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Modeling Agency Issues and Contracts

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alemons

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? New York

Does anyone here have experience with modeling agencies and contracts?

My agency owes other mothers thousands of dollars and they haven't been paid since last year. They rarely tell models about rates for jobs too. So the models have no idea how much they are supposed to make and how long to stay for a job (preventing overtime opportunities).

I on the other hand, rarely ever work and get maybe 0-3 castings in a month. Most agencies in NY get models anywhere from 5-10 castings in a day. I haven't made much with them in the past year at all and have only booked 2 jobs. Really depressing. There's been high turnover of models and bookers as of late. I want to terminate my 3 year contract because I'm not working and they're submitting me for the wrong kind of work. However, I'm hearing from other models that the owner will only release the model contracts if the model signs a new contract that bans them from working with any other agency for 1 year. Is this legal? There is no termination clause in the original contract.

What is the likelihood that the models would end up successful if they sue the agency for withholding payments and labeling us as independent contractors?
 


quincy

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? New York

Does anyone here have experience with modeling agencies and contracts?

My agency owes other mothers thousands of dollars and they haven't been paid since last year. They rarely tell models about rates for jobs too. So the models have no idea how much they are supposed to make and how long to stay for a job (preventing overtime opportunities).

I on the other hand, rarely ever work and get maybe 0-3 castings in a month. Most agencies in NY get models anywhere from 5-10 castings in a day. I haven't made much with them in the past year at all and have only booked 2 jobs. Really depressing. There's been high turnover of models and bookers as of late. I want to terminate my 3 year contract because I'm not working and they're submitting me for the wrong kind of work. However, I'm hearing from other models that the owner will only release the model contracts if the model signs a new contract that bans them from working with any other agency for 1 year. Is this legal? There is no termination clause in the original contract.

What is the likelihood that the models would end up successful if they sue the agency for withholding payments and labeling us as independent contractors?
You and the other models need to have your contracts with the agency personally reviewed in entirety by an attorney in your area.

I can only tell you from what you have posted that the noncompete clause restricting work for a year is unenforceable and that you are entitled to be paid for the work that you do. Unless the contract guarantees otherwise, however, you are not entitled to modeling jobs.

Good luck.
 

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