Former Assistant Sues Lady Gaga for Turning Her into Her 'Slave'

For 18 months, Jennifer O'Neill was Lady Gaga's personal assistant. During this time, she had to perform some of the most ridiculous tasks, while working over 7,100 hours overtime. She's now suing.

In a lawsuit filed in Manhattan last week, O'Neill claims she accompanied Gaga all over the place and was more than a PA for her: she was her “slave.”

Though her annual salary was definitely decent enough, O'Neill never had any spare time, and would often have to be at Gaga's beck and call, The Hollywood Reporter writes.

“The 41-year-old worked for Lady Gaga for 13 months, accompanying the 25-year-old singer on her 2010 Monster Ball world tour. O'Neill alleges that she put in 7,168 hours of unpaid overtime and is owed more than $380,000 [€290,653],” THR says.

Basically, O'Neill is saying she was overworked and underpaid, and she expects a judge will see things her way, especially when s/he hears the kind of work the former PA had to do for the singer.

“O'Neill says she catered to the singer's eccentric whims and demands around the clock. She insists she had to ensure 'the promptness of a towel following a shower' and acted as a 'personal alarm clock to keep [Gaga] on schedule',” THR reports, citing court documents.

“She earned decent money – $75,000 [€57,365.76] a year – but alleges that she got no breaks for meals or sleep and had to constantly make sure that Gaga had 'the availability of chosen outfits',” the same publication writes.

Lady Gaga is not named as defendant in the lawsuit, since O'Neill names Mermaid Touring as the company that must pay her for the hours of overtime. Mermaid Touring handled the Monster Ball Tour.

This is not the first time that Gaga or a company affiliated to her are taken to court over claims of overworking staff.

A while back, another personal assistant sued the pop star, saying in court documents she had to share the same bed with her because she was afraid of being left alone.

A rep for Gaga has issued a statement to say the latest lawsuit is completely “without merit.”