Yogis at Richard Gere’s yogasharm livid over delayed wages
January 18th, 2010 - 4:38 pm ICT by ANI
New York, Jan 18 (ANI): The employees of restaurant owned by Richard Gere and his wife are struggling to get their paychecks for over three months.
Gere with partner Russell Hernandez took over the Bedford Post Inn, the tony Westchester farmhouse and revamped it into an eight-room inn, restaurant, cafe and yoga studio.
However, according to the insiders, some yoga instructors at the inn who earn up to 75 dollars per class have had payment delayed for up to three months at a time.
They say multiple e-mails and phone calls to accountants remain unanswered, leading them to stand outside the accounting office in a trailer near the main house to beg for their paychecks.
“I find it humiliating,” the New York Post quoted an employee as saying.
“It’s the exact opposite of what yoga is about — integrity, being honest,” the employees added.
Vendors, too, have not received their payments.
One who did thousands of dollars worth of business with the inn said getting paid was unpleasant because managers, including Hernandez, were unreachable.
“Getting [Hernandez] on the phone to get payment is like trying to get to the president,” said the supplier, who no longer does business with the inn.
Meanwhile, a rep for the Bedford Post Inn responded, “Like all businesses, vendors for the Bedford Post submit their bills for approval and, once approved by the managers, they are paid within their payment terms. The Bedford Post is current on its vendor payments.”
The rep added that Gere and Lowell remain deeply involved with the property. (ANI)
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Tags: accountants, accounting office, farmhouse, insiders, integrity, new york post, paychecks, phone calls, richard gere, thousands of dollars, three months, vendor payments, wages, yoga instructors, yoga studio, yogis