Aurora games workers seek compensation under NYC Freelancers Law

New York, NY — Two television production contractors, on behalf of themselves and other workers from the 2019 Aurora Games, alleged in a lawsuit filed in New York State Supreme Court in June 2020 that they were not fully compensated for the work they performed by Jerry Solomon and related companies.

The suit alleges that Solomon and related companies, including Aurora Games Festival LLC, owe Plaintiffs Andy Brill and Eric Talent in excess of $10,000 each before penalties, interest, damages, and attorney’s fees, according to the Complaint which is available here. According to the class action lawsuit, Plaintiffs Brill and Talent are seeking compensation not just for themselves for but the other workers and contractors who performed work on the Aurora Games 2019 without full compensation. “Defendants entered into contractual arrangements with Plaintiff and Class Members to provide monetary compensation for the services provided by Plaintiffs in the production and operation of the 2019 Aurora Games. Defendants received and retained the benefits of Plaintiffs work without providing monetary compensation to Plaintiffs and Class Members.”

According to its website, Aurora Game 2019 was a “sports and entertainment festival featuring world class competition in women’s tennis, gymnastics, basketball, figure skating, ice hockey and beach volleyball,” which took place in New York during August 2019.

Plaintiffs brought the suit under New York State law as well as New York City Freelancers Law, which is sometimes referred to as the “Freelance Isn’t Free Act,” which went into effect in 2017 to protect individuals who provided services in NYC and the surrounding boroughs under agreements and then were not entirely compensated. Plaintiff Brill and Plaintiff Talent allege that they performed work for the Aurora Games in NYC.

The Complaint is filed as “Talent v. Aurora Games Festival, LLC,” under Index No. 154347/2020 in New York County, New York State Supreme Court.

Plaintiffs Brill and Talent are represented by Leeds Brown Law, P.C., including Michael A. Tompkins, Esq. and Rick Ostrove, Esq. The firm can be reached at 516.873.9550 or 212.419.4957 — or [email protected] or [email protected]