The New York Jets became the fourth team in the National Football League which have been sued for paying its cheerleaders less than the minimum wage. Krystal C, a Connecticut native, said in court papers filed in New Jersey Superior Court in Hackensack that the Jets had and continuously had been paying its cheerleaders less than the minimum wage despite the fact that it pays millions to its players.
The woman added in the complaint, "The cheerleaders are required to work ‘off the clock' at home, attend rehearsals three days a week from May through December without pay, attend ‘charity events' without pay, and are required to spend their own money on travel, uniform maintenance and cosmetic and hairstyling requirements set by the Jets."
Bloomberg reported that the plaintiff in the complaint was a former member of the Flight Crew, the cheerleading team for the Jets. Krystal C was said to have been with the Flight Crew from June 2012 until the end of the December 2013. The woman is seeking class-action status for the case, the news agency said.
When asked for comment about Krystal C's case, lawyers for the plaintiff said that Jets cheerleaders are being paid $150 per game and $100 per special event. Despite the fees, the lawyers argued that the average pay is only at $3.77 per hour when factored with the hours spent on rehearsals and time spent on other unpaid duties. Moreover, the lawyers also said that the minimum wage per hour goes down to $1.50 when hair, makeup and transportation expenses are considered in the calculation.
Other NFL teams being filed with similar lawsuits are the Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals and Oakland Raiders, Bloomberg reported.
When asked for comment about the suit, Jets spokesman Bruce Speight declined to do so on the claim. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy, on the other hand, had told the news agency that the sports league do not comment on team litigation.
