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Two former workers at the Dolce & Gabbana Beauty counter in Saks Fifth Avenue, New York, have filed a lawsuit alleging they were not paid on time and faced retaliation after raising concerns.
The legal action claims repeated payroll issues affected their ability to meet financial obligations and, in one case, led to job loss.
Lisa Rodriguez, and Leslie Bethel, were both employed at the luxury brand’s counter in 2023, with Bethel starting in April and Rodriguez joining a month later. According to the complaint, neither received a paycheck for the first six weeks after starting full-time roles.
Rodriguez claims she submitted documentation of missed rent and car payments as evidence of how delayed wages were impacting her. She alleges that in response, she was given a single day of paid time off to address late fees but remained unpaid for three more weeks. The lawsuit states that Rodriguez was later called into a meeting and terminated for not meeting “Dolce standards.”
Final paycheck withheld, plaintiffs say
Bethel reportedly left the role voluntarily in January, citing ongoing payroll issues. She claims she never received her final paycheck after resigning.
The two women are now suing Dolce & Gabbana and their former managers, alleging wage violations, breach of contract, and whistleblower retaliation.
Their case marks the latest challenge for D&G Beauty, which was acquired by the parent company in 2021 after previously operating under Shiseido. The Saks Fifth Avenue location was part of the brand’s re-entry into US retail, and the company reportedly brought in 300 new hires between 2022 and 2024 to support the expansion.
April 2023, when Bethel began work, marked the relaunch of D&G Beauty into Saks as its first retail partner in the United States.
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Previous controversies resurface in legal spotlight
While the lawsuit focuses on pay and HR issues, the company has faced broader public scrutiny in the past. In 2012, it sparked backlash for showcasing blackamoor earrings on the runway. In 2015, co-founders Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana drew criticism after describing same-sex parenting as incompatible with what they called “the only family,” referring to traditional structures. They also labeled IVF as producing “children of chemistry.”
A previous lawsuit was filed in 2016 by Tiffany Kantrowitz, a former beauty counter employee, who claimed she was told that “pregnancy is not a part of the uniform” while working during D&G Beauty’s time under Procter & Gamble.
The new case also comes amid rising complaints of payment delays not only from retail staff but also from freelance artists and content creators across the cosmetics sector.
