The New York Jets are paying out approximately $324,000 to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by the team’s cheerleading squad over low wages.
According to the New York Post, the lawsuit was originally filed in 2014 by one Krystal C., who claimed the women made only $150 per game and were not compensated for practice time. The Associated Press reports that the women were also forced to pay for their own hair, makeup, and transportation.
According to Krystal’s attorney, via CNN:
“When you look at the actual hours worked versus what Krystal was paid, she only made $3.77 per hour,” Pierce said. “When you factor in the required hair, makeup and transportation expenses, the hourly rate goes below $1.50 an hour.”
In the terms of the agreement, the AP reports, all 52 cheerleaders will receive between $2,559 and $5,913 each, depending on what seasons they worked and whether they participated in photo shoots. According to the AP, the Jets denied the cheerleaders’ claims but agreed to settle to avoid litigation.
Over the past few years, NFL cheerleaders have begun to push back against their truly absurd working conditions—the Oakland Raiders settled for $1.25 million in 2014, the Bengals for $255,000 in 2015, and recently the Buffalo Bills cheerleaders were granted class action status. This particular settlement is not an enormous amount of money, considering the fact that the owner of the Jets is a billionaire and the football players themselves make this much, but...it’s something.
Contact the author at ellie@jezebel.com.
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