Lingerie Football League Sued Over Wage Dispute

On Monday, June 30, the former Lingerie Football League (now known as the Legends Football League) was sued in Los Angeles Superior Court by a former player. Melissa Margulies, formerly of the Los Angeles Temptation, filed the complaint claiming violations of labor laws.

According to Ms. Margulies, the league required its players to sign as independent contractors, thereby avoiding overtime pay and other wage requirements. Margulies claims this to be a “willful misclassification” as the players were strictly employees of the football league as they …

April 14, 2014 Labor & Employment / NCAA

Northwestern Football Players Encouraged to Just Say No to Union

Last month the Chicago office of the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) issued a ruling stating that athletes at private universities are employees of their respective schools and have the right to unionize. Now, with Northwestern’s players scheduled to vote on unionization on April 25, Pat Fitzgerald, the school’s football coach, is urging his players to vote against the measure.

The players leading the unionization effort are hoping to secure things such as better medical coverage, four-year scholarships, and even the possibility of being paid. …

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 …

February 14, 2014 Labor & Employment / MLB

Minor League Baseball Players Cry Foul – File Lawsuit Seeking Class Action Over Low Wages

A lawsuit filed in federal court seeks to overhaul minor league baseball’s pay scale with three former players arguing low pay, mandatory overtime and lack of collective bargaining rights all violate state and federal wage laws. Minor League Baseball is not a party to the lawsuit. Instead, suit was filed in federal California Northern District Court by former players Aaron Senne, Michael Liberto, and Oliver Odle against Major League Baseball, the Office of the Commissioner, Commissioner Bud Selig and their former teams the Miami Marlins, …

July 22, 2013 Labor & Employment

Producers of “Dumb” Sequel Ask Court to Freeze Out Original Production Team

Red Granite Pictures Inc., the production behind the long awaited comedy sequel Dumb and Dumber To, has asked a California Court for a declaratory judgment seeking to preclude the producers of the first 1994 film from getting any fees or credits on the new film. The complaint filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court on July 15^th alleges that the producers of the original movie, Brad Krevoy and Steve Stabler, are not entitled to producer fees or production credit. Mr. Krevoy and Mr. …

July 17, 2013 Labor & Employment

State of Arizona Requires “Temporary Workers” To File Workers’ Compensation Claims in Arizona

On April 3, 2013, the Governor of Arizona, Jan Brewer, approved Senate Bill 1448 drastically limiting the ability of workers who “temporarily” work outside of Arizona to file claims in other jurisdictions.

In relevant part, SB 1148 provides that workers employed in Arizona who “temporarily leave[] this state incidental to th[eir] employment” and are injured must file their workers’ compensation claim in the state of Arizona. A worker is deemed “temporarily” in another state if the claimant has done work for fewer than 90 continuous …

June 27, 2013 Labor & Employment

Analysis: Patriots’ Release of Hernandez Avoids Issue with MA Law

Although it may not have been the motivating factor in the decision, the New England Patriots decision to release Aaron Hernandez following his Wednesday, June 26, 2013 arrest for murder allow the team to avoid problems with Massachusetts law on criminal records. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 15l B, Section 4; 804 CMR 3.01 makes it illegal for an employer to ask certain questions about a job applicant’s or employee’s criminal record. Employers may not ask about, maintain a record of, or base any employment decision

June 20, 2013 Labor & Employment

Chef Ramsey Served with Class Action Suit by ‘Fat Cow’ Employees

On Thursday, June 13, 2013, a proposed class action was filed on behalf of all former and current employees of Chef Gordon Ramsey’s Los Angeles restaurant “The Fat Cow.” The class action is lead by a former server, barista, and two hostesses who are taking their beef to California state court against the celebrity chef’s restaurant. The class action alleges that the restaurant’s management took tips from former employees, and violated a series of other wage-and-hour labor codes. The Fat Cow opened its doors on …