The Walt Disney Company has reached a settlement in a wage lawsuit agreeing to pay $233 million in connection with claims for back wages for approximately 52,000 current and former cast members.
The lawsuit was filed in 2019, and alleged Disney had not adjusted wages in accordance with Measure L, an Anaheim law that requires certain companies in the Anaheim Resort District to pay their employees a minimum wage that is higher than the state’s.
Measure L was not intended to apply to businesses that do not have a right to a tax rebate from the City of Anaheim. Both Anaheim’s City Attorney and the trial court agreed that Disney was not subject to Measure L. However, after the appeals court decided that it did and the California Supreme Court decided not to the hear the case, Disney moved all cast members who were not at or above the Measure L rate to $19.40 per hour, the prevailing rate under Measure L at the time. Disney has at all times operated in good faith and consistent with prevailing court opinions.
The settlement is set to be reviewed for preliminary approval by the Orange County Superior Court on January 17, 2025. After final approval on a later date to be set by the court, the actual amount paid to eligible former and current cast members will vary, depending on the hours they worked, including any overtime, and their rate of pay.
The Disneyland Resort has implemented significant wage increases over the past five years. Currently, 95% of all cast members at Disneyland Resort make more than the Measure L requirement of $19.90 per hour, with many skilled roles exceeding a starting rate of $25 per hour. Additionally, in July 2024, Disneyland Resort and Master Services Council, representing approximately 13,000 cast members, reached an agreement on a new three-year contract. The landmark agreement included a minimum hourly rate of $24 for current cast members, increasing to $26 per hour over the length of the contract. This minimum hourly rate for current cast members is $4 above Measure L’s requirement and $8 more than current California minimum wage.
To learn more about working at Disneyland Resort, click here.