The Brief

A first-of-its-kind labor action — one that could set a precedent for the entire reality TV industry — argues that the participants of the hit Netflix reality show Love Is Blind are employees and therefore eligible for basic labor protections under federal law.

In a complaint issued last week, the National Labor Relations Board found that the show's producers had misclassified the contestants — who agree to date other contestants sight unseen, leading to on-screen engagements and even marriage — as "participants." The complaint calls for contestants to be reclassified as employees and for them to receive back pay for any lost wages while they were on the show.

On Love is Blind, which bills itself as a "social experiment," to see whether "love truly is blind," contestants are paid modest stipends for their time on the show. There is no cash prize — just a shot at finding love.

The labor complaint comes after several former contestants — publicly, sometimes anonymously to the press, and in lawsuits — have described poor treatment they faced while filming the show, including allegations that their physical safety was at risk. Their allegations are not unique to the show, but recall similar accounts from other reality TV participants in a genre reputed for its historically exploitative underbelly.

Yet it's the first major labor action filed on behalf of unscripted TV cast members, and could lead to big changes to reality shows behind the scenes of and even what we see on our screens.

If it stands, NLRB's recognition that unscripted TV talent are employees would allow Love Is Blind cast members to discuss working conditions with each other, form or join a union and engage in collective bargaining to negotiate terms such as minimum pay standards and caps on hours worked.

But how likely is all that to become, well, reality?

What's in the labor complaint?

In the complaint, the NLRB accuses the show's producers, Delirium TV and Kinetic Content, of unfair labor practices, including misclassifying the contestants as "participants" instead of employees. The board alleges that under the participant classification, contestants were deprived of worker protections guaranteed to employees under the National Labor Relations Act, and subject to unlawful contractual terms related to publicity, exclusivity and confidentiality.

Former Love Is Blind contestants Nick Thompson and Renee Poche filed separate unfair labor practice complaints to the board last year. After investigating the show's labor practices, the NLRB regional office in Minneapolis filed its complaint.

What have former contestants alleged?

Thompson, who made it to the altar on season two of the show, has spoken about long filming hours and what he described as manipulated conflict with castmate Danielle Ruhl. (Their marriage, captured on screen, fell apart after a year).

Poche, who appeared in season five of the show, has alleged she was pressured into continuing her TV romance with someone she said was a violent and emotionally abusive drug addict. She declined to say "I do" at the altar, and her storyline was mostly removed from the final cut of the series. The man, Carter Wall, was not a defendant in her suit and later told The New York Times that Poche's description of him was a "stretch."

In a separate lawsuit, contestant Jeremy Hartwell accused the show's creators of underpaying, underfeeding and pushing alcohol on contestants. The show's producers told Variety there was "absolutely no merit" to Hartwell's allegations, but the two sides ultimately settled.

In another suit under review in Texas, cast member Tran Dang accused the show's producers of facilitating false imprisonment and sexual assault. In a statement at the time, producers said, "We support and stand with victims of sexual assault, but Ms. Dang's claims against the producers are meritless."

Contestants have said that non-disclosure language in contracts that they sign has prevented cast members from speaking out about their experience on the show.

After Poche spoke publicly about her experiences while filming, Delirium TV initiated private arbitration. Poche — who earned $8,000 for her participation on the show, according to her filing — said she was sued by the production company for $4 million for violating her contract's non-disclosure clause. Since issuing its complaint, the NLRB ordered Delirium to stay the arbitration against Poche or face penalty, as the NLRA preempts arbitration proceedings.

If the cast members are considered employees, the scope of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and other confidentiality terms that production companies could impose on the employees would be severely limited, said Risa Lieberwitz, a professor of labor and employment law at Cornell University and a former attorney with the NLRB regional office in Atlanta. 

"Being an employee under the NLRA means that they can discuss their working conditions with each other without fearing retaliation," she said. "And that would include being free from these NDAs, at least with regard to the scope of the NDA."

What do the producers and Netflix say?

Delirium TV and Kinetic Content did not respond to a request for comment, but in previous statements they have denied allegations made by former contestants. Netflix, which has been sued by former contestants but is not a charged party in the complaint, also did not respond to a request for comment.

What happens next?

A hearing for the NLRB complaint is scheduled for April 2025. An administrative law judge will then decide if the production companies violated labor law. Either party can then appeal the decision.

If appealed, the case would reach the five-member NLRB board in Washington, D.C. That's where the incoming Trump administration could have sway.

