go to trial in 2013, but they settled a month before they were due in court.
5. Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey was involved in a legal battle against her former assistant, Ylser Oliver, in 2014. Oliver sued the "All I Want for Christmas" himtmaker, demanding more than 4,000 hours of overtime pay.
According to Oliverm she was forced to work seven days a week and up to 16 hours a day without receiving any overtime pay. She also claimed that she wasn't given meal breaks during her seven years working for the singer and waited on her hand and foot. Carey settled the lawsuit in 2015 for an undisclosed amount.
6. Naomi Campbell
Naomi Campbell was sued by not only one, but several former employees. They accused the model of violent behavior, including throwing her phone at two different assistants in 2000 and 2003, hitting another with her Blackberry in 2005, slapping a maid in the face in 2004, and hitting another maid who couldn't find the jeans she wanted with her rhinestone-encrusted cellphone in 2007.
The former Victoria's Secret model pleaded guilty in two lawsuits. She wasa also ordered to attend an anger management program.
7. Britney Spears
One of Britney Spears' bodyguards sued her back in 2010 for sexual harassment. In his lawsuit, Fernando Flores claimed that the pop star made "repeated unwanted sexual advances" toward him and even exposed her genitals to him in one instance.
Not stopping there, the "Toxic" singer allegedly summoned him to her room where she was standing naked and engaged in numerous sex acts in front of him and with her children present. Spears ended her two-year legal battle and struck a settlement with Flores in 2012.
8. Olivia Wilde & Jason Sudeikis
Jason Sudeikis and Olivia Wilde may have split, but they are bonding over their legal battle against their ex-nanny Ericka Genaro. In February 2023, Genaro filed a lawsuit against the twosome, claiming that they terminated her employment because of the anxiety and depression she allegedly developed while working for them. The nanny for the couple's son Otis and daughter Daisy was said to "became increasingly anxious and stressed" after Wilde and Sudeikis ended their romantic relationship.
Genaro added Sudeikis would also ask her to "stay up at night after the kids were put to bed to talk" about his personal life, adding that she "felt compelled to engage" in these conversations even though they created "extreme anxiety to her as she ostensibly felt she had to 'pick sides' between the parents of the children she was ostensibly the primary caretaker."
9. Kanye West
In 2022, a former teacher at Kanye West's Donda Academy filed yet another lawsuit. In his lawsuit, Isaiah Meadows claimed that Ye had breached of contract and violated labor code, pointing out to windowless rooms at the Donda Academy.
Meadows, who was hired in August 2020 as an assistant principal, alleged that he continually brought up safety concerns about the school when it was in Simi Valley, California, operating under the name Yeezy Christian Academy (YCA) in 2020. He also said that he was abruptly fired after lodging complaints about not receiving accurate wage statements and not being paid in a timely matter which, when combined with voicing his concerns about the school's safety issues.
10. Lizzo
Lizzo is the most recent artist being sued by her former employees. Earlier this month, three of the singer's former dancers filed lawsuit against her, accusin her of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment. They also alleged that she pressured one of them to touch a nude performer at an Amsterdam club and subjected the group to an "excruciating" audition after leveling false accusations that they were drinking on the job.
Not stopping there, the "About Damn Time" hitmaker was accused of body-shaming the dancers and fired one of them after she recorded a meeting because of a health condition. Denying the accusations, the Grammy winner claimed she's "hurt" and dubbed the allegations "false," "unbelievable" and "outrageous."
