KMR Talent Agency Unpaid Wages SAG-AFTRA Class Action Lawsuit Lawyers
KMR Talent Agency Unpaid Wages SAG-AFTRA Class Action Lawsuit
Recently, the KMR Talent Agency has been under fire due to non-payment to clients. According to President Mark Measures, the talent agency was going through a “talent payment breakdown” due to logistical and staffing issues – specifically banking issues, the crash of their payment database, and the loss of the head of the Talent Payment department – that ultimately resulted in issues with paying their clients.
Just a few days after Measures’ statement regarding KMR’s issues, Measures left the Association of Talent Agents (ATA). A few days after leaving the ATA, Measures sent a letter to SAG-AFTRA informing them of the decision to suspend their franchise with the union. In his letter, Measures stated the following:
“It is in the interests of KMR and its clients to temporarily inactivate [the] franchise with the union…the decision is not taken lightly, but it presents…the opportunity to address and rectify the issues that have been causing significant distractions in recent times…I want to assure…that I am fully committed to taking all necessary steps to correct these issues…We will be restructuring the agency to ensure a stronger launch when we ask to reactivate our franchise with SAG/Afra.”
Of course, this decision has left many KMR agents blindsided. Many agents have publicly left the talent agency, either to start their own talent agencies or join other agencies.
Unfortunately, countless clients have been left in the dark and unsure of when they will be paid the wages they are owed. Many clients have resorted to online forums to share their experiences with the talent agency, some sharing that the agency owes them tens of thousands of dollars. Clients have shared experiences of bounced checks and a lack of answers from the agency. The talent agency is estimated to owe clients over $3 million.
Does KMR owe you wages? If so, you could have the right to file a lawsuit. Here at the Downtown L.A. Law Group are fully committed to fighting for your rights. If you are ready to speak with our lawyers to learn more about the legal options available to you, contact us today.
More About the KMR Talent Agency
The Kazarian, Measures, Ruskin & Associates Talent Agency – also known as KMR Talent – started out in 1957 as the Wormser Agency; the agency was the first voice-over and commercial agency in L.A. Over the years, KMR Talent has expanded; still, the talent agency remains one of the smallest agencies in the industry. In addition to their L.A. office, KMR Talent has offices in New York and Atlanta.
Can I File a Claim for Unpaid Wages against KMR?Yes, you can file a claim for any unpaid wages that KMR Talent owes you. You have the right to be paid for all the work that you have done; therefore, you could have the right to file a claim for unpaid wages. You could file a wage claim with the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). Filing a claim with the DIR will start the process to collect unpaid wages, although the department will need to investigate the situation to determine whether wages are truly owed. Although some unpaid wage claims are straightforward and do not require legal representation, cases that involve agencies, unions, and other entities can be complex, so legal representation is recommended. Of course, you could also choose to pursue a civil lawsuit against KMR.
For more information about your right to file a claim for unpaid wages, contact us today.
What Compensation Can I Recover?
Based on the details of your unpaid wages claim, you could be eligible to recover some of the following categories of compensation:
- Financial losses, including a full reimbursement of all unpaid wages, and other financial damages caused by the unpaid wages.
- Pain and suffering, specifically for any mental and emotional distress resulting from unpaid wages.
- Punitive damages, which are awarded as punishment towards defendants.
- Legal costs
How much compensation can I be awarded? The value of your claim will be based on the facts, such as the total wages that you were owed, the mental/emotional suffering caused by financial distress caused by unpaid wages, and more. Here at the Downtown L.A. Law Group, our team is fully committed to provide you with the guidance that you need to get justice and recover the maximum compensation available for your lawsuit. For more information about the compensation that you could be entitled to receive, contact us today.
Recommended Steps to Take
You might be wondering what to do to prepare to pursue a claim. The most important thing to do is gather all the necessary evidence surrounding your unpaid wages, such as a record of the hours that you worked, pay stubs, hour schedules, etc. If you were issued checks that bounced back resulting in bank charges, it is important that you gather statements and other bank records. In addition, you should gather records of all communications related to the unpaid wages (emails, letters, texts, etc.). For more information about what you should do to prepare to file a claim for unpaid wages, contact the experts here at our law firm as soon as possible.
