New York Jets cheerleaders settle wage lawsuit

New York Jets cheerleaders just settled a lawsuit over wages.

While the NFL is busy preparing for Super Bowl 50 and managing the ever-growing concussion crisis, the New York Jets and 52 cheerleaders from the 2012 and 2013 seasons just agreed to a $324,000 settlement of their class action lawsuit, per NorthJersey.com.

The cheerleaders, known as the Jets Flight Crew, complained they were not compensated for required practices and had to pay their own work-related expenses, including makeup, hair, and transportation. In fact, the cheerleaders only made $150 per game, an amount that barely covered the costs associated with conforming to image requirements, which included having straight hair.

After legal fees, each woman will receive between $2,559 and $5,913, by no means a financial windfall. Cheerleaders from other NFL teams and even other sports, including the NBA, have also complained of similar unfairness. They complain they earn less than minimum wage after they factor in practices to learn the routines and unavoidable work-related expenses, such as transportation to the stadium on game-day. These lawsuits are part of a larger movement to secure living wages for cheerleaders.

Cheerleaders aren’t the only ones dissatisfied with their wages on game-day. In September, iconic Minnesota Viking mascot Ragnar, who dons a horned helmet and wields a battleaxe at home games, requested $20,000 per game in a new contract. Up to that point, he was making a paltry $1,500 per game, a figure that is still 10 times more than the NFL cheerleaders. The Vikings and Ragnar failed to reach an agreement, as the team wished him well in his future endeavors.