Entertainment Industry Employment Lawyer

Reviewed by Eliot J. Rushovich, Managing Partner, Rise Law Firm, PC. Last updated October 2026.

The entertainment industry runs on long hours, informal hiring, short-term projects and powerful individuals, and the people who work in it are often told that the ordinary rules of employment do not apply. They do. Studio and network employees, production staff, agency and management assistants, and music industry employees have the same protections against discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wrongful termination as any other California employee.

Rise Law Firm is based in Beverly Hills and represents employees throughout the entertainment industry. Our managing partner, Eliot J. Rushovich, began his career in the Entertainment, Sports and Media transactions practice at O’Melveny & Myers LLP, where for about four years he worked on contracts, licenses, mergers and acquisitions and other transactions in the industry. The firm is particularly well known for handling high-profile cases, including recoveries against celebrities. We understand how the industry works, how its companies and the people at the top of it defend these claims, and how to protect clients who worry about their reputation and future work. We represent employees only.

Who we represent and the claims we see

We represent employees at every level of the industry, including:

• Executives and managers at studios, networks, streaming services and production companies.
• Development, production and post-production staff.
• Assistants and coordinators at talent agencies and management companies.
• Employees of record labels, music publishers and live event companies.

This list is not exhaustive.

Common claims in the industry include:

• Sexual harassment and other harassment, including by talent, producers and executives whom the company treats as too important to discipline.
• Retaliation for complaining about harassment, discrimination, unpaid wages or unsafe conditions on set, and being quietly removed from a project or not rehired afterward.
• Wrongful termination, including terminations framed as the end of a show, a restructuring or a change in leadership.
• Pregnancy discrimination and violations of the right to pregnancy disability leave, particularly where long or unpredictable hours are used to justify pushing an employee out.
• Age discrimination, in an industry that often prizes youth openly.
• Disability discrimination and failure to accommodate, including medical needs that conflict with production schedules.
• Executive wrongful termination involving forfeited bonuses, profit participation or equity.

These are common examples, and other claims may also apply.

Issues particular to the entertainment industry

“Freelancer,” “day player” or employee?

Many people in the industry are paid as independent contractors, through a loan-out company or on short-term deal memos. California presumes that a person paid to perform work is an employee unless the hiring company proves otherwise under the ABC test (Lab. Code § 2775), and certain creative and music industry roles fall under exemptions that apply the older multi-factor test instead (Lab. Code §§ 2778, 2780). The label on a contract does not decide the question. Even a true independent contractor is protected against harassment under FEHA (Gov. Code § 12940(j)(1)). Read more on our misclassification page.

Confidentiality agreements and NDAs

Entertainment employees are routinely asked to sign confidentiality agreements, especially when working for well-known individuals. Those agreements can protect legitimate private information, but California law limits how far they reach. An employer may not require an employee, as a condition of employment, to sign an agreement that prevents the employee from disclosing information about unlawful acts in the workplace, such as harassment or discrimination (Gov. Code § 12964.5). Signing an NDA does not by itself prevent you from consulting a lawyer about what happened to you.

Union-covered employees

Many crew members and other employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements. Union coverage does not take away the protections of FEHA, but it can affect how some claims are pursued and whether a grievance procedure applies. We can help you determine which claims are available and where they should be brought.

Arbitration agreements

Many employers require employees to agree to arbitrate disputes privately. Under federal law, an employee with a sexual harassment or sexual assault claim may choose to bring it in court rather than arbitration, regardless of an arbitration agreement (9 U.S.C. §§ 401–402). Beginning January 1, 2027, California law applies the same rule to arbitration agreements governed by the California Arbitration Act (Code Civ. Proc. § 1281). Under California law, harassment because of sex includes harassment based on pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions (Gov. Code §§ 12926(r), 12940(j)), so an employee who was harassed because of pregnancy may also be able to bring that claim in court. Other claims may also fall outside an agreement, depending on its terms and how it was presented.

Reputation and future work

The fear of being labeled difficult, or of being blacklisted, keeps many people in the industry from speaking up. Retaliation for a complaint is unlawful, and California also prohibits a former employer from making misrepresentations to prevent a former employee from obtaining other work (Lab. Code § 1050). We discuss confidentiality and strategy with every client, and many cases are resolved without becoming public.

Deadlines

The main deadlines are below. They can be shorter or longer depending on the facts, so it is best not to wait.

Frequently asked questions

I was hired for a single project. Can I still have a wrongful termination claim?

Possibly. The end of a project or a contract term is a lawful reason for employment to end. But if you were removed from a project early, or not brought back when others were, because you complained, took leave, became pregnant or for another unlawful reason, you may have a claim for discrimination, retaliation or wrongful termination.

I signed an NDA with my employer. Can I talk to a lawyer?

Yes. A confidentiality agreement does not prevent you from consulting an attorney, and California law does not allow an employer to require an agreement that prevents an employee from disclosing unlawful acts in the workplace, such as harassment or discrimination. Our consultations are confidential.

I was paid through my loan-out company. Am I an employee?

Not necessarily, but you may be. Whether you were an employee depends on how the work was actually performed, not on the payment arrangement, and in many situations the law presumes that a worker is an employee.

The person who harassed me is a well-known performer or executive. Does that change anything?

The law is the same for everyone. An employer is responsible for harassment by a supervisor, and it must take reasonable steps to prevent and correct harassment by others, including talent, clients and guests. High-profile cases call for particular care with confidentiality and strategy, and we are particularly well known for handling them. Many of those cases are resolved confidentially and without publicity, so their outcomes are often not publicly known.

Talk to an entertainment industry employment lawyer

Rise Law Firm represents employees throughout California in wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment and retaliation cases, from chief executives to minimum-wage workers. We have secured millions of dollars for our clients, including recoveries against major companies, government entities, and celebrities. We work on a contingency basis, which means there are no fees or costs unless we recover compensation for you.

If you work or worked in the entertainment industry and were wrongfully fired, harassed or retaliated against, contact us to request a free, confidential consultation, or call (310) 728-6588. You can learn more on our Beverly Hills employment lawyer page.

This page provides general information about California and federal law and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.