Many stage shows involve a great number of people behind the scenes. Magic shows are no different. For David Copperfield, employment disputes with his stagehands are making more headlines than the illusions they perform together. Anyone working behind the scenes of a production in Colorado may be interested in the outcome of the dispute.
David Copperfield employs a number of people who work behind the scenes of his magic act. Seven of the stagehands filed suit against Copperfield, alleging that they were made to work 14 hours a day for seven days a week, all without the benefit of overtime pay. They claim that the conditions persisted for over three years.
Copperfield has filed suit against the stagehands. His company accuses six of the stagehands of conspiracy to disclose his secrets behind his magic act. They are also accused of breach of contract. The stagehands counter those claims by insisting they were coerced and exploited while the magician made millions of dollars and they were sworn to secrecy regarding their work.
Both sides are currently in talks to resolve the lawsuits. Employment disputes such as this can become complicated when both sides seek justice or file suits against the other. However, any Colorado worker who feels they have been exploited or have been treated unfairly according to employment law may benefit from exploring their legal options. An employer may also benefit from understanding their rights if they feel workers have filed a false claim or have made accusations that they believe to be untrue.
Source: wkbn.com, “Magician???s stagehands suing over wage dispute“, , April 4, 2014