Tele Pay USA actor files class action over allegations she was not paid a minimum wage
Transcript of article:
An Orlando woman alleges that she earns less than the minimum wage for her work with a national telephone sex-talk purveyor and has filed a class-action complaint.
Anne Cannon filed a complaint on behalf of all others similarly situated on June 27 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against Tele Pay USA alleging violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff has been employed by the defendant since 2008 as an actor for its telephone sex-talk business. The plaintiff holds Tele Pay USA responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to pay minimum wage to the plaintiff, misclassified them as independent contractors and failed to pay for overtime work.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks overtime pay, compensatory damages, liquidated damages, interest, a minimum wages, all legal fees and any other relief as this court deems just. She is represented by Brian H. Mahany of The Mahany Law Firm in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; John Bruster Loyd of Jones, Gillaspia and Loyd in Houston; and Joseph M. Tully of Tully & Weiss in Martinez.
At rates as low as 7 cents per minute, phone sex workers were treated like slave labor. They couldn’t leave their home because they were often fined if they didn’t answer their phone by the second ring.
Although this case was one of the worst abuses we have seen, wage theft cases caused by improperly classifying workers as independent contractors happens on a daily basis.
We consider the following cases:
- Unpaid Overtime
- Unpaid Wages
- Receiving Less Than Minimum Wage
- Missed Meals and Breaks
- Misclassification (Companies avoid OT by misclassifying workers)
- Not Getting Paid for Working Through Lunch, Taking Work Home, Fielding Work Calls on Personal Time, Prep Work, Uniform Changing, Responding to Company Emails while at Home, etc.
- Tip Pooling or Taking Tip Monies from Workers
To learn more about wage theft, visit our FLSA wage theft overtime page. Simply because you are classified as exempt, commissioned or a manager doesn’t mean that you are not entitled to overtime. Many companies improperly classify workers simply to avoid minimum wage or overtime obligations.
Ready to see if you have a case? Contact us for a no-fee consultation. One of our experienced Fair Labor Standards Act lawyers can evaluate your case. To reach us, call or Report Online. Our overtime lawyers can help you determine if you are entitled to receive additional pay, back pay and double damages. Our law practice is national and all inquiries are kept strictly confidential.
*We handle class actions on behalf of groups of workers. The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that workers can waive their rights to participate in a class action or even file any lawsuit at all. ALWAYS read your employment agreement and opt out of any class action or lawsuit waiver provision if given the opportunity. If it is too late and you gave up your rights, seek a local employer lawyer.