Alabama Entertainment Venue Faces Legal Challenge Over Wage and Tip Practices

A legal battle is unfolding in Alabama as entertainers have filed a lawsuit against Sammy’s Gentlemen’s Club in Birmingham, seeking compensatory damages of at least $100,000. The complaint, lodged in the Northern District of Alabama on April 7, alleges that the venue engaged in unfair labor practices by requiring the entertainers to share their tips with other staff members and pay unauthorized fees to work. This action is said to contravene the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) provisions regarding tipped employees, which stipulate that workers earning tips must be paid a base wage of at least $2.13 per hour, with the condition that they retain all their tips unless a legal tip-pooling arrangement is in place.

The lawsuit points to a broader issue within the industry, citing a significant case last year where an East Coast restaurant chain was ordered to pay $11.4 million for similar wage violations. At Sammy’s, the entertainers argue they were forced to give a portion of their earnings to other staff, including DJs and managers, under a system that included mandatory "house fees" and fines, practices they describe as tantamount to illegal kickbacks. Furthermore, the complaint addresses the classification of dancers as independent contractors, asserting this status was incorrectly applied to deny them minimum wage and overtime compensation—a stance supported by a precedent-setting ruling involving former dancers at another Birmingham venue, The Furnace.

This legal challenge raises critical questions about labor rights and practices within entertainment venues, spotlighting the need for adherence to federal wage laws and the protection of workers’ rights to fair compensation and working conditions.