Oakland Raiders cheerleader sues team over wages
An Oakland Raiders cheerleader filed a lawsuit against the team Wednesday, claiming the organization withholds pay from the squad and does not compensate them for all the hours they work.
In the lawsuit filed in Alameda County Superior Court, cheerleader Lacy T. (the team does not divulge cheerleaders’ names for security reasons) claims the team pays its cheerleaders $1,250 annually, which equates to less than $5 an hour.
“It’s as if the Raiders’ owners believe that the laws that protect all workers in California just don’t apply to them,” said attorney Sharon Vinick, who is representing the cheerleader.
Raiders cheerleaders -- known as Raiderettes -- are not paid until the end of the season and have to pay for expenses such as travel costs out of pocket, the lawsuit alleges.
Cheerleaders can also be fined for not bringing the correct equipment to practice, such as the wrong pom-poms, according to the suit.
The Raiders organization did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The suit is also seeking back-pay for cheerleaders from previous seasons, who have since left the squad.
Twitter: @josephserna
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
