Ok so this is a main stream news story. Strippers vs Club Owners. The independent contractor status, the fees, the pay outs. It is on the table. They game may be changing as the taboo dissolves.
Sonja worked as a stripper in three states for 15 years.
Like any employee, Sonja had set hours, had to be on stage at a certain time and dress a certain way. She was penalized if she missed a shift.
But like most strippers, Sonja wasn't considered an employee. That's because club owners typically classify strippers as independent contractors.
It lets bosses get away with not paying employment taxes, not complying with discrimination laws and not offering benefits such as health care or retirement plans, according to Robert Woods, a tax lawyer in San Francisco. In turn, workers do not qualify for unemployment benefits. They might also miss out on Medicare and Social Security benefits if they don't properly withhold those taxes.
It's a situation that Sonja and other strippers are increasingly challenging in court. The 37-year-old from Brockton, Mass., has won two court settlements in the last two years. She is awaiting the outcome of two more.
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