November 18, 2019 Class Actions / Labor & Employment / Litigation / NCAA

One More Time: New Lawsuit Argues NCAA Must Pay Athletes Minimum Wage

Trey Johnson, a former defensive back for Villanova University, has sued the NCAA, arguing that the organization has violated federal labor law and that it must pay student-athletes a minimum wage.

In his lawsuit, Johnson argues that student-athletes clearly constitute employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Specifically, he notes that college students in work-study programs are classified as employees, meaning that they are subject to minimum wage laws. Meanwhile, student-athletes, who work longer schedules and create the need for some of these work-study …

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

November 29, 2014 Litigation

NYC Exotic Dancers Entitled to More than $10M in Unpaid Wages

In a class-action lawsuit brought by about 1,900 exotic dancers, a federal judge in New York ruled Rick’s Cabaret, a strip club in Midtown Manhattan, should pay more than $10 million to the plaintiffs. The lawsuit was filed four years ago by the dancers to recover unpaid wages from 2005-2012. The decision follows a ruling from the same court last year that the dancers were considered hourly employees, not independent contractors as their employer argued. The case is ready for trial in which jury …

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 …