BUFFALO, NY - Another victory in the courtroom for former Buffalo Jills in their continuing lawsuit against the NFL and the Buffalo Bills.
The Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Fourth Judicial Department has upheld a 2016 decision by Erie Co. State Supreme Court Judge Timothy Drury validating the ex-cheerleaders' lawsuit as a class action suit.
The ruling comes in response to an appeal filed by the Bills, Cumulus Radio Company (formerly Citadel Broadcasting), and the NFL seeking to overturn Judge Drury's decision.
Ex-members of the Buffalo Jills, the football team's cheerleading squad, filed a lawsuit against the Bills back in 2014 accusing the team and its contractors of paying less than minimum wage and requiring the cheerleaders to work various public appearances for free.
The suit alleges some Jills -- who were considered to be independent contractors -- were subjected to sexual harassment at events and that members of the squad were provided with detailed instructions on proper hygiene and how to behave in public.
While the cheerleader actions against all other teams have been resolved, the Buffalo Jills action continues.
Last May, the Jills won a decision confirming their status as employees, allowing them to recover wages at their regular hourly rate of $35 an hour, or at least the minimum wage for the work between the years 2008-2014.
Buffalo Jills class-action lawsuit upheld by WGRZ-TV on Scribd