Netflix Is Being Sued By People They Pay To Watch Their Shows

Apparently getting paid to watch original Netflix shows is not as awesome as it may sound. Two individuals have decided to file lawsuits upon the popular streaming service company over disputes about the program, titled ‘Project Beetlejuice,’ which required participants to watch new content and to help decide on promotional materials in what ended up being an extremely time consuming gig.

The two individuals that filed the lawsuits felt like this was not the dream job that you might imagine because of the overwhelming work load and lack of benefits. “Both suits argue that due to the deadlines imposed by Netflix, those working on the project had to work more than 40 hour weeks, making $10 per program. These people are also classified as contractors rather than employees, and as such, don’t get benefits like overtime pay, vacation time, health insurance or a 401k plan,” according to KitGuru.com.

One of the suits was filed back in November by Long Beach resident Lawrence Moss, while the second suit was filed in May by L.A. resident Cigdem Akbay. Akbay’s complaint stated, “Theoretically, [Akbay], could set her own hours, but Netflix imposed deadlines for assignments that in effect imposed a rigid work schedule,” according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Netflix is not thrilled by the negative attention they are receiving due the class action suits. The company argued in court papers that “the employees signed agreements that required the dispute be handled privately in arbitration.”

Netflix has also been in the news recently for other reasons not so popular in the public eye. The company has recently announced that they will be jacking up the prices to $9.99 per month. Even though Netflix stands to lose around 500,000 subscribers from the price hike, they will likely reel in around $520 million in additional revenues. While decisions like these may look good on paper, the reality may set in for Netflix if they keep seeking new revenue earning options that could possibly turn away their current subscribers.

Do you think these two individuals will win their class actions suits against Netflix?