A Beverly Hills Hotel employee who alleges he was required to work more than 15 hours a day like a “glorified slave” during visits by the historic establishment’s owner, the Sultan of Brunei, is suing for back wages.
Paul Leloup filed the lawsuit Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court, claiming he is owed more than $60,000 in unpaid wages and penalties. A representative for the hotel could not be immediately reached.
According to the complaint, the sultan, Hassanal Bolkiah, visited the hotel more than 10 times between November 2012 and October 2013.
“Whenever the sultan was present at the Beverly Hills Hotel, plaintiff was reduced to nothing more than a glorified slave,” the suit states.
Leloup and other hotel employees were required “to wait on the sultan hand and foot” whenever he arrived, according to the lawsuit.
During one visit, the sultan was accompanied by 100 people, the suit states. For 14 straight days, Leloup awoke early to provide food and drinks for the royal visitor’s badminton match at UCLA, then clean the banquet table with fellow employees before returning to the hotel, the suit states.
Leloup was required to work until midnight providing special room service requests for the sultan and cleaning his suites, the suit states. Leloup had no time to return home during the visits and slept in his car, the suit states.
“During this time, plaintiff was supposed to be assisting with food and beverage at bars and restaurants inside of the Beverly Hills Hotel, including Bar Nineteen12, the Polo Lounge, the Cabana Cafe and with room service,” according to the lawsuit.
