Summary: Magazine publisher Conde Nast has settled a lawsuit filed against it by former interns who claimed they were underpaid for the work performed.
On Thursday, Condé Nast agreed to pay $5.8 million to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by thousands of its former interns, according to Reuters.
The former interns claim that they were underpaid for work performed at the high-end magazines published by the company.
The agreement to settle was filed in the United States District Court in New York. It covers some 7,500 interns at magazines such as Vogue and Vanity Fair.
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Not long after the lawsuit was filed in June of 2013 the company decided to cancel its internship program.
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The two plaintiffs in the case are Lauren Ballinger and Matthew Leib. Ballinger claims that she worked for roughly $1 per hour organizing accessories in the fashion closet for W Magazine. Leib claims that he earned $300 for the entire summer when interning at the New Yorker.
“We do think this is a favorable settlement,” one of the interns’ attorneys, Rachel Bien, said.
Former interns are expected to receive payments of $700 to $1,900 in the settlement. Interns from as far back as June of 2007 will receive payments.
In an internal email sent to staff members about the settlement, Condé Nast Chief Executive Officer Chuck Townsend wrote that the company’s magazine internships “were among the best in the media business.”
“Settling the lawsuit is the right business decision for Condé Nast, as it allows us to focus our time and resources on developing meaningful, new opportunities to support future up-and-coming talent,” he wrote in the internal email.
Will Conde Nast ever activate its internship program again, or did the lawsuit discourage the company from using interns for good? Use our poll to share your thoughts.
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