A former spiritual advisor has filed a putative class action lawsuit against Kasamba, Inc., alleging the online psychic reading platform misclassified its readers as independent contractors in violation of California labor laws. The lawsuit, filed on September 9, 2024, in the Superior Court of California, Los Angeles County, claims this misclassification allowed Kasamba to avoid obligations under California's Labor Code and wage orders. The plaintiff represents a group of similarly situated readers including astrologers, life coaches, counseling readers, tarot advisors, and psychic advisors.
The complaint outlines several alleged violations stemming from the misclassification, including failure to pay minimum wages for all hours worked, non-reimbursement of business expenses, unlawful deductions from earned wages, inaccurate wage statements, failure to provide all wages owed upon termination, and non-compliance with pay timing requirements. Kasamba, which has operated since 1999 and claims to have guided over 3 million people in areas like love, happiness, career success, and self-empowerment, now faces challenges to its business model and workforce treatment.
Attorney Daniel S. Brome of Nichols Kaster, LLP, representing the plaintiff, stated that Kasamba requires its readers to use its platform while charging them for it, with the misclassification and resulting violations being clear. The central legal question involves whether Kasamba's readers should be classified as employees rather than independent contractors, which would grant them additional protections and benefits under California law.
The lawsuit seeks to recover damages, penalties, and other statutorily-permitted relief for the plaintiff and affected readers. If successful, this case could establish significant precedents for the gig economy, particularly in the psychic reading and online counseling sectors. It raises fundamental questions about worker classification, rights, and platform responsibilities in connecting service providers with clients through digital interfaces.
This legal action against Kasamba reflects a broader trend of lawsuits challenging worker classification in the gig economy, following similar cases against ride-sharing companies, delivery services, and other platform-based businesses. The outcome could influence how companies structure relationships with service providers across various industries. The case, titled Simic v. Kasamba, Inc. (Case No.: 24STCV23254), is being handled by attorneys from Nichols Kaster, LLP and Working Solutions Law Firm, LLC.
As the case progresses, it will be monitored by legal experts, labor rights advocates, and businesses operating within the gig economy framework. The resolution could potentially reshape worker classification standards in the online psychic reading industry and beyond, contributing to the ongoing national debate about worker rights in increasingly digital labor markets. The lawsuit's implications extend beyond immediate financial remedies to potentially requiring structural changes in how platform-based businesses engage with their service providers.
