Kanye West is being sued by a former employee who claims he was forced to work in hazardous conditions and sleep on the floor of a property the rapper was renovating.
Tony Saxon claims he owes 1 million USD (800,000 pounds) in unpaid wages and loss of earnings after working as a project manager, full-time security and caretaker at the house in Malibu.
According to the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, West, who has legally changed his name to “Yes“, illegally fired Saxon after he refused to comply with the rapper’s “dangerous” demands.
The lawsuit alleges that Saxon was hired by Ye in September 2021 as a project manager who would also serve as full-time security on the multi-million dollar beachfront property.
Alongside these roles, his duties will include overseeing construction-related tasks, including cleaning, demolition, hiring contractors and coordinating workers.
Ye had reportedly bought the house for more than $55 million (£44 million) and then proceeded to have it removed to begin extensive remodeling.
Tony Saxon in a safety vest at the Malibu estate Picture: Tony Saxon
As a result of the property being cleared, Saxon spent his entire employment “sleeping in makeshift conditions, finding empty spaces on the ground and using his coat as makeshift bedding,” according to the lawsuit.
These conditions reportedly persisted despite “constant complaints” from Saxon about his sleeping conditions and other dangers, including workers “unsecured demolition of various parts of the house without safety equipment”.
Saxon claims he was promised payment of $20,000 (£16,000) a week, but after about a month later he had only received one $20,000 payment for his services, along with $100,000 (£80,000) for construction costs, according to the complaint.
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On October 22, 2021, according to the lawsuit, Saxon complained that he was “exhausted” from the long hours and needed time to rest, but was ignored by Ye. Soon after, he claims he seriously injured his back while working, but his requests for time off were again ignored.
On November 5, 2021, after Ye again allegedly ignored Saxon’s requests for time off, the rapper is said to have demanded all remaining electrical equipment and windows be removed from the property.
The bed Saxon claims he was forced to use Picture: Tony Saxon
Saxon claims he refused for safety reasons, at which point, according to the lawsuit, Ye threatened him before telling him to “get the hell out” and eventually firing him after he again brought up his unpaid wages.
Saxon’s lawyer, Ron Zambrano, said: “You have shown a wanton disregard for his employees and flouted the law in incredibly dangerous ways throughout this Malibu house project.
“No employee should have to suffer the kind of working conditions that Mr Saxon was forced to endure, but Ye showed no concern and simply wanted the job done, despite the dangerous and unsafe, not to mention illegal, actions he took tried to force plaintiff to undertake.”
This latest lawsuit comes on the heels of several other recently filed complaints against Ye and his Donda Academy Christian school in Southern California, alleging violations of labor laws and educational guidelines, retaliatory practices, unsafe conditions for students and poor management.
The rapper is also being sued by a photographer who accused him of grabbing her phone and throwing it on the street.
Sky News has approached Ye’s representatives for comment.