Exclusive | Dolce & Gabbana allegedly stiffed NYC makeup artists out of pay, then fired them when they complained: lawsuit

nypost.com

Two New York makeup artists say working at Dolce & Gabbana was anything but glamorous — claiming the luxury brand stiffed them out of pay and punished them for speaking up.

Lisa Rodriguez, 53 and Leslie Bethel, 57, who worked the counter at the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship, allege in a Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit that D&G Beauty routinely delayed their paychecks, withheld commissions and flaked on promised insurance stipends.

Image of Lisa Rodriguez, New York makeup artist who is suing Dolce & Gabbana.

Rodriguez was booted in May for not meeting “Dolce standards” right after she griped about missing pay, she claimed in a lawsuit. Obtained by the New York Post

“They were thrilled to be working their dream jobs in the beauty industry,” they said in the lawsuit. “Those dreams soon became nightmares when … D&G failed to provide them with timely and accurate payments.”

Bethel was hired in early April and Rodriguez started the following month, but neither woman got a paycheck for roughly six weeks after they began working — and the late payments never stopped, according to court papers.

After repeatedly raising payroll issues, Rodriquez was offered just one day of paid time off to cover late rent fees, she claimed in the June 9 litigation.

Then in May, after allegedly going three more weeks without pay, she fired off a desperate email.

Screenshots of text messages between Bethel and one of the defendants named in the lawsuit.

Bethel shared her financial woes with a manager via text message. Obtained by the New York Post

“Hi can someone please find out why I still have not been paid?? It’s three weeks. I have not been paid on time for a year now. Please I have to pay rent.”

Days later, she said she was pulled into a meeting and told she was being terminated because she didn’t meet “Dolce standards” and had trouble “staying in her own lane,” she claimed in court filings.

Image of Leslie Bethel, a New York makeup artist suing Dolce & Gabbana.

Bethel quit in January and claims she never got her final paycheck. Obtained by the New York Post

Dolce & Gabbana store on Madison Avenue, New York.

The Saks Fifth Ave. beauty counter turned ugly, the lawsuit claims — with late payments and alleged retaliation. ZUMAPRESS.com

Bethel alleged she ran into the same payroll problems — and had to borrow money from friends and family to stay afloat.

The situation was so intolerable she quit in January and claimed the company never even paid one of her final checks.

The pair is suing D&G Beauty along with three bosses for wage violations, breach of contract and whistleblower retaliation, seeking back pay, damages and a shot in front of a jury.

Dolce & Gabana did not immediately respond to a request for comment.