Kanye West’s clothing label, Yeezy, has agreed to a $625,000 settlement to conclude a class action lawsuit alleging employee misclassification.
The case was brought forth by former staff members who argued that the brand wrongfully labeled them as independent contractors when they should have been classified as non-exempt employees, eligible for overtime pay and additional benefits.
The suit, initially filed by ex-employees Taliah Leslie and Shelby Grochowski, claimed that their roles as an assistant designer and assistant patternmaker should have been classified as non-exempt, entitling them to overtime pay and certain employee protections.
Despite their initial designation, both workers said they continued to carry out their duties under the independent contractor status without appropriate compensation. The dispute escalated when, according to the complaint, Yeezy ultimately reclassified Grochowski as an employee but maintained an ‘exempt’ status, which allowed the company to avoid paying overtime wages.
Leslie and Grochowski’s suit detailed allegations of unpaid work time, including the costs and hours spent on mandatory travel to remote work sites in locations such as Cody, Wyoming, and Paris, France.
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According to the claim, Yeezy’s oversight failed to fairly compensate employees who worked beyond standard weekly or daily hours. Court documents cited that the aggrieved employees were required to perform various off-the-clock tasks, which Yeezy allegedly did not account for in payroll calculations, leading to the substantial class action payout.
Kanye West settles with Adidas
This resolution follows closely on the heels of another significant legal matter involving Kanye West. A few days ago, West and his former brand partner, Adidas, concluded a protracted legal conflict rooted in their 2022 split, prompted by West’s controversial comments.
The amicable settlement with Adidas reportedly required no financial exchange, marking a symbolic end to a two-year tension between the two parties.
