Lady Gaga’s ex-assistant Jennifer O’Neil had filed a lawsuit in December 2011 in the federal court at Manhattan alleging that she had to be available to the singer 24 hours a day many times both at her home and when she was on tour. She did this often without a break – but no overtime.
O’Neil sued Gaga’s Mermaid Touring Inc for more than 6,600 hours of overtime claiming that she had to play the role of Lady Gaga’s “personal alarm clock” in order to make sure that she remained on schedule and that her stage outfits were available on time, and even that she had a towel ready after a shower.
O’Neil was paid as much as $75,000 a year, but her lawsuit asked for $19,200 in back pay for work done in 2009 and $360,000 for her relentless work without breaks between February 2010 and March 2011.
However, before things could get out of hand, the lawyers for O’Neil and Lady Gaga settled the matter outside court and on Tuesday, submitted a stipulated order to the US District Court Judge presiding over the matter.
The lawyers of the parties informed Judge Paul Gardephe of the US District Court, Southern District of New York that the parties have agreed to settle the case for an undisclosed amount and have petitioned to have the case dismissed. The agreement submitted to the court also mentions that O’Neill is barred from bringing further claims for overtime pay or wages against Lady Gaga.
In ordinary course of events, the case was scheduled for trial on Nov 4, and could have severely disturbed Lady Gaga’s winter schedules.
The case is Jennifer O’Neill v. Mermaid Touring Inc., 11-cv-99128, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).