Music
Ex-employees of Malawian charity suing Madonna
by Ciaran Thompson
March 28, 2011
Eight ex-employees who worked at a Malawian charity are suing Madonna for unfair dismissal and non-payment of benefits after being fired from her $15-million girls’ academy, according to court officials.
“The staff at Madonna’s charity Raising Malawi accuse the singer of terminating their employment due to a change in strategy which had not been properly explained to them,” AFP reports. “The staff are demanding their terminal benefits because they think their employment was terminated without proper procedures.”
Originally the pop singer had plans to build the school in an attempt to provide scholarships to thousands of girls with poor backgrounds. It was later scrapped due to allegations the managers squandered around $3.8 million.
According to the former employees’ lawyer Mzondi Chirambo, Madonna has 14 days to respond to their concerns. It is believed she is preparing her own legal action after hearing the staff filed court papers. Two of Madonna’s children were adopted from the southern African country.
