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November 9, 2009

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Strippers sue 2 clubs over wage, tip issues

Bill Gang

Friday, March 28, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

Two topless clubs in Las Vegas have been named in a class-action lawsuit alleging they didn't pay their strippers even minimum wage and required them to share their tips -- both in violation of Nevada law.

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of two unnamed erotic dancers -- one from Cheetah's Lounge and one from Crazy Horse Too -- seeks class-action status to represent more than 600 women who worked at the clubs over the past two years.

According to the legal action, the two entertainers declined to list their real names to "protect against personal embarrassment and potential harassment."

Topless dancers, the lawsuit states, have the same job requirements and employer demands as a normal employee, yet work for tips only, and those must be shared with the management.

The clubs demanded no less than $30 per employee per shift, the lawsuit alleges.

Under Nevada law, tokes given to tip-earning employees like casino dealers and food servers may be shared among workers, but it cannot be required that management gets a cut, the lawsuit indicates.

Managers of the clubs declined to comment on the lawsuit but noted that the dancers are "independent contractors" who agree to the working conditions at the topless taverns.

Those conditions include dancing and stripping on stage, entertaining customers off stage, enticing customers to drink and selling souvenir items, the lawsuit states.

The shifts are eight hours or longer.

The lawsuit states that during that time dancers can't leave with customers and dates after hours are prohibited. Dancers also can't smoke in front of customers and must wear scanty "uniforms" that they must pay to keep clean.

Although specific money demands are unspecified, the lawsuit is seeking at least $50,000 for each employee who falls into the affected class.

Cheetah's Lounge is located at 2112 Western Ave., off Interstate 15 near Sahara Avenue, and the Crazy Horse Too is located at 2476 Industrial Road, just north of the Sahara overpass.

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