President-elect Donald Trump is expected to revamp the NLRB leadership, said Matthew Bodie, a University of Minnesota Law School professor who teaches labor and employment law. He's likely to fill an empty spot on the board, creating a majority of Trump appointees. Even if the case doesn't make it to that stage, the president-elect is also likely to replace the current NLRB general counsel with his own pick, who could choose to drop the case.

Based on previous Trump appointments to the board, Lieberwitz said it's probable that any future Trump appointees would be "unfriendly to broad interpretations of rights of employees under the NLRA and generally unfriendly to unions."

Before a hearing even happens, the two parties could reach a settlement.

"There's a long road in between where we are right now and the potential for this case to get to the five-member National Labor Relations Board," Lieberwitz said.

A ruling, whatever the outcome, would create a precedent for the entire industry in setting a legal standard that other unscripted TV cast members in similar situations could rely on, Lieberwitz said.

How realistic is a reality TV union?

Other popular unscripted shows are rife with stories of stars being plied with alcohol, alleged sexual harassment and complaints that their pay doesn't increase with the show's success — issues that could potentially be remedied or find recourse if participants had the option to organize.

But Brian Moylan, author of The Housewives: The Real Story Behind the Real Housewives, thinks the path to an industry-wide reality TV union is "a very uphill battle."

The level of turnover on the majority of unscripted shows, including Love Is Blind, presents a barrier for castmates to band together, he said, where contestants tend to be seen as disposable to casting directors and producers. 

"Think about the contestants on The Bachelor," he said. "Almost all reality shows, people are on one season and they're gone. It's hard for them to get together and bargain and say, 'Oh, you can't hire us again unless you treat us better.' Most of these shows aren't interested in hiring them again anyway."

The Real Housewives women are in a better position to lead such an effort, as he sees it. Many of the cast members are stars in their own right, returning for multiple seasons, he pointed out. They have leverage because they make the Bravo network a lot of money.

Around the time of the Hollywood actors' and writers' strikes, a so-called "reality reckoning" saw a wave of lawsuits hit the Bravo-verse. Since then, Moylan said, "Bravo is treating their people a lot better than other places just because they need the housewives to keep coming back."

One housewife's push last year to form a union has gotten little traction. Bravo star Bethenny Frankel (formerly Real Housewives of New York), inspired by the writers' and actors' strikes, called for reality TV stars to band together to form a union. Frankel said NDAs silenced cast members from speaking out about the dark side of their work, and wanted her peers to get streaming residuals that are afforded to scripted TV actors protected by the SAG-AFTRA union. (NPR staffers are also members of SAG-AFTRA, but under a separate contract than TV actors).

Bethenny Frankel attends the 19th Annual L'Oréal Paris Women Of Worth Celebration in November in Hollywood. When the former <em>Real Housewives of New York </em>star championed the idea of her castmates unionizing, her campaign was met with a lack of support from some of the Bravo network's biggest names.

"People were paying attention to Bethenny, but it kind of fell away because she wasn't bringing everyone along," Moylan said. "She was just kind of focusing on how housewives were treated and what Bravo was doing rather than saying, OK, let's look at this industry as a whole."

To Moylan, a reality TV union also invites several questions around how union contracts — with rules around hours and food breaks — would work for shows where some deprivation of basic needs is a crucial element to the spectacle of the show.

"How does that impact a show like Survivor, where part of the point of it is to not eat and to not sleep and not have water, and have to earn food," he said. "Do they have to sign [protections] away to be on the game?" 

What about the fans? Could a unionization effort sap some of the drama that keeps people watching if Housewives — known for backstabbing and bad-mouthing one another — had to band together to organize?

"I would like to think that there is a world in which you can treat these people well and they have good contracts and they're fairly compensated and the shows are still good," Moylan said. "If you look at the Housewives, they're treating those women — what I would consider the best in the industry — and it's still some of the best reality television we have."

California Attorney General Rob Bonta provided guidance this week to childcare providers on new legal requirements to protect children and their families from immigration enforcement activities.

Under a new law that went into effect this year, childcare providers are not allowed to collect information about a child's or family member’s immigration status, unless necessary under state or federal law. Bonta’s office says there currently is no such requirement, though that could change with federal programs like Head Start.

“Childcare and preschool facilities should be safe and secure spaces so children can grow, learn and simply be children,” Bonta said in a statement.

His office says daycare centers also should not keep information about a formerly enrolled child longer than is required by state law.

The new law also requires facilities to inform the attorney general’s office and the state’s licensing agency if they get any requests for information from law enforcement related to immigration enforcement.

