A lawsuit was filed today on behalf of a group of exotic dancers just outside the Peoria area at a club called “Club Cabaret.”  The suit is hoping to get class action status for violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

In plain English, it’s a lawsuit about wrongly calling the girls independent contractors and failing to pay minimum wage.  I suspect the scheme downstate is happening to strippers in Chicago and I know it happens to all sort of other employees.

The suit got attention in the papers because it’s about strippers, but it really is a common scam to avoid paying payroll taxes or workers.  Screwing the Government and your employees.  Talk about a two for one special!

In this case, the suit states that dancers had to pay a “house fee” to dance, were told when they could perform, how to perform and what to wear.  They were fined if they chewed gum.  They were limited in what they could charge for a dance.

If you read the last paragraph, does any of that sound like an independent contractor to you? It doesn’t to me either and if it’s true, these girls have a great case.  In fact, similar cases have been won throughout the country.  If they were truly independent contractors they’d certainly be able to set their own schedule and dictate their costs.

The technical legal term is “mis-classifying” your employees.  When that happens the employer is liable and typically has to pay your attorney fees.

We’ve helped employees in all sort of businesses throughout Illinois with these types of cases.  If you feel you’ve been mis-classified, we’d be happy to talk to you, especially if your pay is being suppressed as a result.

Most people just want an honest days pay for an honest days work.  To lie in order to screw someone over is pathetic and we love stopping them from doing it.

If you’d like our help or just have questions, call us at (312) 346-5320 or fill out our contact form.  We help all over Illinois and there is never a charge to talk with us.