NFL Cheerleaders File Class Action Lawsuits Over Alleged Wage Violations

USA Today reported earlier this month that a cheerleader who said the franchise is violating federal wage laws is suing the Cincinnati Bengals.

The class action lawsuit was filed on February 11 in Cincinnati, and is aimed at covering all Ben-Gals cheer squad members dating back to 2011. In the lawsuit, Alexa Brenneman, 24, said that squad members put in more than 300 hours a season attending mandatory practices and charity events and performing required volunteer work, but were paid a flat rate of $90 a game for cheering at 10 games during the 2013 season.

The lawsuit said that by calculations cheer squad members were paid $2.85 per hour, when the Ohio minimum wage in 2013 was $7.85 an hour.

According to USA Today, the lawsuit “seeks a judge’s order to stop the Bengals from violating the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Ohio Minimum Fair Wage Standards Act, as well as unpaid wages for cheerleaders, attorney fees and court costs.”

A comparable ongoing class action lawsuit in California filed recently accuses the Oakland Raiders of similar practices. The Raiders’ lawsuit claims that Raiderettes are paid $1,250 a season.

In her lawsuit, Brenneman said that the Seattle Seahawks pays their team cheerleaders an hourly wage and for overtime, and that the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team compensates cheerleaders for rehearsals, games, appearances, promotions and dance clinics, according to USA Today.

If you have been wronged by your employer in a similar fashion and have any interest in speaking with an attorney about a potential class action lawsuit, please contact Gary S. Graifman, Esq. toll free at (866) 971-0927 to schedule a free initial consultation or complete the form on this page to let our skilled attorneys review your case.

Kantrowitz, Goldhamer, Graifman, Perlmutter & Carballo, P.C. – Class Action Lawyers

Source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2014/02/14/cincinnati-bengals-cheerleader-alexa-brenneman-sues-team/5482833/