Ed_Formerly_of_Roch Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Just finished reading an article in ESPN The Magazine about the start of this lawsuit by a Raiders cheerleader. After reading the article, I'm more supportive and I think most others would be. I believe they get paid something like around $1800 for the season. But they don't get paid until after the season is over. They have to weigh in every week or so, if they are over weight, think by more than a couple of pounds, they are fined. To those comparing to Fireman Ed, he doesn't have any weight limts BTW thank god! There were fines for almost everything, missing a reahesal, etc. One girl at an approved Raiders autograph session was signing here name with a sharpie that leaked on her top. She then had to go buy a new one out of her pocket at $100. It said the girls often are working at game basically owing more in fines than they are being paid. Game day BTW was a nine hour gig I belive it stated. There were many extra events they were requiredto be at for crazy amounts of time. If I recall the article stated they were working for the equivelant of a little over $2 an hour which was the crux of the lawsuit, as that's illegal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metal Man Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 I honestly didn't think they were paid at all other than for promotional appearances. I always thought they did it to try and self promote for modelling or something along those lines if not just for fun. IIRC during the Superbowl years the team or league didn't even pay for them to go and they had to fund raise to be able to be there with the team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 (edited) Just finished reading an article in ESPN The Magazine about the start of this lawsuit by a Raiders cheerleader. After reading the article, I'm more supportive and I think most others would be. I believe they get paid something like around $1800 for the season. But they don't get paid until after the season is over. They have to weigh in every week or so, if they are over weight, think by more than a couple of pounds, they are fined. To those comparing to Fireman Ed, he doesn't have any weight limts BTW thank god! There were fines for almost everything, missing a reahesal, etc. One girl at an approved Raiders autograph session was signing here name with a sharpie that leaked on her top. She then had to go buy a new one out of her pocket at $100. It said the girls often are working at game basically owing more in fines than they are being paid. Game day BTW was a nine hour gig I belive it stated. There were many extra events they were requiredto be at for crazy amounts of time. If I recall the article stated they were working for the equivelant of a little over $2 an hour which was the crux of the lawsuit, as that's illegal. If they are independent contractors, it's perfectly legal. If the Bills were breaking wage laws they'd be getting investigated/sued by the state, not by some shyster looking for a quick settlement. I honestly didn't think they were paid at all other than for promotional appearances. I always thought they did it to try and self promote for modelling or something along those lines if not just for fun. IIRC during the Superbowl years the team or league didn't even pay for them to go and they had to fund raise to be able to be there with the team. Basically that's right, at least according to this website dedicated to the activity. http://cheerleading....FL_Cheerleaders Edited April 22, 2014 by KD in CT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kooshari Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Just get rid of the cheerleaders. Problem solved. This isn't college. This. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Flutie Band Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 are they going to give back the money they made for appearance fees? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsBytheBay Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Just get rid of the cheerleaders. Problem solved. This isn't college. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malazan Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Just get rid of the cheerleaders. Problem solved. This isn't college. ^ this. No need for them at a pro game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nucci Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Like many of us here if you don't like your job start looking for another. I never thought being a cheerleader was life long career. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reddogblitz Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 I can't speak for the Jills and how they're paid. But I had a similar gig playing on the Seahawks Drumline in 2005. We were paid minimum wage for rehearsals and games and appearances. We were paid by the Seahawks, not as independent contractors. The game day was long. We arrived 3 hours before the game and were finished an hour after the game. Maybe they freely do it and know what they're getting into, but they are grossly underpaid IMHO. Especially when you consider how widely they are used in marketing by a multi billion dollar enterprise. I hope they win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nucci Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 How are the Jills used in marketing the Bills? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Thread title is misleading as it's former Jills who are suing the Bills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nucci Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Thread title is misleading as it's former Jills who are suing the Bills. Thanks...that changes things a bit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrags Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 (edited) My sister was a Jill years ago. No pay. It was all volunteer. I believe they were given tickets and things like that occasionally. Edited April 22, 2014 by mrags Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numark3 Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Not including those free facials they got from the players as payment I guess? Lmao... LOL this is sooooo FUNNY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCinBuffalo Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 (edited) Well in all fairness, I think I should be able to sue for having to cheer for this team also for the past 15 years. I am surprised it took 9 posts to get to this. Well then it shoudl qualify as a class action suit.... I am not surprised a lawyer had to chime in.... Wow, lotta progressive thinking in this thread. I guess it's always 1958 somewhere. You are confused: all I see is rational arguments/common sense, that are straightforward and easily defensible. "Progressive" doesn't mean that. It may have once, but not anymore. Time to find a new word, this one's been used up by bad results coming from bad ideas. I feel like their most important function is community relations, and that responsibility can probably be filled in some other way. I'm not sure I understand how they have a case though. Is this really meant to be a career? Am I missing a big point in the argument other than "the team has the money to pay them, so they should?" Yeah this? Is supposed to turn into this: are they going to give back the money they made for appearance fees? and then from there, a career path doing events, PR stuff, and eventually brand support, etc. Which is why cheerleader pay was never a big deal, as the entire job was merely an entry level position to something else. I don't know if any of you have ever been to a major trade show, but, yeah, many of the "reps" there are merely graduates of this program. Case in point, what are the chances all of these girls represent the marketing/sales brains behind an eletronics distributor? Got a boring product like seats for trucks? Not anymore: (yeah, I'm just linking for fun now....so....on to it) "No, I really do need to ask you the questions that are written on this tablet, so pleeeeease answer them for me? Thank you so much...my boss is mean to me" Anybody who has ever organized an NFL-level trade show booth/space knows where to go to get the "talent". Apparently the former cheerleaders couldn't get themselves on the right track, like working here: http://www.models4tr...ent-hostesses and are facing jobs at the bar, etc. So.....mise well sue. Edited April 22, 2014 by OCinBuffalo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDIGGZ Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Our cheerleaders are busted. They should pay the Bills for letting them on the field. The Cowboys cheerleaders they are not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atlbillsfan1975 Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Unless the girls were not provided a contract up front detailing their work and pay and fines, how do they have a leg to stand on? Personally think cheerleaders are silly in the NFL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonInBuffalo Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Apparently the key legal issue here is whether the Jills are considered employees or independent contractors. Companies, in general, would prefer contractors, since under that arrangement they aren't held to all the requirements of employment law, including but not limited to things like minimum wage and overtime. But the company can't just arbitrarily make that decision; the law doesn't work that way. https://labor.ny.gov/ui/dande/ic.shtm Just skimming through those two "relationship" lists it looks like the Jills have a slam dunk case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sodbuster Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Its almost like the team is better off not paying them at all, and clear up any confusion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Wow, lotta progressive thinking in this thread. I guess it's always 1958 somewhere. Yeah, paying young women to spray on a tan, fast all week, squeeze into a tiny revealing outfit to jiggle in front of tens of thousands of men live and countless more on TV each week is very progressive--as long as they are well paid...amirite? I am not surprised a lawyer had to chime in.... Whoa! That is an insult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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