Now The Cheerleaders Are Suing The NFL

The world of sports sure keeps lawyers busy. It seems like everyday something is making news in sports besides who won the game. But this is a new one.

NFL cheerleaders are suing over scant pay and unfair working conditions. Two cheerleaders from the Oakland Raiders are making claims.

They say they were denied fair wages, overtime pay and reimbursement of business expenses while being subjected to 'degrading comments' and 'grueling working conditions' that included having their bodies scrutinized each week for the slightest trace of body fat.

Oakland Raiderettes are paid only about $125 a game. The U.S. Department of Labor requires employers to comply with federal and state minimum wages. Supporters of the burgeoning cheerleader revolt say professional NFL teams, part of a $9 billion industry, can more than afford to pay a living wage to the hard-working women on the sidelines.

It's no secret that cheerleaders are paid less than minimum wage. Even the world famous Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are only paid $150 per game worked. When you calculate the year-round training, conditioning, and rehearsing that goes into their job, that works out to pennies a hour.

Source: International Business Times, Jeff Crilley