Her former household assistant claims he was fired after taking a leave of absence following a knee injury.
Khloé Kardashian is being sued by her former household assistant who claims he was fired after taking a leave of absence following a knee injury.
According to the lawsuit obtained by ET, Matthew Manhard began working for the mother of two in January 2019, and claims he was let go from his role in November 2022.
Manhard alleges he dislocated and fractured his kneecap on May 22, 2022, which required surgery and hospitalization. Manhard says he notified Kardashian the next day that he was unable to work as a result of his injury and would be taking a leave of absence. Manhard says his role was terminated when he returned to work six months later.
An attorney for Matthew Manhard tells ET, “Ms. Kardashian’s suggestion that Mr. Manhard filed a ‘frivolous lawsuit’ is disingenuous to say the least. As Ms. Kardashian’s assistant, Mr. Manhard was denied proper wages under California law. Moreover, after Mr. Manhard sustained a knee injury, KhloMoney, Inc. retaliated against him for exercising his leave rights under California law to recover from his injuries, discriminated against him on account of his disability, and wrongfully terminated his employment. Mr. Manhard will not allow Ms. Kardashian to use her celebrity status to bully him into withdrawing his claims.”
Manhard also claims the reality star kept him so busy with tasks that he was unable to take his legally required breaks. He further alleges that he wasn’t paid overtime on days he worked 12-hour shifts and is seeking monetary compensation. He’s also claiming Kardashian broke California labor laws.
The Kardashian’s rep denied this allegation, telling ET, "It’s unfortunate to learn that a former employee would choose to go this route. Matthew was properly classified and compensated for his role."
"Toward the end of his employment, he was on a leave of absence for an extended period, and the role eventually needed to be replaced," the rep said of Manhard’s leave of absence. "We will not tolerate false accusations and will prove that this is a frivolous lawsuit."
Kim Kardashian is also accused of violating California labor laws and was sued for a similar situation in the spring of 2021. The lawsuit was filed by seven former workers from her Hidden Hills home in California. In the lawsuit, they allege the SKIMS founder did not pay for overtime or allow meal and rest breaks.
"These workers were hired and paid through a third-party vendor,” her spokesperson said. "Kim is not party to the agreement made between the vendor and their workers, therefore she is not responsible for how the vendor manages their business."
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