SKIMS, the shapewear brand founded by Kim Kardashian, is facing legal action from a former employee who alleges the company violated California wage and hour laws during his employment. The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, seeks class-action status to represent other workers who may have experienced similar treatment.
David Knight, who worked for SKIMS from October 2025 to December 2025 in California, filed the complaint alleging multiple wage violations. According to the lawsuit, Knight claims he was not compensated for overtime hours despite regularly working more than eight hours per day and forty hours per week. The complaint further alleges that employees were denied legally mandated meal breaks and rest periods during their shifts.
The allegations extend beyond overtime compensation. Knight asserts that SKIMS failed to pay him minimum wage for all hours worked and did not provide full payment of wages owed upon his departure from the company. These claims, if proven, would represent violations of California's stringent labor laws, which are among the most protective of worker rights in the nation.
The lawsuit seeks class-action certification, suggesting that Knight believes other current or former SKIMS employees experienced similar wage violations. Class-action status would allow multiple workers to join the case collectively, potentially increasing both the scope of the litigation and any financial liability the company might face if the allegations are substantiated.
Notably, Kim Kardashian herself is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit. The legal action targets SKIMS as a corporate entity rather than its celebrity founder personally.
SKIMS has issued a forceful denial of the allegations. In a statement provided to TMZ, a company representative characterized the lawsuit as lacking merit and part of a broader pattern of opportunistic litigation. The statement reads: "SKIMS denies the allegations in this complaint. This is a boilerplate filing, the same recycled template plaintiffs' firms send to employers across California, fishing for a quick settlement. We have no interest in settling claims without merit. SKIMS is and always has been firmly committed to compliance with California wage and hour law, and we look forward to demonstrating that in court."
The company's response suggests it intends to vigorously defend against the claims rather than pursue settlement negotiations. This stance represents a departure from common corporate practice in employment litigation, where many companies opt to settle wage-and-hour disputes to avoid prolonged legal battles and negative publicity.
California employment law provides extensive protections for workers, including strict overtime requirements, mandatory break periods, and robust enforcement mechanisms. Employers in the state must pay overtime at one and one-half times the regular rate for hours worked beyond eight in a single day or forty in a week. Additionally, California law requires employers to provide meal periods of at least thirty minutes for shifts exceeding five hours and rest breaks of ten minutes for every four hours worked.
The outcome of this case could have implications for SKIMS' employment practices and may influence how other fashion and retail companies in California approach wage compliance. As the litigation proceeds, the court will determine whether the case meets the requirements for class-action certification and whether the allegations have sufficient merit to proceed to trial.
