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Updated: Cincinnati Bengals Cheerleader Lawsuit Tentatively Settles


Last week, it was announced that the class action wage and hour lawsuit filed by a Cincinnati Bengals cheerleader (note, the cheerleaders are called "Ben-Gals"...well played) had been settled.  Readers might remember that last March, a class action wage and hour lawsuit was filed against the team.  (From Pom Poms to the Courtroom, Pt. 2 - Cincinnati Bengals Edition).  In that suit, it was alleged that the team paid the cheerleaders less than minimum wage for their work.  In fact, the suit claimed that the cheerleaders worked about 300 hours a year and were paid, "at most, $90 for each home football game."  For those readers are not math majors, that is equivalent to about $2.85 per hour.  

In the documents filed with the Court, the settlement reached provides that the Bengals will pay the Ben-Gal cheerleaders a total of $255,000.00 to settle.  For those covered by this class action suit, those cheerleaders who cheered for the team in the 2011 - 2013 seasons could receive at least $2,500.00 each, per season.  As any good defense attorney would advise their client, the Bengals denied any wrongdoing and simply decided to settle the suit to avoid protracted (and likely expensive) litigation.  The cheerleader who brought the suit, Alexa Brenneman, will receive an extra $5,000.00, since she was the lead plaintiff in this suit.

At this point, the settlement is approval, pending a December 3 hearing.  As well, the Bengals can cancel the settlement if cheerleaders with a combination of six years or more opt out of the settlement.  That means that if two cheerleaders with three years of experience each (who cheered during the covered time frame) choose not to sign off on the agreement, the Bengals could cancel the whole thing.  

This case is not over yet...but we are close to seeing this one wrap up.  Stay tuned.


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