‘Blonde’ Star & Husband Accused of Sued by Their Former Housekeeper

Getty Poppy Montgomery and husband Shawn Sanford.

Actress Poppy Montgomery and her husband, Shawn Sanford, are being accused by their former housekeeper of illegally withholding more than $48,000 in wages when she worked in their California home. Miriam Trejo filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles County court on September 26, 2022, according to court documents obtained by Heavy.

Montgomery starred as Marilyn Monroe in the 2001 TV mini-series adaptation of Joyce Carol Oates’ “Blonde.” A new movie version, starring Ana de Armas as Monroe, was recently released by Netflix. Montgomery, who has also starred in the crime dramas “Without a Trace” and “Unforgettable,” married Sanford, a Microsoft executive, in 2014. They have three children.

Montgomery and Sanford have not commented about the lawsuit. A hearing date hasn’t been set yet. Trejo’s attorneys wrote in their complaint that she worked for the couple at their Pacific Palisades home from 2014 until May 11, 2022, when she was terminated for unspecified reasons. She was responsible for duties including, “cleaning, cooking, and taking care of Defendants’ children, among other responsibilities.”

Trejo’s Attorneys Say She Should Have Received Overtime Wages, Meal Period Breaks & Rest Period Breaks While Working for Montgomery & Sanford

Trejo’s lawsuit accuses Montgomery and Sanford of violating several California labor codes, including accusing them of failing to provide meal and rest periods, failure to pay all wages upon termination, failure to pay all wages earned, failure to pay overtime wages, failure to issue accurate itemized wage statements and violations of California’s Unfair Competition Act, according to court documents.

According to the complaint, Trejo worked for the couple five days a week, averaging eight hours per day, starting her shift at 12 p.m. and ending work at 8 p.m., with her shifts sometimes lasting 13 hours. She earned $25 per hour, the lawsuit states. Trejo’s lawyers wrote that she “was never provided uninterrupted, 30-minute meal breaks throughout the duration of her employment. Furthermore, she was unable to take her rest breaks because she was constantly needed to perform her duties. Therefore, defendants deterred plaintiff from taking compliant meal and rest periods.”

The lawsuit adds that California’s labor codes require employers to provide employees with an uninterrupted 30-minute meal period for every five hours of work. They are also required to provide a rest period of 10 minutes or more for every four hours of work. Trejo claims she is owed one hour of pay at her hourly rate for each day she was denied a meal and rest period, according to the lawsuit. According to the lawsuit, Trejo is owed $48,250 plus interest.

Trejo’s Attorneys Say She Is Also Owed Thousands in Other Penalties

According to the lawsuit, Montgomery and Sanford were required to pay earned wages and other compensation within 72 hours of termination They say she is owed $6,000 in penalties because she was not paid all of her wages when she was fired.

Trejo’s lawyers also say she is owed at least $36,481.25 in unpaid wages, according to the complaint. The attorneys also say she is additionally owed $6,956.25 for overtime and double-overtime wages worked, according to the complaint.

The lawsuit also asks for Trejo to be rewarded actual damages of $4,000 in the form of unpaid wages or a maximum penalty of $4,000. The lawsuit also asks the couple to pay attorneys’ fees and costs and any other additional relief. She is seeking a jury trial.