A former dancer at Atlanta’s iconic Magic Metropolis strip membership is suing the venue, alleging wage theft and a poisonous office tradition.
Courtney Hale, who labored at Magic Metropolis from September 2022 by September 2023, filed a federal lawsuit in late March, alleging violations of the Truthful Labor Requirements Act (FLSA), WSB TV Atlanta studies.
The swimsuit, filed within the Atlanta Division of the U.S. District Courtroom for the Northern District of Georgia on March 27, claims that Hale was required handy over a portion of her nightly tricks to administration and pay kickbacks to DJs, safety employees and others—practices she argues are unlawful below federal labor legislation.
“The termination of Hale’s employment by Magic Metropolis was considerably motivated by retaliation for her requests to be correctly paid minimal wage and her earned ideas in accordance with the [Fair Labor Standards Act],” the criticism states.
Hale claimed {that a} membership supervisor “confiscated” her pay within the quantities of “tens of hundreds of {dollars} from her,” starting from $500 to $1,500 at a time, two to a few occasions per week.
Hale’s lawsuit additionally described Magic Metropolis as a “sexually hostile work setting,” although no particular incidents have been detailed within the court docket submitting. She is now looking for unpaid wages, liquidated damages, and a jury trial.
Nevertheless, the favored Atlanta nightlife staple has denied the allegations. Gary Freed, the membership’s lawyer, stated in an announcement that no harassment claims have been ever delivered to administration throughout Hale’s tenure.
“She signed employment agreements which Magic Metropolis contends she has breached regarding defamation, disparagement, and publication of confidential data, all on social media,” Freed stated. “She was despatched two stop and desist letters to no avail. She additionally signed an arbitration settlement which Magic Metropolis will search to implement.”
Freed added that “Magic Metropolis believes all wages paid to Ms. Hale have been acceptable, authorized, and substantial” and that the membership plans to “defend the lawsuit and arbitration vigorously.”
On the time of this text’s publishing, the case has not but gone to trial, and no court docket date has been set.