Facilities also must ask families to regularly update a child’s emergency contact information to make sure someone can be reached in case a parent is detained by federal immigration officials.

The Santa Ana winds are here to welcome us into the weekend, bringing warmer temperatures.

The winds will reach Point Mugu to the Santa Clarita Valley, down to Orange County and parts of the Inland Empire valleys and foothills east of the 5 Freeway.

Peak gusts are expected to reach 35 to 55 mph. The western San Gabriel Mountains, Highway 14 corridor, Santa Susana Mountains and the western Santa Monica Mountains are under a high wind warning until 6 p.m., when gusts could reach 65 mph.

As for temperatures, highs for L.A. County beaches will reach the upper 70s and up to the low 80s for inland areas.

Parts of Orange County and Coachella Valley will see temperatures in the mid- to upper 80s, with the warmest areas expected to reach 88 degrees.

Getting together with friends at a bar or pub tends to get a lot harder when children and needy pets enter the mix. One solution — Breweries! Beer gardens! Brewpubs!

Because parents (of kids and pets) want to go out, too — and not necessarily to a fast food restaurant with an indoor playground and no beer.

Thankfully, the Orange County suburbs where I live have gotten on board with my family- and pet-friendly craft brewery dreams. The key ingredients for me are spacious patios, a water bowl for the pooch, and food — either made onsite or, at the least, easy and quick to order and get delivered from somewhere else. Board and pub games are an added bonus.

Plus, of course, great beer from small, independent, local breweries. On the beer front, I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of beer I encountered on my self-arranged tour of breweries in the Costa Mesa-Huntington Beach area.

Gone are the dark, dank days of nothing but IPA (IYKYK); now, you can find everything from pickle-tinged blondes, to mild sours, to rich and creamy stouts. If you’re not a big beer fan, every place I visited also had their own craft-made hard seltzers on the menu, as well as some non-alcoholic beverages.

Here are some of my favorites:

Riip (Huntington Beach)

Riip in Huntington Beach has two spots with full kitchens specializing in pizza and a wide variety of IPAs and other beer styles.

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Jill Replogle

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Riip has been a family favorite since the company opened its first tasting room in Sunset Beach in 2015, with board games and tables the kids could write on. They have since expanded a lot, with a pizzeria next door and another location near Fountain Valley, which also serves excellent pizza, and has a small arcade to keep the kiddos busy.

One thing they do especially well: For serious IPA drinkers, Riip is your place. They usually have at least half a dozen different IPAs on tap, along with a decent variety of other beers, lighter and darker.

This place is great for … dinner after the kids’ [insert sport] game. Also for date night.

At Flashpoint Brewing Company in Huntington Beach, you can check out the brewing vats and other machinery up close while enjoying the results.

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Jill Replogle

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LAist

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Flashpoint Brewing Co. (Huntington Beach)

I only recently discovered Flashpoint, which opened in 2020 on an industrial street near Huntington Beach Central Park. I actually love this aspect of craft brewery taprooms: they’re often located outside of trendy food and retail areas because they need to be able to actually brew beer there as well as serve it.

Flashpoint has a big patio lit with fairy lights. The tall doors of their brewing area, and an adjacent room with the taps and more tables are rolled up during opening hours, giving it a spacious, indoor-outdoor feel.

One thing they do especially well: All the beers I tried were highly drinkable. In other words, not crazy hoppy or overly heavy on flavors. The nectarine sour was especially good, refreshing with just the right amount of tartness.

This place is great for … An early evening toast, watching the clouds turn pink.

Green Cheek Beer Co. in Costa Mesa serves great beer and food, including shareable, snackable items like pad thai cauliflower.

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Jill Replogle

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LAist

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Green Cheek Beer Co. (Costa Mesa)

Green Cheek Beer Co. now has three locations in Orange County and one in Oceanside. Their Costa Mesa spot is conveniently located not far from the city’s Bark Park. So, naturally, after my pooch has fun, I deserve a cold one.

Green Cheek has a huge covered patio filled with long picnic tables. My dog, Ace, was very happy to find a bowl of water set out for their canine visitors, and lots of pets from the humans.

One thing they do especially well: Green Cheek makes great beer. But what I love most about their Costa Mesa spot is that you can soak up the alcohol with food, including smash burgers, tots, and pad thai cauliflower, from their good and reliably fast kitchen.

This place is great for … reading a book, or making a new friend! Their long picnic tables make it easy to opt in or out of the surrounding social scene.

Bootlegger's Brewery outside the LAB Anti-Mall in Costa Mesa has a quiet patio for day drinking, and a lively trivia night scene.

