A $20 million mansion. A reality-TV billionaire. And, according to court papers, a housekeeper who says a supervisor told her she couldn’t drink “Kylie’s water.”
Kylie Jenner is now facing lawsuits from multiple former household employees, and the allegations read like a behind-the-scenes episode no one wanted to film. But take away the celebrity name, and these cases raise questions that thousands of nannies, housekeepers, caregivers and private chefs in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts should be asking about their own jobs.
Important: The claims described below are allegations made in lawsuits. They have not been proven in court, and Jenner has not publicly commented on the suits.
What the Lawsuits Allege
Lawsuit #1: “Severe and pervasive harassment”
In April 2026, former housekeeper Angelica Hernandez Vasquez sued Kylie Jenner Inc. and two staffing companies, Tri Star Services and La Maison Family Services, alleging she faced “severe and pervasive harassment” while working at Jenner’s Hidden Hills home from September 2024 to August 2025 (Los Angeles Times).
According to the complaint, Vasquez, a Salvadoran woman and practicing Catholic, says supervisors mocked her accent, snapped their fingers while shouting at her, demanded to inspect her phone, and said “Catholics are horrible people” (Los Angeles Times). She alleges that supervisors cut her hours after she complained. After a second complaint in March 2025, she says a supervisor threw hangers at her feet. (Los Angeles Times).
She also alleges late and unpaid wages, unpaid overtime, unreimbursed business expenses, and missing meal-and-rest-break pay (Los Angeles Times). Notably, the filing does not accuse Jenner personally of the bullying; it targets the household operation she runs (Los Angeles Times).
Lawsuit #2: The letter on the massage table
About a week later, a second housekeeper, Juana Delgado Soto, filed suit in Los Angeles County Superior Court against Jenner, Kylie Jenner Inc., a staff supervisor, and the same two staffing companies, alleging racial discrimination, harassment, unpaid wages, and failure to prevent harassment (Los Angeles Times).
Her allegations are hard to forget. Soto says management briefly removed the supervisor she reported after her 2024 HR complaint, then reinstated that supervisor. She alleges the supervisor then cut her pay and changed her schedule.(Los Angeles Times). She says she was denied time to grieve her brother’s sudden death (Los Angeles Times).
Then came the letter. In April 2025, Soto says she placed a handwritten plea for help on Jenner’s massage bed (Los Angeles Times). She says the supervisor threatened to fire her the next day and told her never to contact Jenner again. The supervisor also ordered her to “disappear” whenever Jenner was around. She alleges the supervisor restricted her restroom access and barred her from drinking water because it was “Kylie’s water.” (Los Angeles Times).
Lawsuit #3: A private chef’s pregnancy claim
In June 2026, a former private chef filed a third suit alleging that a punishing workload during her pregnancy, including working a family birthday party in Palm Springs without adequate support, contributed to a miscarriage (Us Weekly). The same attorney represents all three plaintiffs. (Us Weekly).
Why This Matters Far Beyond Hidden Hills
The plaintiffs filed these cases in California, but the questions they raise are universal:
- Can a private household be sued like a company? Often, yes. A household employer can face discrimination, harassment and wage claims.
- What if you were hired through an agency? Both lawsuits name the staffing companies alongside Jenner’s business. Workers placed by an agency may have claims against more than one party.
- What if the harasser was a co-worker or supervisor, not the homeowner? Employers can still be responsible for failing to stop harassment they knew or should have known about.
- What if you complained and then got punished? Cutting hours, slashing pay, changing schedules or threatening termination after a complaint can be illegal retaliation, a separate claim of its own.
Your Rights as a Domestic Worker in Our States
New York. New York passed the nation’s first Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights in 2010 (Epstein Becker Green). State law specifically makes it unlawful for an employer to sexually harass a domestic worker or subject them to harassment based on protected characteristics (N.Y. Executive Law § 296-b).
New Jersey. New Jersey’s Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights took effect July 1, 2024. It covers housekeepers, nannies, caregivers and cooks, whether hired directly or through an agency and regardless of immigration status (NJ Department of Labor). It guarantees rights to breaks, privacy and safety, protection from discrimination and retaliation, and, for most workers, a written contract in their own language (NJ Department of Labor). Households and agencies that share control can be jointly liable (NJ Department of Labor).
Massachusetts. Domestic workers have the same rights as other workers to minimum wage and overtime, plus extra protections tied to working and living conditions (Mass.gov). Those who work 40 or more hours a week have the right to at least 24 consecutive hours of rest each week. (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 149, § 190).
Connecticut. Household workers in Connecticut also have wage and anti-discrimination protections. Whether a specific law applies can depend on how many workers the household employs and how it structures your job. Consider asking an employment attorney to review your situation.
Red Flags in a Household Job
If any of these sound familiar, talk to an employment lawyer:
- You regularly work long days but never see overtime pay.
- You’re paid late, in cash with no records, or less than you were promised.
- You’re mocked for your accent, religion, race or immigration status.
- You complained and suddenly lost hours, pay or responsibilities.
- You were told not to speak to, look at, or contact the homeowner.
- You were denied breaks, water, restroom access, or time off for a medical issue or family death.
- Your employer pressured you to keep working through a pregnancy or medical condition without accommodation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sue a celebrity, or any private family, I work for?
Yes. Wealth and fame don’t create an exemption from employment laws. Household employers can face liability for discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wage violations.
I was hired through a staffing agency. Who is my employer?
It may be both the agency and the household. In New Jersey, for example, households and agencies that share control over your schedule and pay can be jointly liable (NJ Department of Labor).
Does my immigration status affect my rights?
In New Jersey and Massachusetts, domestic worker protections apply regardless of immigration status (NJ Department of Labor; MA Coalition of Domestic Workers).
I already quit. Is it too late?
Not necessarily. Several of the workers in the Jenner lawsuits filed months after they left. Deadlines vary by claim and state, so don’t wait.
Talk to Working Solutions Law Firm
Working Solutions Law Firm represents employees in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts in harassment, discrimination, retaliation and unpaid-wage matters, including workers in private households. We offer flat-fee consultations and handle many employee-side cases on a 33% contingency basis, meaning no fee unless we recover for you.
Call (646) 430-7930 or visit workingsolutionsnyc.com to schedule a consultation.
Offices in New York City, Livingston (NJ), Stamford (CT) and Boston (MA).
Attorney Advertising. This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. The lawsuits described contain allegations that the plaintiffs have not yet proven. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Reading this article does not create an attorney-client relationship.