Oakland Raiders settle wages lawsuit with cheerleaders for $1.25 million
The Oakland Raiders will pay $1.25 million to settle a lawsuit brought by nearly 90 current and former cheerleaders for underpayment of wages.
Reuters reported Thursday that the proposed settlement, which must still be approved by the court, would cover the previous four NFL seasons. According to the deal, Raiders cheerleaders (known as Raiderettes) the settlement will pay an average of $6,000 for each season worked from 2010 to 2012, and an average of $2,500 for the 2013-2014 season. The lawsuit, which was originally filed in January, accused the team of violating California labor laws by paying the Raiderettes a mere $1,250 per season—a figure lead plaintiff Lacy T. alleged amounted to less than $5 an hour.
“The settlement will resolve disputed claims regarding payment for hours worked, including practices and appearances, expenses, interest, and penalties under the California Labor Code,” according to a joint statement.
According to Reuters, the suit against the Raiders was the first of several filed by cheerleaders against teams alleging underpayment of wages. In July, the Raiders offered its cheerleaders a new contract that would nearly triple their pay.
