CALIFORNIA – A lawsuit filed against Apple Studios has rocked the entertainment world, accusing the production giant of violating labor laws on the set of Palm Royale in California.
Daniel Ferguson, representing a group of background actors, has filed a class-action lawsuit against Apple Studios in the Los Angeles Superior Court. The labor law violations lawsuit, filed on May 3, 2024, alleges that the studio failed to meet its labor obligations, including proper payment and legally required rest periods.
Ferguson claims that during their time working on the Palm Royale set, Apple Studios did not adequately compensate background actors, failing to pay them for all hours worked, including overtime hours. Additionally, it is alleged that the studio did not provide legally required meal breaks, nor adequately compensate employees for any such breaks not provided.
The lawsuit details a series of alleged violations, including:
- Failure to Pay for Hours Worked: It is argued that Apple Studios did not pay for all hours worked, including minimum wages, regular time, and overtime hours.
- Denial of Legally Required Meal Periods: Plaintiffs claim that the studio did not provide legally mandated 30-minute meal periods, nor compensate employees for any such breaks not provided.
- Non-compliance with Final Paychecks and Expenses: It is alleged that final paycheck calculations for terminated employees were incorrect and that the studio did not reimburse plaintiffs for expenses related to their work on set.
Background actors, according to the lawsuit, were forced to work through unpaid meal breaks, as well as before and after established work hours, without receiving fair compensation for these additional hours.
The proposed class action by Ferguson and other background actors aims to address these alleged unfair labor practices and ensure that entertainment workers receive the fair treatment and proper compensation they deserve.
