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Lisa Vanderpump Settles $490K Lawsuit with Former Employees

BBG News

Lisa Vanderpump and her spouse, Ken Todd, have finally resolved the almost half-a-million dollar lawsuit that arose from their legal dispute with dissatisfied ex-employees of their business.

Per the court ruling in Los Angeles, finalized in late April, the reality TV personality from Vanderpump Rules and his 79-year-old partner were instructed by the judge to contribute towards a total settlement sum of $490,000. This was after both parties agreed on the terms of the settlement.

On April 28, following a hearing, the court approved the Settlement for the Class and Representative Action that the Plaintiff had requested.

The legal dispute between Vanderpump, Todd, and their company Pump LLC, along with Ernest R. Bennick, has been ongoing for approximately five years. This began in August 2020 when Bennick filed a lawsuit against them, alleging non-payment of minimum wages, overtime wages, violations of labor codes, insufficient meal periods, and unpaid wages at termination among other claims.

At the given moment, the defendants rejected these accusations, stating that the dispute might be either entirely prohibited, or significantly restricted, due to a prearranged agreement among potential class members to settle employment-related issues through arbitration.

Although the overall sum of the settlement was $490,000, the plaintiffs ultimately received a net settlement of $252,638.96 as stated in court records recently acquired by DailyMail.com.

The total amount to be settled was calculated by deducting several items from the original sum: the attorney fees requested by the class counsel ($163,333.33), the costs to be reimbursed to the class counsel ($18,527.71), a $7,500 award given to Plaintiff Bennick, penalties under the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) amounting to $40,000, with $10,000 earmarked for ‘Aggrieved Employees’ who worked for the defendants in California from August 2019 through the end of the class period, and lastly, the administrative costs of settlement management totaling $8,000.

A review of the case has been set for a year from now to confirm that the defendants – Todd and Pump LLC – have indeed transferred and provided the necessary funds as promised.

This group, known as The Settlement Class, comprises ex-employees of the Pump restaurant located in West Hollywood, who worked there between August 2016 and December 2022. Unfortunately, the establishment shut down in July 2023.

In the lawsuit, Bennick served as the main organizer. From July 2018 through December 2019, his role was as a server at Pump.

In a statement submitted recently, he expressed that initiating this legal action would enable him to assert not just his own rights, but also those of fellow workers who experienced similar instances of unjust wage practices.

It seems possible that the current staff could be hesitant to disclose their experiences with the defendants out of fear that they may lose their jobs.

He stated, ‘The reason I initiated this court case was primarily to secure compensation for the group, but also to halt activities I consider unlawful by the Defendants. I believe that goal has been accomplished with this lawsuit and its resulting agreement.’

Following Pump’s shutdown in 2023, Todd and Vanderpump initially disagreed over the payment of the settlement, as complications arose from outstanding rent obligations to the landlord and struggles with the restaurant’s declining business performance, as per The U.S. Sun’s report.

In a document submitted last October 2023, the defendant strongly disputed several alleged ‘misleading’ and ‘beneficial’ statements, such as the claim that the defendant, referred to as Pump, has ‘no more assets left.’

Benny mentioned that Pump’s establishment reopened at Tom Sandoval and Tom Schwartz’s eatery, TomTom, which is jointly owned by the Toms and Vanderpump along with her spouse.

Additionally, he pointed out the restaurant owner for bragging about his status as an “affluent individual” with a reported net worth of approximately $90 million.

It appears that Todd and Vanderpump are thriving, particularly following their announcement of transforming The Cromwell Hotel in Las Vegas into The Vanderpump Hotel. This ambitious venture, a collaboration with Caesars Entertainment, is slated to debut in early 2026.

Besides owning SUR Restaurant & Lounge in Los Angeles, she also manages three restaurants in Las Vegas: Vanderpump Cocktail Garden, Vanderpump à Paris, and Pinky’s by Vanderpump, as well as a dining establishment at Lake Tahoe called Wolf by Vanderpump.

The Vanderpump Villa star is currently filming the reboot of Vanderpump Rules.

Just concluded in May of the previous year was the 11th season that showcased characters such as Katie Maloney, Ariana Madix, Tom Sandoval, Tom Schwartz, Lala Kent, James Kennedy, and Scheana Shay.

Episodes centered around the arguments and disagreements among the cast following Scandoval, a time when Sandoval betrayed his long-term partner Ariana by cheating with Rachel Leviss. The show’s continuation was uncertain due to the ongoing discord within the cast.

Towards the close of the previous year, it was disclosed that the series would feature a completely fresh acting ensemble, with Lisa Vanderpump being the sole original cast member to return.

According to Bravo, the fresh cast is a tight-knit group similar to the SURvers from before, and they have intricate relationships with each other much like their famous forerunners.

In the moment when the reboot was announced, Vanderpump stated that the past 12 years of filming had been a remarkable journey filled with laughter, tears, and all sorts of emotions. She couldn’t express her gratitude enough to those who allowed her into their lives.

As a connoisseur of fine living, I must express my heartfelt admiration for each and every one of you. In the ever-evolving world of dining establishments, one shift seamlessly transitions into the next. Here’s to the budding stars who will carry on the Vanderpump Rules legacy, may your journey be as enchanting as the one that preceded it!

The reboot will also commemorate the last ten years filled with heartaches, strained friendships, and controversies by presenting a retrospective special focusing on the previous eleven seasons.

38-year-old Maloney has expressed her intention to leave the show, criticizing the reboot as being economical.

In an episode of the Detox Retox podcast, she shared with her ex-husband and former costar Tom that although she was prepared to leave, it didn’t imply indifference towards the show and the enduring impact they created together.

She remarked, ‘It seems to me that this doesn’t violate any rules, yet I don’t personally know the parties involved. To be honest, it strikes me as inexpensive and distasteful.’

The co-owner of Something About Her made clear that her comments weren’t a criticism of the new cast, but rather expressed curiosity as to why the network chose not to produce an entirely new show instead.

She stated that it seems as though any attempt to duplicate the recipe will yield the same taste and characteristics… When one tries to recreate the recipe merely by tasting it, success is impossible.

In a chat with DailyMail.com, Ally Lewber, who used to be with James Kennedy, expressed her enthusiasm about the fresh cast members.

I’m unsure about the specific actors, but I’m fond of Demi. She works as a waitress there. In fact, I’ve crossed paths with her at several events. She’s truly kind-hearted.

As a keen enthusiast, I believe she might be engaged, although I must confess, my knowledge is limited. The anticipation of discovering the truth is quite exhilarating as I share my enthusiasm for my latest venture – the StarStruck podcast, inspired by astrology.

The cast for the VPR reboot has yet to officially be announced by Bravo.

She stated, “I truly feel as if we’re all in the same ship, navigating uncharted waters. I admit, I don’t have all the answers, but I’m going to do my best to steer it right. I’m proud. My curiosity is piqued; I can’t help but wonder about it. Frankly, I can’t imagine not being interested.

I believe we’re at the closing chapter of an epoch. It seems as though we’re all wondering, “What’s next?” or more casually, “Now what do we do?”

I have a feeling that this marks the close of a time period. It leaves us questioning, “Where do we go from here?” or in a more informal way, “Alright, so now what happens?

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2025-05-14 19:40

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