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'Jersey Shore' Producer Sued for Unfair Pay
Author: Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC
Date: April 18, 2014
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Creating a television show takes a lot of work, money and long, hard hours.
However, this doesn’t mean that producers can neglect compensation laws. It appears as though this may have happened during the production of MTV’s popular reality show “Jersey Shore,” as the production company – 495 Productions – was recently hit with a class-action lawsuit for unfair pay, failure to pay overtime and violation of minimum wage laws.
No matter what type of work a company is doing, there are laws that need to be followed regarding employee compensation. For one, there is a federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, which was established in 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Employers who violate the minimum wage or overtime pay requirements – two claims made against 495 Productions – can be prosecuted criminally and fined up to $10,000. A second offense might result in imprisonment.
Employee Compensation Laws
However, there are some types of employees who are exempt from minimum wage and overtime laws. Here are a few examples:
- Executive, administrative and professional employees, such as teachers and academic administrative personnel.
- Employees of seasonal amusement or recreational establishments.
- Farm workers employed on small farms.
- Casual babysitters and person employed as companions to the elderly or inform.
Clearly, none of the employees working on the “Jersey Shore” television show fall into these job categories, which is why they may have success in their lawsuit. The class-action lawsuit includes at least 100 people who were impacted during the TV show’s production. In addition to allegedly violating minimum wage and overtime pay, 495 Productions is also accused of not paying wages in a timely manner.
It will be interesting to see if these employees are successful, and if it will encourage workers on other TV shows to come forward about unfair working conditions.
- Industries: Entertainment & Media
- Locations: Red Bank, NJ, New York City, Little Falls, NJ
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