Failing to serve them to the Arnault family, the family’s former cook steps in. Suddenly dismissed a little earlier this year, Christophe H. (assumed name) filed a complaint against the billionaire for concealed work, reveals Le Canard Enchaîné this Wednesday, December 18, 2024. Bernard Arnault is summoned before the industrial tribunal next April 15.
“Officially employed by Dior, he worked for his family for almost ten years… this time, without an employment contract, pay slip or official document”
Extract from the article in Le Canard Enchaîné
A single employment contract for Dior
The former cook submitted his request with documents, photos, SMS against the Arnault family, some of which the newspaper was able to consult. The story goes like this: Christophe H. did a trial week in June 2014 at Bernard Arnault’s home, before being hired by the fashion house Dior to prepare lunches and dinners for his boss, but also to work within the general management of the Dior company, summarizes the Independent.
“It is with the fashion house that he signs his only employment contract, which only mentions his full-time duties at Dior headquarters,” explains Le Canard Enchaîné. And his days are not easy: from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., he prepares breakfasts and lunches for Dior management. Then, he goes to the Arnault family home until 1:30 p.m. to provide lunch, and then returns to Dior. Then returns to the Arnaults again from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. to provide dinner.
“One person loves caviar, another person hates it”
To add to this planning, the moments of reflection to develop the menus: “The owners of the place have their little habits, which it is not recommended to forget. One loves caviar, that another has a horror, while another third loves lobster or a fourth loathes red meat” writes the Duck.
The documents presented show lunar SMS exchanges with Madame Arnault. “Absolutely no one in this family and this house takes a day off” is the response he receives, for example, after asking for two days off.
100 hours of work per week
The newspaper has a minimum of 100 hours of work per week, not to mention that it only has one weekend off per month on average, and “a few weeks of paid vacation when the Arnaults go to Courchevel or spend the holidays holiday on their private island in the Bahamas. The former cook also claims to have made extras for Bernard Arnault’s children.
Last March, Christophe H left with an element of decoration, a plastic elephant which was in front of the Dior headquarters, after a drunken evening. After confessing, he will have 5 days of layoff, then is finally accused by the company of having “ordered more than 20,000 euros of food for his benefit”, without any proof according to the newspaper.
The complainant demands recognition of undeclared work and payment for these unused vacation days and hours worked. For its part, the LVMH group refutes any “concealed work”.
