SAN FRANCISCO – An exotic dancer at a San Francisco adult entertainment club has filed a class-action suit claiming she and other dancers were misclassified and not paid proper wages.
Nicole Hughes filed a complaint on behalf of all others similarly situated on June 16 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against S.A.W. Entertainment LTD, doing business as Larry Flynt's Hustler Club, alleging violations of state labor codes.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that during her employment between July 2014 and September 2015, she wasn't paid minimum wages at the correct legal rate. The suit states dancers did not receive wages but only made gratuities or tips from patrons. She also alleges the defendant imposed fines on its employees for missing scheduled shifts and required payment of house fees per shift.
The plaintiff holds S.A.W. Entertainment LTD responsible because the defendant allegedly misclassified its employees as independent contractors, failed to pay minimum wages as well as failed to provide them itemized wage statements.
The plaintiff seeks damages, restitution, liquidated damages, statutory penalties, interest, all legal fees and any other relief as this court deems just. She is represented by Shannon Liss-Riordan of Lichten & Liss-Riordan PC in Boston and Matthew D. Carlson and Michael L. Freedman of Lichten & Liss-Riordan PC in San Francisco.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California Case number 3:16-cv-03371-EDL