‘Love Is Blind’ contestants are employees, says NLRB

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a complaint this week arguing that contestants on Netflix’s hit reality show Love Is Blind (LIB) should be classified as employees.

The move implies that reality TV actors would be eligible for worker protections, like fair wages, and can even form a union.

NLRB accuses production companies Kinetic Content and Delirium TV of labor violations, including intentionally misclassifying cast members as “non-employee participants,” enforcing contracts with unlawful noncompete clauses, confidentiality terms, and penalties like a $50,000 fine for quitting the show without “legitimate” reasons.

The move stems from complaints by cast members, including Renee Poche and Nick Thompson, who allege unsafe conditions, emotional distress, and exploitative wages.

In 2022, season two contestant Jeremy Hartwell sued Netflix along with the two production companies for “inhumane working conditions.” He was the class-action representative and settled the case for $1.4 million.

The lawsuit accused them of paying cast members as low as $7 an hour, less than half of the minimum wage in California, where part of the show is filmed.

If successful, the case could upend reality TV industry norms, which rely on tightly controlled contracts to limit litigation and keep production costs low.