A member of the Cincinnati Bengals cheerleading squad is suing team officials, who she says broke laws against low wages.
Alexa Brenneman filed suit on Tuesday, claiming that the cheer squad worked at least 300 hours every season but received flat rate payments of $90 a game. Brenneman said all of the Ben-Gals have gone to practices, mandatory volunteer events and charity gatherings since 2011, but have still consistently received bottom-level wages.
According to USA Today, 24-year-old Brenneman said she receive about $2.85 an hour in 2013, her first season cheering for the team. At that time, minimum wage in Ohio was $7.85, well above what she and the other squad members were getting for their work.
Brenneman's suit states the Bengals went against Fair Labor Standards legislation, in addition to the Ohio Minimum Fair Wage Standards Act.
"It's part of the Ohio Constitution that they are required to do this," one of Brenneman's legal reps Todd Naylor told USA Today. "If they work these hours then they should be compensated."
In an official statement released by the Bengals, spokesperson Jack Brennan wrote team officials would address the situation soon.
"The Ben-Gals cheerleading program has long been a program run by former cheerleaders and has enjoyed broad support in the community and by members of the squad," the statement read. "The Bengals will address the litigation in due course."
