Core Power Yoga LLC has agreed to pay $1,400,000 to settle a class-action lawsuit brought by non-exempt/hourly yoga instructors, interns and teachers who claim they were not properly compensated for time they spent outside of the yoga studio on tasks related to their yoga instruction duties.
The plaintiffs in Barnard v. CorePower Yoga LLC, No. 16-cv-03861 (N.D. Cal.), claimed that they were required to spend time creating playlists for their classes for which they should have been compensated. The plaintiffs also claimed that they should have been paid for time they spent in required training sessions, traveling between various yoga studios and working at the front desk or reception.
The plaintiffs further alleged that they should have been compensated for various business expenses. For example, the plaintiffs often used paid music subscription services like iTunes and Spotify for their classes and claimed they should have been reimbursed for the cost of these services. Additionally, the plaintiffs used their personal vehicles to travel between various yoga studios and alleged they should have been reimbursed for such mileage.
It is surprisingly common for yoga studios not to pay their instructors for time spent making playlists or preparing for class and for attending required training sessions. The Barnard v. CorePower Yoga case shows, however, that yoga studios are now being targeted by plaintiffs’ attorneys for just these kinds of wage and hour violations.
If you would like to discuss the particular employment concerns affecting the yoga industry and what Shulman Rogers could do to help your yoga studio, please feel free to give me a call at 301-945-9250 or email jeinstein@shulmanrogers.com.
The contents of this Alert are for informational purposes only, and do not constitute legal advice. If you have any questions about this Alert, please contact the Shulman Rogers attorney with whom you regularly work or a member of the Shulman Rogers Employment and Labor Law Group.
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