A number of women who were sexually abused and harassed by convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein while working for his production company are set to receive part of a $19 million payout.
The payout is part of a deal brokered by the New York state attorney general’s office in its class action lawsuit against The Weinstein Company.
Former employees of the production company who “experienced a hostile work environment, sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination” are eligible for part of the compensation fund, according to a press release from New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office.
The agreement still needs to be approved by the district court presiding over the case.
In addition to the payout, the AG’s office said the agreement will wipe out any confidentiality or non-disclosure agreements Weinstein’s victims signed with the company of any of its former reps.
The AG’s office filed the suit against Weinstein, his brother Bob Weinstein and the film production company in February 2018.
The suit accused Weinstein and his ex-business-partner brother of violating numerous state codes against sexual harassment, intimidation and other workplace safety protections.
The AG’s office has said there was a clear paper trail of on-the-record complaints to the company’s human resources department that were simply ignored.
For years, assistants working for Weinstein “were exposed to and required to facilitate” sexual encounters for him “as a condition of employment,” the office has said.
“Harvey Weinstein and The Weinstein Company failed their female employees,” James said in a statement. “After all the harassment, threats, and discrimination, these survivors are finally receiving some justice.”
But an attorney representing six women who worked for Weinstein blasted the proposed settlement as “a complete sellout.”
“We are surprised that the Attorney General could somehow boast about a proposal that fails on so many different levels,” said Douglas Wigdor of Wigdor LLP.
The lawyer listed five grievances, including how within the proposed settlement Weinstein “accepts no responsibility for his actions” and isn’t paying a dime of his own money toward the settlement.
The disgraced movie-mogul in March was sentenced to 23 years in prison after a Manhattan jury found him guilty of forcibly performing oral sex on former “Project Runway” staffer Miriam “Mimi” Haleyi in 2006 and raping hairstylist Jessica Mann in 2013.
More than 100 women have accused the fallen Tinseltown tycoon of harassment and sexual misconduct.