A judge is recommending that the rock group Kiss, its manager, and their touring company reach a deal with one of their stylists.
According to Rolling Stone, David Mathews, who worked as the group’s wig stylist for many years, filed the case. Mathews alleges that he was unlawfully fired after voicing concerns about the band’s COVID practices during the pandemic and that he was not given enough breaks or overtime pay while he was employed by the band.
Judge Armen Tamzarian of the Los Angeles County Superior Court heard the matter for 20 minutes and encouraged both parties to reach a settlement, according to Rolling Stone.
The band’s lawyers said that Mathews was an independent contractor and that the case’s primary occurrences occurred outside of California, in other states. In response, Mathews’ attorney claimed that his client was protected by California law, which expanded the COVID-19 rules to include workers headquartered in California.
Although Tamzarian found it difficult to accept Mathews as an independent contractor, he acknowledged that both parties faced significant risks in the event that the case proceeded to trial due to its complexity.
He told Rolling Stone that “any rational person would settle this kind of case.” There is a significant chance that things could change significantly in either direction. Although it is a difficult case for the plaintiff to win, a significant outcome could occur if he does.
The judge stated that it was unreasonable to expect the members of the Kiss band to wear masks after applying their signature makeup, which was one of the many intricate aspects of the case.
Mathews claims in the lawsuit that band member Gene Simmons performed despite being ill after testing positive for COVID-19 while on tour in South Africa.
Both attorneys were overconfident in their positions, Tamzarian continued.
He stated that the problems are complex. I’m not sure how I’m going to handle this.
Currently scheduled for trial in January 2025, the lawsuit was filed in February 2023.
Go to the Rolling Stone website here to read the entire article.
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