Not everything is sunshine and lollipops for Lisa Vanderpump. Her long-running spinoff, Vanderpump Rules, might be killing it in terms of ratings and public discourse. Unfortunately for her, the money the show brings in now has to be paid out.
In August 2020, a former PUMP employee sued Lisa, her husband, Ken Todd, and Pump LLC for failure to pay overtime wages. Moreover, the lawsuit included in its accusations a failure to provide meal periods, failure to pay wages at termination, and violation of labor codes, among others.
Now, three years later, The U.S. Sun has come out with an update to the case. The Sun obtained court documents claiming that the defendants had not yet paid any agreed-upon settlement money in the class action lawsuit. See the details below.
Do Lisa and Ken feel they’re “above the law?”
According to the court documents, the plaintiff, Ernest R. Bennick, acted for himself and other employees in his situation. In August 2023, Bennick filed a motion for a preliminary approval of the settlement amount – $490,000. The gross included over $171,000 in reasonable attorney fees and a $7.5k service award for Bennick’s “extensive efforts in prosecuting this case.”
On October 23, Lisa’s attorneys filed a response to the settlement agreement: “The Company does not intend to perform the terms of the mediated settlement agreement, but would be willing to discuss alternatives with Plaintiff’s counsel.”
Lisa’s attorney also brought up PUMP’s closure, spurred on by “on-going back rent and future rent issues with the restaurant’s landlord, coupled with the Covid-19 closure period and an overall downturn in business.” As such, the company had no assets remaining, on top of negotiating previously owed rent payments with other renters.
The plaintiff responded on October 30, slamming the claims of no remaining assets. “Defendants omit the fact that the restaurant re-opened in or around August 2023, at a new location,” Bennick’s team alleged. Bennick also accused Ken of feeling “Above the law.” As of now, Lisa, Ken, and Pump LLC have signed an enforceable Settlement Agreement.
Vanderpump Rules returns to Bravo in January 2024.
TELL US – WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS LEGAL BATTLE?
