http://radio.weblogs.com/0100243/categories/internetCommunityConsulting/ Internet Community Consulting - Online Community. Over 18 years of experience professional planning, operating and designing online forums and communities. Here's what I do when companies call and my opinions of the industry. Copyright 2002 Mary Wehmeier Fri, 22 Mar 2002 23:49:52 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss092 mwehmeier@compuserve.com mwehmeier@compuserve.com <P><FONT size=1><FONT face=Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif><STRONG><FONT class=title>About.com Guides Are Sueing Over Wages and Employment Status<BR>Mary 21, 2001</FONT></STRONG></FONT></FONT></P> <P class=body><FONT face=Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif size=1>Thirty four current and former employees of </FONT><A class="" href="http://www.about.com/" target=blank><FONT face=Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif size=1>About.com</FONT></A><FONT face=Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif size=1>, the web guide, have sued the website and its parent company <A href="http://www.primedia.com">Primedia</A></FONT><FONT face=Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif size=1> (NYSE: PRM) for failure to pay minimum and overtime wages, according to a story by Dow Jones Newswires. The plaintiffs, who filed their lawsuit Wednesday in Manhattan federal court, also claim Primedia has improperly recorded About.com's revenue and expenses in order to make its balance sheet look healthier. The suit claims that the About.com service "would not have functioned without the plaintiffs' ongoing labor" and the plaintiffs--who are designated by Primedia as "independent contractors--should be recognized as Primedia employees. In addition, the plaintiffs claim Primedia has engaged in "fictitious, improper and/or fraudulent" accounting in its dealings with About.com. The suit seeks some $100 million in damages or $1 million for each member, whichever is greater. [Dow Jones Newservice]</FONT></P> <P class=body><FONT face=Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif size=1>hmmm? <BR><BR></P></FONT>