We’re excited to announce a large victory for freelancers in New York Metropolis: The Freelance Is not Free Act is cracking down on a significant media firm in a bid to present freelancers the compensation they deserve. It just lately settled a lawsuit town filed towards L’Officiel USA in 2021 for failing to pay freelancers on time, in full, or in any respect.

declare your share of the severance pay

As a part of the settlement, L’Officiel USA agreed to pay double damages to freelancers who’re owed cash for freelance companies rendered someplace in the USA to L’Officiel USA (together with associated home titles L’Officiel USA Hommes or L’Officiel USA ART) or in New York Metropolis to a associated international L’Officiel title or entity between January 1, 2017 and July 11, 2023.

When you suppose you might be entitled to compensation for freelance companies you offered throughout this era, you might achieve this to file a lawsuit by finishing an utility kind and sending it to Jason Ho, L’Officiel USA Finance and Human Assets Supervisor (j.ho@loffielusa.com). AND to freelancer@lofficialusa.com no later than February 7, 2024.

What does this imply for future non-payment claims?

“L’Officiel realized the arduous approach that not paying your freelancers is out of style,” mentioned Rafael Espinal, government director of Freelancers Union. “The Freelancers Union commends the Mayor and DCWP for taking concrete steps to make sure that regardless of how robust a model, regardless of the place their headquarters are situated, they need to observe New York Metropolis legal guidelines when hiring New York staff.” This can be a large pink flag to different employers within the metropolis, state and throughout the nation that freelance work deserves pay.”

“New York Metropolis will all the time assist staff’ rights, particularly for our freelancers who typically do not have entry to as many advantages as full-time staff,” Mayor Adams mentioned. “We is not going to tolerate corporations that don’t pay their freelancers their money owed. As a part of this settlement, we be sure that the 41 freelancers who labored for L’Officiel get the cash they’re entitled to and ensure these violations do not occur once more. Let this be your lesson: should you attempt to poke enjoyable at freelancers, we’ll maintain you accountable. I urge any freelancer who isn’t being correctly paid for his or her work by L’Officiel to file a lawsuit as quickly as attainable.”

The NYC Freelance Is not Free Act, enacted in Might 2017, is the primary legislation of its variety within the nation and grants freelancers the precise to a written contract, well timed fee and safety from retaliation. The legislation launched a court docket navigation program designed to assist freelancers safe funds and entry sources. It additionally offers town the chance to take initiatives authorized motion towards people or corporations discovered to be breaking the legislation.

Since 2017, DCWP has obtained almost 2,800 complaints from freelancers alleging violations of the Freelance Is not Free Act and helped get better almost $3 million in owed freelancer compensation. If in case you have an issue or query about non-payment, electronic mail us at advocacy@freelancersunion.org!

We wish to thank the DCWP and the Metropolis of New York for his or her assist of this laws and for taking motion to guard freelancers from unfair labor practices and non-payment. Freelancers can go to the DCWP staff’ rights web page or name 311 and request “freelancers” data for full data on the Freelance Is not Free Act. Data in a number of languages ​​(Spanish, Bengali, Chinese language, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Korean, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Tagalog, and Urdu) in addition to sources for hiring events, a mannequin contract, a grievance kind, FAQs, and a navigation program information can be found on the DCWP’s Employees’ Rights web page.