A go-go for dancer suit

By BRUCE GOLDING

Last Updated: 9:46 AM, December 24, 2009

Posted: 3:12 AM, December 24, 2009

Comments: 7

Two ex-strippers at Rick's Cabaret have gotten the green light to press a class-action suit charging the jiggle joint with short-changing its dancers.

Sabrina Hart and Reka Furedi claim the West 33rd Street club charges patrons $24 to buy a "dance dollar" for use inside, but redeems the funny money for only $18 when the gals end their shifts.

Their $5 million-plus Manhattan federal court lawsuit -- which could cover more than 200 strippers -- also accuses Rick's of demanding illegal kickbacks by imposing a "facilities use fee."

Judge John Koeltl denied a motion by Rick's to toss the suit.

Jeffrey Kimmel, a lawyer for Rick's, said that the club would "prevail" and that the strippers "earn far in excess of the minimum wage."

Comments (7)

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rum and coke

12/25/2009 1:44 PM

MERRY CHRISTMAS
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Mr. Divo

12/25/2009 11:32 AM

This is an outrage. If this situation had taken place on The Sopranos those two strippers would have never been heard from again. Silvio would have seen to it. These two ex-strippers will never win this lawsuit. Rick's International will have a battery of lawyers on this case. Those ex-strippers will end up working as aides in a pre-school nursery in the final analysis.
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CandyMan

12/25/2009 4:37 AM

So, they still have the money from their other trade!
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shoes1

12/24/2009 10:14 AM

And emplaw, you are wrong.

A) Rick's is a publicly traded company, so the "parent company" reference in your post is moot
B) The suit IS against Rick's International and was not thrown out.
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shoes1

12/24/2009 10:11 AM

emplaw, that doesn't matter. If the employer had an agreement with the employees whereby the redemption of these "dance dollars" are dollar for dollar, then that's what they are supposed to do.

however, if the agreement was that they would receive $18 for each dance dollar redeemed, then the girls shouldn't have a case.

Same thing goes for the facilities use fee. If this was an agreed upon term of their employment, on what grounds could they win a lawsuit?
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MarkuzNYC

12/24/2009 8:35 AM

It doesn't matter if they earn far more than minimum wage, if someone is ripping you off, say your employer? Yes, you have the right to regain those funds, and rip them a new hole for cheating the very people who are making them rich in the first place. You go-go Girlz!
p.s. Try living in NY on minimum wage you dork...
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emplaw

12/24/2009 7:43 AM

The article fails to mention that the judge threw out the case against the parent company Rick's International. The entertainers are independent contractors, not employees and are not entitled to a minimum wage, although they all earn far in excess of the minimum wage regardless.