New York, NY: Rapper Sean (Diddy) Combs' record company, is being sued by a former intern who alleges Bad Boy Entertainment used her like a regular employee without compensation. Twenty-six year old Rashida Salaam filed her employment class action in Manhattan Federal Court, alleging Bad Boy and parent company Universal Music Group violated minimum-wage laws.
In her complaint, Salaam, a Brooklyn resident, alleges her bosses at Bad Boy had her answer phones, fetch coffee, book trips for Diddy and prepare expense reports. The lawsuit also claims Salaam' fellow unpaid interns wrapped presents and decorated the office during holidays. The interns allegedly performed these and other tasks that would regularly be done by paid employees, having received no training.
Salaam alleges she interned at the Manhattan offices of Bad Boy Entertainment from January 2012 to May 2012, usually working three or four days a week, from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. or later. According to the lawsuit, Salaam' duties included "picking up lunch and coffee"and "running personal errands"for paid employees, which she claims was in line with a corporate policy to "minimize labor costs."
Saleem is seeking back wages plus interest for the hours that she and her peers worked — an amount that will be determined at trial. The class action seeks to represent those similarly situated, which could be more than 500 people who interned at Bad Boy from August 2007.
Diddy did not manage Salaam personally and is not named in the lawsuit. Salaam did receive a $40 a week travel stipend for her commute.
