*Weeks after Brandy was ordered to pay $45k to settle the discrimination lawsuit with her ex-housekeeper, the singer must now cough up an additional $32k to cover the woman’s legal bills.
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, a hearing was held this week in ex-employee Maria Elizabeth Castaneda’s lawsuit to determine attorney fees. EUR reported previously that Castaneda sued the R&B star for age discrimination, amongst other claims.
Castaneda started working for Brandy in Sept 2002. Her duties included cleaning, cooking, and doing laundry. She was earning $125 per day, according to the lawsuit she filed. She was fired from her job on February 25 because she was past 60, while Brandy didn’t want to employ an older worker. She also alleged that she wasn’t paid for her last two work days.
Brandy’s attorneys argued that Castaneda quit her job voluntarily and was an independent contractor.
READ MORE: Brandy to Compensate Former Housekeeper $40K – Sued for Age Discrimination | VIDEO
Castaneda accused Brandy of firing her after working for 20 years at the singer’s home and claimed she was really allowed proper breaks.
Brandy and Maria reached an agreement where the singer agreed to pay $40k to settle a wrongful termination lawsuit. Castaneda then demanded an additional $87k to cover her legal bills. At the recent hearing, the judge reduced that amount to $31,821.40.
Per Radar, the judge’s order noted, “[Castaneda] asserts that [Brandy’s] star status warrants a boost in the fee award. The Court is not convinced. Indeed, it may be that an early settlement pegged to the level of [Castaneda’s] wage loss was available early in the case because a celebrity like [Brandy] would want to end an unflattering lawsuit rapidly to keep it out of the public eye.”
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