will.i.am is being sued for ageism.
The Black Eyed Peas star’s company will.i.am Music has been hit by a lawsuit from chef Pamela Bailey, who claims the star dismissed a number of employees in 2017 and everyone who lost their job was at least 40 years old.
According to documents obtained by TMZ, Pamela was hired by the ‘Voice’ coach to cook for him and his entourage in 2008, and she was a model employee, who not only had no issues in her job, but saw her responsibilities and salary increased during her stint.
However, she was 61 when she was fired last year and has accused will of violating the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967.
The ‘Where Is The Love?’ hitmaker has yet to respond to the claims.
Meanwhile, the 43-year-old star recently dished out $350,000 to a UK social startup at the Chivas Venture 2018 in Amsterdam.
will helped pick out the champions of the competition, which gives away a lump sum of funding every year to the world’s most promising social startups, and after looking at the 27 finalists decided to give the greatest amount to Change Please.
Change Please – which empowers the homeless community by training them to be baristas and ensure they find housing within 10 days – won over the judges after a live pitch Europe’s leading tech festival, TNW Conference, in front of thousands of international tech enthusiasts, investors and entrepreneurs.
Founder of Change Please Cemal Ezel said: "I’m so happy – I think I’m still in shock. It’s been a hard and long journey, but to have made 26 incredible new friends from all over the world – that’s been the real highlight for me. The last four months have been amazing; I just want to give a huge thanks to Chivas."