Unpaid interns the world over will be watching this one very closely indeed…
Twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are set to have a day in court, as former intern for the twins has filed a lawsuit against them for “wage theft”.
The Olsens, 29, have worked in the entertainment business since the age of six months, when they were cast in the role of Michelle Tanner in long-running American sitcom Full House.
Over the intervening years, the pair have added a wildly successful fashion company and production company to their arsenal and have built a multimillion dollar empire to call their own.
Their company, however, Dualstar Entertainment Group, could face a big payout if a disgruntled former intern has her way.
US reports state that Shahista Lalani worked for the company as a design intern at The Row, Mary-Kate and Ashley’s fashion label.
She has filed suit in Manhattan Supreme Court, claiming the company is responsible for “wage theft”.
Speaking to Page Six, Lalani said that a period of five months she spent working at The Row in 2012 saw her “doing the work of three interns” and being on call “all day, all night”.
Representatives of Dualstar have since denied the claims. In a statement provided to E! News, the company said: “As an initial matter, Dualstar is an organization that is committed to treating all individuals fairly and in accordance with all applicable laws.”
“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.”