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Jill Replogle

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LAist

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Bootlegger’s Brewery (Costa Mesa)

Within walking distance of Green Cheek is Bootlegger’s Brewery. Bootlegger’s started in Fullerton, and now also has tasting rooms in Costa Mesa and Redlands.

Their Costa Mesa spot is on the outskirts of the LAB Anti-Mall, a collection of small businesses and restaurants, at least one of which will deliver food to your table. A section of the parking lot has been turned into a nice outdoor patio with sun shades for daytime and heat lamps for chillier evening hours.

One thing they do especially well: Their Kosher Crusher pickle blonde ale. They debuted it last fall and it is seriously good — light, refreshing, and just a little bit zesty.

This place is great for … “working” on a Friday afternoon (I was not the only one there typing one-handed on my laptop with a beer in the other), and then inviting friends to join you for happy hour.

There's an ambiance for everyone at Salty Bear Brewing Co. in Costa Mesa.

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Jill Replogle

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LAist

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Salty Bear Brewing Company

Salty Bear is part of The Camp, an uber-cool retail and restaurant complex also within walking distance of Green Cheek and Bootlegger’s (you can do a tasting tour!).

Salty Bear is worth a visit for the aesthetics alone. It has a great bar with midcentury tiling and dimpled red leather. The sprawling, leafy outdoor patio provides plenty of room for the kids to wander.

One thing they do especially well: Their Coastline Strawberry Blonde made me nostalgic for the fruity beers that got me hooked on craft beer in my 20s — but so much better.

This place is great for … Kickin’ it on the patio with friends, either listening to live music, or letting your kids practice performing on the teepee-themed outdoor stage.

Other options in OC south of the 405:

Steady Kitchen and Taps, 18055 Magnolia St, Fountain Valley

Synth Beer Company, 2960 Randolph Av, Costa Mesa

Brewing Reserve of California, 2930 College Ave D, Costa Mesa

Some government funding streams for L.A. County’s public health system are drying up, and officials are turning to private philanthropy to fill the gap.

A new privately funded foundation launched Thursday to strengthen public health services after $50 million in federal, state and local funding cuts to the county’s Department of Public Health since early last year.

“It is really a hard day for our community when we have to ask for private donations to fund a public good, but unfortunately, we've lost too much money to not take this important step,” said Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer.

In February, the county’s Public Health Department closed seven clinics, with six remaining open. About half of the patients seen in those clinics are uninsured, according to county officials. The department also cut hundreds of staff positions.

Ferrer is on the board of the new foundation, The Fund for Advancing Public Health LA, which held its first meeting Thursday.

She said the fund will help the county maintain its basic public health infrastructure, including disease prevention, health promotion, environmental health, and emergency response efforts.

Other board members include several health insurance executives, as well as actors Sean Penn and Danny Trejo. Board member Saree Kayne of the R&S Kayne Foundation pledged $150,000 to the fund Thursday. Kayne said she hopes the donation encourages others to give.

The foundation aims to raise $2 million this year.

More cuts expected

L.A. County Supervisor Holly Mitchell said it’s crucial to have an alternative funding stream to protect services for the county's most vulnerable residents.

“We are saving public health,” Mitchell said. “This fund represents a new approach, one that brings together government philanthropy in the private sector to invest in community-based solutions, protect vulnerable populations, and strengthen our public health infrastructure.”

Officials say more public health cuts are coming, through the federal budget law known as the "Big Beautiful Bill," which slashes funding for Medi-Cal.

The county Department of Public Health anticipates losing up to $300 million in revenue over the next three years because of the federal budget bill and other potential funding freezes. Federal funding accounts for almost 50% of the public health budget, according to county officials.

Mitchell also led an effort to put a half-percent county sales tax increase to fund public health on the June ballot.

If approved by voters, that proposal, known as Measure ER, is expected to raise about $1 billion a year for county safety net health services, including about $100 million for the public health department.

Board members

The Fund for Advancing Public Health LA announced its founding board of directors, which includes:

• Dr. Barbara Ferrer, LA County Department of Public Health director
• Debbie I. Chang, Blue Shield of California Foundation CEO
• Sean Penn, actor and co-founder of Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE)
• Martha Santana-Chin, LA Care Health Plan CEO
• Saree Kayne, R&S Kayne Foundation CEO
• Danny Trejo, actor and restaurateur
• Jarrett Barrios, an executive at the American Red Cross
• Dr. Deborah Prothrow-Stith, Charles R. Drew University College of Medicine Dean
• Kristin McCowan, an executive at the Los Angeles Dodgers