Former Houston Texans Cheerleader Files Class-Action Wage Suit

A former cheerleader for the Houston Texans has filed a putative class action suit against the Texans and the team’s cheerleading coach, Altovise Gary, claiming unpaid wages, wrongful termination, and other labor violations including a failure to remedy reports of physical abuse by fans. The named plaintiff, identified as P.G.G., has sued under the Fair Labor Standards Act and Texas Labor Code, seeking remuneration for hours spent working “off-the-clock” and unpaid overtime.

P.G.G. worked as a Texans cheerleader from April 2017 to April 2018. In …

May 3, 2018 Litigation / NFL

Former NFL Cheerleaders Offer to Settle Discrimination Suit for $1 and a Meeting

On April 24, 2018, two former NFL cheerleaders voiced their willingness to settle their discrimination dispute with the NFL on two conditions. The cheerleaders determined that they would both stop pursuing their claims in court if league commissioner, Roger Goodell, would sit down with them for a four-hour, good-faith meeting and pay just $1 to each. The meeting would involve plaintiffs Kristan Ware and Bailey Davis, as well as several other cheerleaders who were not involved in the suit, but who are connected to the …

October 16, 2015 Copyright

Supreme Court May Hear Case Involving Cheerleader Uniforms

A clothing manufacturer has asked the Sixth Circuit to stay a court mandate issued against them back in August, where the federal appellate court reversed a district court’s decision that cheerleading uniforms cannot be copyrighted. The case, Varsity Brands, Inc. et al v. Star Athletica, LLC, was initially brought in 2010, seeking to uphold protection granted by the U.S. Copyright Office to Varsity in regards to their specific uniform design, which they believed Star had compromised at the time.

While the district court first …

July 6, 2015 Legislation

Go team! California legislation to require cheerleaders make at least minimum wage

Perhaps the first of its kind in the United States, a bill was sent to the Governor of California earlier this week that would require cheerleaders working for professional sports teams be paid at least minimum wage along with overtime and sick leave. As it stands, the benefits received by a number of cheerleaders actually amount to less than minimum wage.

Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, the author of the legislation, said the following about the proposed change:

Everyone who works hard to provide a great game-day

February 17, 2014 Labor & Employment / NFL

Bengals Cheerleaders File Class Action Against Team Over Compensation

On February 11, 2014, Cincinnati Bengals cheerleader Alexa Brenneman filed a class-action lawsuit against the team, accusing the organization of failing to pay their cheerleaders minimum wage. Brenneman’s suit claims that she was paid only $855 for her work during the 2013 football season, yet worked over 300 hours – meaning that she was making roughly $2.85 per hour. The minimum wage in Ohio is $7.85 per hour.

The Oakland Raiders were recently hit with a similar suit; Raiders’ cheerleaders filed an action in January …