The state of California took a big step toward improving cheerleaders’ work conditions this week.
Governor Jerry Brown on Wednesday signed a new law requiring professional sports teams to treat their cheerleaders like employees, meaning they’re entitled to at least minimum wage and compensation for outside appearances and events.
In the past, employers often had attempted to classify cheerleaders as independent contractors, allowing them to circumvent state labor laws. When the Oakland Raiders cheerleaders sued the team in January 2014, they claimed their wages totaled just $5 an hour, and that they also had to pay separately for essential expenses like hair and makeup.