Moscow, Russia – June 27, 2018. Brazilian superstar Neymar before FIFA World Cup 2018 match Serbia vs Brazil.
Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, the Brazilian football star formerly of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), is facing a lawsuit from his former personal chef. The chef alleges she was subjected to working conditions that breached labour laws, including 16-hour days without proper compensation or breaks.
The former chef, who earned £1,065 per month, is suing the player for £37,544, citing numerous violations. According to the court documents, her original contract stipulated working hours from 7.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Thursday, and 7.00am to 4.00pm on Fridays.
However, she claims she was frequently required to work until 11.00pm or midnight, including on weekends, without receiving overtime pay or mandated lunch breaks. Her legal team stated, “The claimant did not regularly enjoy a lunch break. Throughout the entire employment contract, the plaintiff was required by the defendant to clock in for the lunch break, even though she remained actively working during that period.”
The chef further alleges she was required to prepare meals for Neymar and his entourage, which could number up to 150 people, a workload that she claims led to back problems and hip inflammation.
The £37,544 in compensation being sought covers severance pay, fines, unpaid overtime, medical expenses, and damages for denied rest periods. Neymar has declined to comment on the allegations.
