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A Former Employee of Pink Martini Is Suing the Band for Alleged Unpaid Wages

The lounge-pop veterans’ onetime finance manager claims the group owes her $30,000.

By Shannon Gormley
IMAGE: Chris Hornbecker.

A former Pink Martini finance manager has filed a wage claim against the veteran Portland band for over $40,000.

The claim, filed last Friday by attorney Karen Moore on behalf of plaintiff Laurie Hillenbrand in Multnomah County Circuit Court, demands a jury trial for wages allegedly withheld in 2017.

According to the lawsuit, Hillenbrand worked for the veteran lounge-pop band from 2012 to 2017. The suit alleges that Hillenbrand worked beyond her usual 24-hour workweek for several months in 2017, but the band failed to pay for roughly $6,000 in additional labor, and withheld a $10,000 nondiscretionary bonus and about $14,000 in unused sick and vacation time upon ending her employment.

The claim demands payment of the withheld fund, plus almost $10,000 in penalty wages.

Neither Pink Martini nor Hillenbrand immediately replied to WW's request for comment.

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Multnomah County Circuit CourtPink Martiniwage claim

Shannon Gormley

Shannon Gormley

Shannon Gormley is originally from Baltimore, Maryland. She covers local and non-local music in Portland, and writes for Baltimore City Paper whenever she's visiting her hometown.