News
Anime Subcontractor Studio Easter Sued for Unpaid Overtime
posted on by Crystalyn Hodgkins
The Asahi Shimbun reported on Thursday that the Tokyo District Court has begun the first stage of a trial for three employees from the anime subcontractor company Studio Easter who are suing the company for unpaid overtime. The three employees are seeking payment from the company for approximately 27 million yen (about US$340,000).
According to the employees' claim, they were made to work six-day weeks, and when deadlines were approaching, made to work 7 hours of overtime a day multiple days in a row, then were not paid for their overtime work. Additionally, the employees claim that when they approached the company about the unpaid overtime, the company told them that "in the anime industry we do not pay overtime" and the company cut their salaries.
Studio Easter did not present its side during Thursday's proceedings, but its lawyer will present the company's rebuttal argument in court at a later date.
Studio Easter is best known for its background work on anime, and has worked on multiple Detective Conan OVAs, as well as shows such as Fate/Zero, InuYasha, and Vision of Escaflowne. The three employees suing the company worked in coloring in "cel" sketches on computers and other duties.
[Via Yaraon!]
Update: Details regarding the employees' overtime claims revised.
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