Modeling Agency and Fashion Week Interns Settle Unpaid Work Claims for $450,000

A federal district court in New York Jan. 9 preliminarily approved a $450,000 settlement between Elite Model Management Corp. and a group of unpaid interns who claimed the agency willfully misclassified them as exempt from state and federal wage and hour laws, thus depriving them of pay for work performed during New York City’s fashion weeks (Davenport v. Elite Model Mgmt. Corp., S.D.N.Y., 13-1061, 1/9/14).

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York permitted issuance of notice to two conditionally certified classes, including a New York Labor Law class under Rule 23 of the ...