Alanis Morissette is one of the last celebrities I would expect to be sued by an employee, but that’s the case. An ex-nanny to Alanis’ two and a half year-old son, Ever, is suing the singer for unpaid wages and emotional distress.
Bianca Cambiero worked for Alanis and her husband, Mario Treadway, from August 2011 to March 2013 as an overnight nanny. Cambiero made $25 an hour working the 9pm to 9am shift about three to four days a week. She also traveled with the couple when Alanis was on tour. Cambiero alleges in the lawsuit that she was not allowed to leave the baby’s room unless Alanis or Mario was there, meaning that she was denied any breaks or opportunity to eat.
Under California law, workers who work five or more hours must receive a 30 minute meal break for every four hours worked along with a 10 minute personal break. They’re also entitled to time and a half pay for hours that exceed 40 in a week. Cambiero said she received no overtime despite asking for it and that she never got a break. She is seeking a jury trial, $30,000 for lost wages, $100,000 for emotional distress, and her attorney’s fees.
You can read the legal documents on Radar.com.
I have mixed feelings about this story. Let’s say the nanny worked four days a week. That’s $1,200 a week or over $60,000 a year just at base pay. Of course she should have been able to take a break. Doesn’t Alanis own a damn baby monitor? I don’t understand how this woman couldn’t fix herself a sandwich or even go to the bathroom when the baby was sleeping. Was she only expected to stay there while the baby was awake or even when he was sleeping?
The lawsuit doesn’t have details of whether Cambiero requested break time or protested about how long she was expected to stay in the room. It does specify that the two nannies asked Alanis’ accountant why they didn’t get overtime and were told “we don’t do that.”
These photos are from February and May. Credit: FameFlynet and WENN.com
Yet another celebrity treating their employees like dirt (if its true).. 🙁
and Alanis should never have a middle part!
Unless its in the contract, overtime does not have to be paid. if you’re dumb enough not to work your contract properly with breaks and overtime and expenses included, call it a lesson learned for next time or find another job. if you’re really good at what you do, someone will always be willing to pay you what you want, if you’re not good at it then expecting perks outside your contract is ridiculous. alot of people suck at their jobs but don’t realize it.
As I find Alanis to be one of the best writers/performers I’ve ever seen I am hoping there is alot more to this story.
Under Rug Swept is a genius album. One of my faves forever.
I guess Alanis only does attachment parenting during daylight hours. Guess she wanted her beauty rest. Another spoiled celeb pretending to be just like the rest of us.
Better than the rest of us. I’ve read about attachment parenting and I don’t think I could hack it, even if I was self-employed, independently wealthy, and had a house husband.
And isn’t it ironic?
Haha, sorry.
Maybe you oughtta know works better here.
Maybe Alanis made her wash 10,000 spoons.
That’s unnecessary. All she needs is a knife.
these few comments are hilarious
One of the worst concerts ive ever seen was Alanis, this was around 15 or so years ago and i still remember her awful voice
For goodness sake, it was the night shift. $25 and hour to watch a baby sleep? Bring a book and a sandwich. That sounds like a sweet gig..
For real!
+1
Maybe this isn’t the whole story but this woman sounds greedy. I bet there was a bathroom attached to the baby’s room as well.
Edit: She should get any overtime pay she is owed though.
I believe employers are exempt from following certain labor laws, like paying overtime, when it comes to jobs like nannies. They should anyway, though. It’s the right thing to do, and I would want the people helping to raise my kids to be well rested and happy.
Seriously! And I don’t get the backlash against attachment parenting. We did it accidentally. Yeah it was strenuous, but that’s life. We do impose discipline like timeouts, but try to do that only for dangerous or continuously defiant behavior. It just makes sense to me.
This sounds bizarre? No breaks for anything? Was the baby’s room in the dungeon? What’s the big deal if she leaves the room, will the baby cry? This is ridiculous!
MAybe because of privacy issues. If the baby’s bedroom is close to the parents, they probaly are like thise employers who hate to see “the help” around.
She’s had one hit record and has been coasting on it for ever. Every song of hers sounds the same. She’s a celeb, they are all cheap with the help.
Oh yawn! Yet another disgruntled employee whining about actually being expected to work.
Tell us, Eliza, have you ever been a nanny?
Because the kids are usually the best part of the job — the worst part is the parents.
I still can’t believe she was with Ryan Reynolds.
If she hires someone to stay in her kid’s room…even when he was a newborn…the entire night while he sleeps, well that’s pretty bizarre. No child needs that. Baby monitors work great. Maybe she was exceptionally frightened of crib death, but even if that was the case having a person in the room wouldn’t stop crib death. It happens IN THE SLEEP.
This surprises me – not the allegations – but because Alanis cops to having a nanny! back when her son was born, she gave multiple interviews talking about how she was practicing attachment parenting, never wanted to be parted from her son, etc. Did that not work out for her? I know that in many AP circles, having a nanny is basically an abombination and considered terrible. Did Alanis finally knuckle under all the pressure?
Maybe this is how the rich and entitled do attachment parenting: hire a nanny to do it when it’s not convenient.
I think she’s talented and likable, but I admit her need to overshare about her personal life has sometimes made me a bit suspicious.
I guess she had one hand in the nanny’s pocket the whole time.
Win.
im sure she was allowed to go to the bathroom but was not designated a bathroom break in her contract . Ive worked as an overnight nanny and sadly overtime is hardly ever paid . Most of the time , you get a flat rate of 200$ a night with no breaks , and that is working for the good agencies . Those who chose to actualy take breaks during childcare shifts are kinda left sol since , how do you actually take a break from watching a kid when the parents are gone/sleeping ? and most families will just fire you and hire someone who doesnt expect to have breaks . Personally, I didnt mind not having breaks but it would have been nice to be able to relax instead of being expected to clean,cook and be robo servant . There were cool parents that would treat me like I was a real human but the richer the family , the worse the pay and conditions . I preferred those who were relatively wealthy but normal . Once , My entire job was to keep a toddler from making any noise while her mother worked at home . Great job huh ?
Can’t say I’m surprised, my Canadian childhood friend has unfortunately, witnessed the blunt of Alanis’ less-than stellar attitude and ego and she told me that apparently, it’s a well-known thing amongst Canadians that Alanis is well-known for not exactly treating people kindly.
Obviously I don’t know the circumstances of your friend’s observations, but I’ve seen accounts from people who’ve met her that said she was very nice. How she behaves in private may be another story, of course. I used to work for a man who would treat total strangers like gold, but was controlling and abrupt with his employees. Of course he had a quite large ego and enjoyed being recognised and putting on a performance.
Not surprising that this is her attitude towards workers, given that she broke the BDS picket line when asked by activists not to play for Israel last year.
Whoah. That’s not cool
wow, that last pic is really unflattering!
I read she was paid $25 an hour, if that is true that disgusts me. The young girl in college who cleans my house I give more money too. Plus bonus and gifts.
I really hope it is all not true, if it is true I have lost respect for her and I will not listen to her music I own, that is so abusive, if true, to be that wealthy and pay that little.
25 USD/hr for childcare is good. Not AMAZING, but it’s definitely good.
From your post it sounds like you might not be American so maybe you’re thinking in a different currency. Especially since (almost) no one pays a maid $25/hr. That bit about your cleaning lady made me laugh.
i’m looking for s housekeeper right now and ~35 / hour seems to be the average, especially if you hire from an agency. i would be delighted to find someone reliable who wanted $25.