After alleging a racial bias against Black employees, five Black strippers have been awarded $3.3 million in a workplace discrimination lawsuit against Danny's Downtown Cabaret

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) opened a suit against Danny's Downtown Cabaret in Jackson for allegedly discriminating between Black and white workers. Per Thursday's release from the EEOC, the mistreatment had been going on for at least eight years.

"Despite at least eight years of efforts by the EEOC, which included two EEOC charges, three prior lawsuits and contempt proceedings and three consent decrees Danny's continued to discriminate against the dancers," a portion of the statement read.

The lounge allegedly penalized Black dancers $25 if they arrived late for work and gave them unfair hours. Their white counterparts were neither fined nor given biased schedules. The suit also mentions that a Danny's manager used racial slurs toward a Black employee and required Black workers to dance at Black Diamonds, another exotic club in Jackson owned by Danny's owners. Conditions and protection for the dancers were worse and the ladies were compensated less.


According to NBC News, the women will split the reward among themselves for back pay and past and future hardships. Danny's Downtown Cabaret lawyer, Bill Walter, said on Friday he will ask U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate to reduce the settlement. If Judge Wingate refuses, his client will appeal. Marsha Rucker, the EEOC's regional attorney based in Birmingham, hopes this is a stern message to any future employers who believe "they are above the law."

"This case shows the EEOC will sue any employer, operating any type of business, who violates federal anti-discrimination laws, especially those who will not stop discriminating even after being given repeated chances to do so"  Rucker said in the same release published Thursday. "The EEOC will protect employees in any industry who are subjected to such blatant and repeated discrimination. The jury yesterday sent a powerful message to Danny’s and any employer who thinks they are above the law."

Get your coins, ladies.

Black DiamondsDanny's Downtown CabaretEEOCHenry T. WingateMississippi