Respect to the Woman Who Allegedly Spent a Staggering Amount of Time Watching Netflix While Working for Robert De Niro

Labor

While we here at Splinter would never in our lives endorse criminal conduct, you have to hand it to the former employee of Robert De Niro’s who, De Niro alleges in a new lawsuit, spent literal days and days of company time binge-watching Friends and other shows on Netflix.

As Variety reported on Monday, De Niro’s Canal Productions is suing an ex-staffer, Chase Robinson, for $6 million, alleging that she spent “astronomical amounts of time” watching (pretty good, on the whole) shows on Netflix, tons of money on food and cars, and also cashed in on the legendary movie star’s frequent flier miles.

Per the site (emphasis mine):

The company says she rarely came into the office, and alleges she spent “astronomical amounts of time” watching Netflix during work hours. The company alleges that during a four-day period in January, she watched 55 episodes of “Friends.” On one of those days, she ordered lunch from Caviar San Francisco and had dinner at Paola’s Restaurant, charging both meals on the company card.
Over another four-day period in March, she allegedly watched 20 episodes of “Arrested Development” and 10 episodes of “Schitt’s Creek.”
“Watching shows on Netflix was not in any way part of or related to the duties and responsibilities of Robinson’s employment and, on information and belief, was done for her personal entertainment, amusement and pleasure at times when she was being paid to work,” the suit alleges.
The suit alleges that Robinson made $12,696.65 in unauthorized charges at Paola’s over a two-year period, in addition to $8,923.20 at Dean and Deluca and Whole Foods, and $32,000 for Ubers and taxis.

$32,000 on Ubers and nearly an entire day’s worth of time spent watching Friends. We have no choice but to stan! (For what it’s worth, Robinson reportedly called the allegations “ridiculous” in her April resignation letter.)

We don’t have any insight into how De Niro—who’s most recently joined up with anti-vaxxers and enlisted in the Resistance—treated his employees. But De Niro’s business empire, which spans restaurants, his film festival, and plush acting paychecks, is reportedly around a staggering $1 billion. He’s gonna be fine! Time theft hurts the rich and the bosses—and you know where we stand on that.

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