Cheerleaders deemed team employees under new California law
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - Cheerleaders for professional sports teams in California will have to be classified as employees eligible for overtime, sick days and other protections under a bill signed Wednesday by Governor Jerry Brown.
The bill was introduced amid controversy raised by a lawsuit against the Oakland Raiders that culminated in the football team's agreement to pay a settlement of $1.25 million to 90 members of the cheerleading squad.
"Everyone who works hard to provide a great game day experience deserves the same basic level of dignity and respect on the job, starting with simply being paid for their work," Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, a Democrat from San Diego who authored the bill, said in a statement after it passed earlier this month.
Backers of the California bill cited the Raiders suit, in which cheerleaders complained that they were considered independent contractors, receiving a small fee for a year's worth of work with no guarantee of minimum wage, overtime, sick leave or benefits.
The cheerleaders alleged that they were treated like employees, with many hours of practice required for their dance routines and numerous performances throughout the year. Similar lawsuits have been filed against other teams.
The NFL said in an emailed statement that it urges all teams to abide by state and federal employment law. The league did not take a stand on the bill.
The new law applies to cheerleaders working with all professional teams based in California, at both the major league and minor league levels. It does not apply to performers who appear just once per year or are not affiliated with a team.
(Reporting by Sharon Bernstein; Editing by Sandra Maler)
