The Jets, while paying millions of dollars to its male athletes for a single season of work, have historically and currently pay less than minimum wage to its cheerleading staff.
According to the lawsuit, Jets cheerleaders are paid $150 per game and $100 for select outside events in accordance with their employee agreement.
Members of the Flight Crew are required to attend tri-weekly practices from May to December, and are given routines to rehearse on their own time. Cheerleaders are not compensated for these obligations.
In 2012, Krystal C. attended two events and was paid $100 for each appearance. Added to wages she earned while cheering in 10 regular season games, she was paid a total of $1,700 for the 2012 season.
Krystal C. says the Jets required her to straighten her naturally curly hair, at a cost of $45 per styling appointment.
Members of the Flight Crew are not compensated for expenses they incur maintaining strict standards of appearance. Krystal was not reimbursed for the $450, the sum of her wages after three games, spent on 10 hair appointments.
There is a uniformity in the way they get paid per game appearance. It's too similar to be happening by chance. Whether this was dictated by the NFL or discussed between teams is unknown, but it's very interesting to have four cases that show cheerleaders being paid in the same way.