‘Love Is Blind’ cast are employees, labor board says

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has found that the producers of the Netflix reality series Love Is Blind – which sees singles match up after days of dating while separated by a wall – had misclassified the contestants as “participants,” and calls for them to be reclassified as employees and receive back pay for any lost wages while they were on the show. The NLRB’s recognition comes after several former contestants described the poor treatment they faced while filming the show, including claims that their physical safety was at risk. NPR’s Emma Bowman says it is 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 . . . and even what we see on our screens.”