The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a federal lawsuit against a Wichita gentlemen’s club, seeking to recover back wages for 80 dancers.
The Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division conducted an investigation into the club Pleasures and its operator, Mother’s Finest LTD. The investigation found that the club misclassified dancers as independent contractors, depriving them of overtime and other benefits and protections. The club is also accused of making illegal deductions from dancers’ tips and of making dancers sign contracts with a clause forcing them to kick back lost wages recovered by litigation or an investigation.
The suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Wichita, and it seeks back wages and an equal amount of liquidated damages for the 80 dancers, and it also asks the court to restrain the club from illegal retaliation against the employees.
Wage and Hour Division District Director Reed Trone in Kansas City, Missouri said in a press release that there are specific rules to determine of a worker is an employee or an independent contractor, and in this case the club acted as an employer by setting work hours, schedules and terms of the dancers’ contracts. The agency also said that employers cannot require workers to “kick back” wages they might receive as a result of litigation against the employer.
