The “Late Show With
CBS and Worldwide Pants, the production company behind the “Late Show With David Letterman,” have been slapped with a class-action lawsuit by a woman who claims that she worked as an intern on the show, and was wrongfully denied wages and overtime pay.
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In the suit, filed in the Supreme Court in New York on Thursday, Mallory Musallam says she was employed as a “Late Show” intern from September to December 2008. During her time at the show, the suit says Musallam “typically worked in excess of forty (40) hours per week.” During her time there, the suit adds, Musallam performed various tasks, including but not limited to doing research for interview material, delivering film clips from libraries, running errands, faxing, scanning, operating the switchboard, and other similar duties.
Unfortunately, the suit claims, “Defendants have maintained a policy and practice of wrongfully classifying Named Plaintiffs and others similarly situated that worked on ‘The Late Show With David Letterman‘ as exempt from minimum wages and overtime compensation.”
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CBS says it plans to “vigorously defend against the claims” in the lawsuit.
“This lawsuit is part of a nationwide trend of class action lawyers attacking internship opportunities provided by companies in the media and entertainment industry,” the network told TheWrap in a statement Monday. “We pride ourselves on providing valuable internship experiences, and we take seriously all of our obligations under relevant labor and employment laws. We intend to vigorously defend against the claims.”
The suit seeks “to recover unpaid minimum wages and overtime compensation owed to Named Plaintiff and all similarly situated persons,” a group that the lawsuit claims “is believed to be in excess of 100 individuals.”
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.