Sofar Sounds to Pay $460,000 in New York Labor Settlement
The live music events company Sofar Sounds will pay $460,357.50 to 654 unpaid volunteer workers (known internally as “ambassadors”) as part of a settlement with the New York State Department of Labor, as Variety reports. It was first reported back in August 2019 that New York state had opened an investigation into the labor practices at Sofar Sounds.
In a statement given to Variety, a Sofar spokesperson said:
Today’s agreement with the New York State Department of Labor stipulates no admission of guilt or wrongdoing and confirms our operating model is fully compliant with New York state law. We thank them for working collaboratively with us in New York, Sofar’s biggest U.S. market. We are excited about resolving these issues and moving forward in 2020, with a continued focus on connecting local and independent musicians with passionate music fans.
Sofar has also faced criticism for its artist payment practices. In a blog post published last month, the company committed itself to “artist compensation for larger shows, while still guaranteeing each artist $100 for the smaller ones,” beginning in February 2020.
Originally Appeared on Pitchfork
