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🚨 BREAKING NEWS: After nearly nine months since the last major filing, Judge Gregory H. Woods has issued a mixed ruling on Megan Thee Stallion and Roc Nation’s motions for summary judgment in Emilio Garcia v. Megan Pete, Roc Nation, and related entities. The Court did not dismiss the case. While several claims were dismissed, the majority of Garcia’s core employment claims survived, meaning the lawsuit is now expected to proceed toward trial unless the parties reach a settlement. The Court ruled that a jury—not the judge—must decide several of the lawsuit’s most important factual disputes, including whether Garcia was actually an employee rather than an independent contractor, whether Roc Nation functioned as a joint employer alongside Megan Pete and her companies, and whether Garcia was unlawfully retaliated against after repeatedly raising concerns about unpaid wages and compensation. Among the claims surviving summary judgment are Garcia’s wage and hour claims, overtime claims, employee misclassification claims, joint employer claims, New York Labor Law retaliation claim, California Labor Code retaliation claim, waiting time penalty claims, wage statement claims, and related California Business and Professions Code claims based on the alleged labor law violations. Those claims will now be decided by a jury. In refusing to dismiss those claims, the judge found there is sufficient evidence from which a reasonable jury could conclude that Roc Nation exercised significant control over Garcia’s employment. The Court pointed to evidence that Roc Nation allegedly negotiated Garcia’s compensation, reviewed and approved invoices, coordinated his schedule, expected him to respond to work requests at all hours, required him to attend meetings, reviewed his creative work, and allegedly limited his ability to work for competitors. Although the defendants dispute those facts, the judge concluded those factual disputes must be resolved by a jury rather than on summary judgment. The Court also found that a jury could reasonably conclude Garcia was retaliated against after repeatedly complaining about unpaid compensation. The opinion references evidence that Garcia raised payment concerns on multiple occasions, involved counsel regarding unpaid invoices, and that Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez allegedly referred to him as “a problem” before his termination. The judge concluded those disputed facts should also be decided at trial. The defendants did obtain partial victories. The Court dismissed Garcia’s retaliation claims brought under the New York State and New York City Human Rights Laws, finding there was insufficient evidence that Garcia engaged in protected activity related to discrimination under those statutes. The Court also dismissed his California FEHA discrimination and harassment claims. Bottom line: This is a significant procedural win for Garcia. The Court refused to throw out the heart of the lawsuit before trial. The central questions of whether Garcia was effectively treated as an employee, whether Roc Nation can be held liable as a joint employer, and whether labor laws were violated will now be decided by a jury unless the case is resolved through settlement. Order: https://t.co/xLp60z3eYr