Earlier today, five former cheerleaders filed a federal lawsuit against the Texans, alleging the NFL team of paying them “a dime a minute to cheer for pro football players who are paid in the millions of dollars.” The suit itself was filed by the attorney’s Gloria Allred and Kimberly Spurlock and is “the second filed against the Texans and the latest in a series of legal actions accusing NFL teams of failing to pay minimum wage and overtime and in subjecting cheerleaders to unsafe working conditions.”
Earlier today, five former cheerleaders filed a federal lawsuit against the Texans, alleging the NFL team of paying them “a dime a minute to cheer for pro football players who are paid in the millions of dollars.” The suit itself was filed by the attorney’s Gloria Allred and Kimberly Spurlock and is “the second filed against the Texans and the latest in a series of legal actions accusing NFL teams of failing to pay minimum wage and overtime and in subjecting cheerleaders to unsafe working conditions.”
In the lawsuit, it states, “while their beauty and cheers provided ample entertainment for fans, the Houston Texans cheerleaders were never treated like an integral part of the team that they are.” Of the five plaintiffs included in the case, Hannah Turnbow is the lead plaintiff and said, “I stand with four of my cheer sisters who want to show girls and young women that we are more than pretty faces in a cheer uniform. We are a team to be reckoned with.”
In addition to being involved in the lawsuit, Turnbow also plans on filing a formal complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
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When discussing her clients and the unfair pay structure, Allred said the “Texans and their fans owe current and former cheerleaders respect and proper pay for their performance.” She added:
“Stop penny-pinching. Pay these women what they deserve, and be sure you pay them for every minute they work. Everyone who supports this team while knowing how these cheerleaders are being treated are complicit…Players, stand up for your co-workers. Do not stand silently by while these women who dance and work so hard to build enthusiasm and help you win are paid almost nothing while you earn millions of dollars for your efforts. Fans, when you buy a calendar and a cup and enjoy seeing cheerleaders (perform)…think about how these women are being cheated out of a living wage.”
At the moment the lawsuit is seeking unspecified damages. The specific allegations against the Texans include “failure to receive proper payment, failure to pay minimum wage, unpaid overtime compensation, assault by threat of bodily injury, negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress and breach of contract.”
This isn’t the first time the Texans have faced a lawsuit about how poorly their cheerleaders are paid. Earlier this month three “three former Texans cheerleaders sued the team and its cheerleading supervisor, accusing them of failing to pay minimum wage and overtime.” Additionally, they also alleged that the “cheer squad director of body-shamed them and failed to act on complaints that cheerleaders were physically assaulted by fans.”
In response to the lawsuit, a Texans spokesperson issued the following statement:
“We are proud of the cheerleader program and have had hundreds of women participate and enjoy their experience while making a positive impact in the local community. We are constantly evaluating our procedures and will continue to make adjustments as needed to make the program enjoyable for everyone.”
Sources:
Former Texans cheerleaders claim sex discrimination in new lawsuit
Texans face new cheerleader lawsuit alleging unfair working conditions, discrimination
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