A lawsuit is in place as a result of volunteers at various Livenation and Insomniac festivals not being properly compensated as promised. The class action suit claims that as compensation for working at water tents, merchandise stores and so forth the volunteers would receive free admission to the show and have some time allotted to enjoy the performances. Come to find out, the volunteers paid a deposit to work that was to be refunded if they had completed their jobs properly and did not misbehave, so essentially volunteers paid to work for free, were denied time for lunch, in some cases, nor able to attend the shows.
The suit also claims that the volunteers supposed compensation was, “highly overstated and essentially worthless”. As mentioned before they were not given any breaks nor able to see the show, they also were to be given the opportunity to “learn the inner workings of a festival environment” which was also not delivered upon. 
Now I understand the compensation plan set forth, anyone that enjoys concerts and would not mind doing a little dirty work, if they have spare time, for free admission would be thrilled to see a show in exchange. But being as Livenation and Insomniac are not mom and pop operations so-to speak, Federal law requires they compensate their employees at a rate no lower than 7.25 an hour. As the shows have gone and passed these volunteers cannot recover the time they lost working essentially for free so the suit is seeking after the wages owed to the part time volunteers.
List of festivals involved and full suit is available on Classaction.org
Update: Jennifer Forkish, Insomniac’s vice president of communications and public affairs came out with the following statement on the matter:
“We’re really disappointed to hear about this lawsuit. There are thousands of current and former Insomniac volunteers who are expressing their outrage online over this suit, as well as their desire to continue volunteering at our events. We appreciate the support of these individuals and intend to vigorously defend the lawsuit.”
I volunteered for EDC Chicago and it was the best time of my life. Obviously it’s a case by case situation but I respect insomniac a lot after that and would be happy to work for them again. Just my two cents 🙂
Umm excuse me but when you decide to ”volunteer” that doesn’t mean you work for money unless this isn’t volunteer work.
That’s why you never work for free & by all means never pay to work. Work because it pays, monetarily or by experience gained.
I signed a contract and was promised $12 an hr to work for Disco Donnie and was never paid after Sunset Music Festival
Thats why uts called “Volunteer work”