Exotic Dancers Sue For Minimum Wages

ORLANDO, Fla., April 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- On April 9, 2015, a former dancer at Orlando's Doll House filed a class action lawsuit against Doll House, Inc. and others for failure to pay minimum wages required under the Florida Constitution.  Plaintiff alleges that the night club avoided paying dancers minimum wages by misclassifying them as independent contractors.  In addition to not paying wages, the suit alleges that the club illegally required dancers to pay fees to the "house" in order to work and to share their tips with other employees, and retained a portion of their gratuities.

A similar case was brought against Rick's Cabaret in New York.  In Hart v. Rick's Cabaret Int'l, Inc., a federal judge in New York awarded dancers $10.8 million to compensate them for unpaid wages, improperly retained gratuities, and improperly imposed fees and fines, and ordered remaining damages issues to be resolved at trial.  Before the remaining damages issues could be resolved at a trial, the parties entered into a $15 million settlement which is pending court approval.

Plaintiff is represented by attorneys Sam J. Smith and Tamra Givens of Burr & Smith, LLP and Peter Bober and Samara Bober of Bober & Bober, P.A.  Tamra Givens stated, "Courts around the country have ruled that night club dancers are employees, not independent contractors.  The idea that these dancers, who work at the mercy of the club's owners and managers, are independent contractors is a fiction.  The reality is that dancers exercise very little control over their working conditions."  Plaintiff seeks to recover unpaid minimum wages, liquidated and compensatory damages, and attorneys' fees for dancers who have worked at the club since March 25, 2010.

Anyone with information regarding this case should call (813) 253-2010, or email Sam Smith at [email protected] or Tamra Givens at [email protected] .

Contact: Sam Smith or Tamra Givens 813.253.2010

SOURCE Burr & Smith, LLP

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