Nevada Supreme Court: Strip Club Dancers Are Employees

CARSON CITY, Nev. — Adult entertainers who danced at Sapphire Gentlemen’s Club in Las Vegas were employees and not independent contractors, according to the Nevada Supreme Court, which ruled that 6,500 dancers could be eligible for millions of dollars in back wages.

Yesterday's unanimous decision, 7-0, sends the case back to a lower court to determine how much the dancers are owed.

Sapphire Gentlemen’s Club, billed as the “World’s Largest Strip Club,” maintained it merely provided a venue for the dancers and that "exotic dancing is customarily performed by independent contractors and therefore is not an integral part of Sapphire's business."

But the high court said that Sapphire management dictated dancers’ appearance and interaction with customers, as well as work schedules. The performers also paid fees to the club's management and the disc jockey.

"Sapphire is actually able to 'heavily monitor [the performers], including dictating their appearance, interactions with customers, work schedules and minute to minute movements when working,' while ostensibly ceding control to them," the justices said in the ruling.

"This reality undermines Sapphire's characterization of the 'choices' it offers performers and the freedom it suggests that these choices allow them; the performers are, for all practical purposes, 'not on a pedestal, but in a cage.'"

With the ruling, the high court reversed the lower court's pre-trial summary judgment in favor of Sapphire Gentlemen's Club and remanded the class-action suit for further proceedings consistent with the opinion.

View Nevada Supreme Court opinion

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

UK Lawmaker Calls for Appointment of 'Porn Minister'

Baroness Gabrielle Bertin, the Conservative member of Parliament who recently convened a new anti-pornography task force, is calling for the appointment of a “minister for porn,” according to British news outlet The Guardian.

FSC Toasts Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Service

n the very same evening when the adult industry was hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling supporting Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181, members of the Free Speech Coalition board, staff and supporters gathered to celebrate Jeffrey Douglas’ 30 years as board chair — a fitting reflection of his reputation as an eternal optimist.

Hookup Hotshot Adds TobyDick.com

Hookup Hotshot (HUHS) has added U.K. paysite TobyDick.com to its network.

FSC: Age-Verification Laws Go Into Effect South Dakota, Georgia, Wyoming on July 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published a statement regarding new age verification laws set to go into effect tomorrow in South Dakota, Georgia, and Wyoming.

Leana Lovings, Shay Sights Front 'Substance' Parody From Brazzers

Leana Lovings stars with Shay Sights in the latest release from Brazzers, a parody of "The Substance.”

FSC Responds to Supreme Court Decision on Texas AV Law

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has released a statement responding to last week's Supreme Court decision on FSC v. Paxton, the Texas age verification law.

Little Puck Stars in Latest Episode of 'The Bottom Floor' From Adult Time

Little Puck stars in the second episode of Adult Time series “The Bottom Floor,” titled “The Second Coming.”

Haley Spades Stars in Latest From Immoral

Haley Spades stars with Charlie Dean, Matt Bird, and Dean Van Damme in a new three-part release from Immoral Productions, directed by "Porno Dan" Leal.

Octavia Red Makes Her Vampired Debut

Octavia Red has made her Vampired debut alongside Talia Mint and 2023 XMA Europas Female Performer of the Year Tiffany Tatum in the new feature “Hunters.”

Lily Starfire Fronts Latest From Brazzers

Lily Starfire stars with Kyle Mason in the latest release from Brazzers, titled "Eating Ass Is the Game."

Show More