Lady Gaga Gets Sued by Her Personal Assistant
This article is a cautionary tale that employers need to have clear employment contracts with their staff. The domestic staffing world is especially notorious for cash-only “independent contractors” who are legally supposed to be employees.
Typically, when workers publicly strike out against bosses who treat them badly, their peers in the industry rally behind them. The world of personal assistants is different.
Lady Gaga's former personal assistant, Jennifer O'Neill, recently filed a lawsuit saying she's owed thousands of dollars (over $400K) for over 7,000 hours in unpaid overtime. In the lawsuit, the PA also complains about having to cater to Gaga in the middle of the night. But an industry insider says, first, that long hours are par for the course in the personal assistant world; and second, that lawsuits like these leave the entire industry — assistants and VIPs alike — terrified.
Typically, when workers publicly strike out against bosses who treat them badly, their peers in the industry rally behind them. The world of personal assistants is different.
Lady Gaga's former personal assistant, Jennifer O'Neill, recently filed a lawsuit saying she's owed thousands of dollars (over $400K) for over 7,000 hours in unpaid overtime. In the lawsuit, the PA also complains about having to cater to Gaga in the middle of the night. But an industry insider says, first, that long hours are par for the course in the personal assistant world; and second, that lawsuits like these leave the entire industry — assistants and VIPs alike — terrified.
What is the industry standard for celebrity PA pay?
Celebrity PAs should have contracts
Brian Daniel is the founder of The Celebrity Personal Assistant Network, which is a headhunting firm that pairs celebrities with personal assistants. He says the lawsuit is sending shockwaves through the whole industry because the attention could make agreements more formalized, which would be a major change in an industry where deals are largely done under the table.
Daniel says many Hollywood assistants are paid in cash, meaning celebrity employers and their assistants aren't paying taxes. If a high-profile case sheds light on this practice, it could mean more regulation for celebrity assistants. "The city of LA is bankrupt and they need money, so when the sirens go off, it's attention that we don’t really want," says Brian.
He also says the complaints filed by O'Neill don't make much sense. "Everybody knows that being a celebrity assistant means that you will work very long hours," he says. "The assistant worked for Gaga for a few years, and then when the relationship dissolved, there's a lawsuit. If you had objections, you should have said something three months in, not three years later."
Daniel says many Hollywood assistants are paid in cash, meaning celebrity employers and their assistants aren't paying taxes. If a high-profile case sheds light on this practice, it could mean more regulation for celebrity assistants. "The city of LA is bankrupt and they need money, so when the sirens go off, it's attention that we don’t really want," says Brian.
He also says the complaints filed by O'Neill don't make much sense. "Everybody knows that being a celebrity assistant means that you will work very long hours," he says. "The assistant worked for Gaga for a few years, and then when the relationship dissolved, there's a lawsuit. If you had objections, you should have said something three months in, not three years later."
How much is Lady Gaga's assistant paid?
Celebrity PA jobs open doors
Beyond that — O'Neill was being paid $75,000 a year, well over the industry standard. Daniel says most assistants for top celebrities can expect around $60,000 a year, while some make much less.
Lady Gaga also reacted to the lawsuit by saying that perks like "sleeping on Egyptian cotton sheets every night in five-star hotels, flying on private planes, eating caviar, partying with other celebrities, and wearing the best clothes" should be considered part of an assistant's compensation.
Daniel mostly agrees. Before starting The Celebrity Personal Assistant Network, he worked for the Saudi Royal Family, where he made over $250,000 a year. But Brian says he considered his total compensation to be much more than that. "When you're working for these people, you have to consider that part of the pay is the jet-set lifestyle. When you're staying at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, driving Ferraris, and flying on private planes, all of that is worth millions."
This Buzzfeed article was modified, edited for length, and updated in 2024
Lady Gaga also reacted to the lawsuit by saying that perks like "sleeping on Egyptian cotton sheets every night in five-star hotels, flying on private planes, eating caviar, partying with other celebrities, and wearing the best clothes" should be considered part of an assistant's compensation.
Daniel mostly agrees. Before starting The Celebrity Personal Assistant Network, he worked for the Saudi Royal Family, where he made over $250,000 a year. But Brian says he considered his total compensation to be much more than that. "When you're working for these people, you have to consider that part of the pay is the jet-set lifestyle. When you're staying at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, driving Ferraris, and flying on private planes, all of that is worth millions."
This Buzzfeed article was modified, edited for length, and updated in 2024
