Adult Entertainers Represented by Nichols Kaster, PLLP reach $15 Million Settlement

    NEW YORK, NY, April 02, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- A proposed settlement was filed today in a long-running case involving exotic dancers who worked at Rick's Cabaret in New York from 2005 through October 2012. Trial in the certified class action was scheduled to begin on April 27, 2015.

Under terms of the agreement:

- RCI Entertainment (New York), Inc. and Peregrine Enterprises, Inc. will make up to $15 million available to class members and their attorneys.
- The actual amount paid will be determined based on the number of class members responding by the end of a three-month notice period. Final court approval is expected after that.
- Payments to class members will be made approximately 7-14 days following final approval.

E. Michelle Drake of Nichols Kaster, who represented plaintiffs, commented: "We are pleased to have reached a fair and reasonable resolution of this matter. This litigation has involved a number of hotly contested legal battles. Had we not settled, trial and appeal would have been next and any recovery would have been even further delayed. The settlement will provide substantial and immediate relief to the dancers and we believe it is in the best interest of the class."

Filed in 2009, the case claimed Rick's Cabaret New York misclassified entertainers as independent contractors. Plaintiffs sought minimum wage for the hours they danced and return of certain fees. Rick's maintained the dancers were properly classified; amounts earned were well in excess of the minimum wage and should satisfy any obligations.

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