Olsen Twins Class Action Lawsuit: [+UPDATE] Olsens Sued For Poor Work Ethics, And Wage Theft

By Staff Writer

Aug 21, 2015 07:41 AM EDT

The class action lawsuit filed at the Manhattan Supreme Court alleges Dualstar Entertainment Group for not paying wages of 40 past and present interns at the company. A representative for the company released a statement defending the wage theft allegations as  "groundless."

Dualstar Entertainment is the parent company of prestigious labels, The Row and Elizabeth and James.  According to the Olsen Twins Class Action lawsuit, the interns were demanding payment for the work they provided for the company.  A former intern also alleges the company for their poor working conditions.

"The allegations in the complaint filed against Dualstar are groundless, and Dualstar will vigorously defend itself against plaintiff's claims in court, not before the media. Dualstar is confident that once the true facts of this case are revealed, the lawsuit will be dismissed in its entirety," Dualstar representative Annett Wolf wrote in a statement to USA TODAY.

The Class Action lawsuit claims that the interns deserved to be paid since they are providing the same work done by the regular employees.  They also cited the Olsens' work ethics that subjected the interns to longer working hours and too much work, Refinery29 reports.

A former intern named Shahista Lalani is the main plaintiff in the Olsens Class Action lawsuit. Lalani, who worked for The Row for five months in 2012 claimed that she worked 50 hours a week, doing tedious tasks and toiling for free.  Lalani spoke to Page Six and told that she was dehydrated and was hospitalized because of too much work.

The former intern, graduate of The New School's Parsons School of Design, claimed that she was doing various tasks including inputting data into spreadsheets, running personal errands for paid employees, making tech sheets, organizing materials, sewing, photocopying, and pattern cutting, according to Class Action lawsuit.

 "When we weren't doing something, they'd be like, 'Organize the buttons in the back by color code.' You're cleaning. You don't get a set 15-minute break. You just go with their crazy flow. You just [got] caught up in the pressure," Lalani said.

Dualstar Entertainment Group is one of the several companies to face lawsuit against previous workers or interns.  What do you think will happen be the final decision of the court in the Olsen Twins Class Action Lawsuit?

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