Deja Vu Services contractor payment $6.5M class action settlement

Deja Vu Services agreed to pay $6.5 million as part of a class action lawsuit settlement to resolve claims it violated California labor laws when paying dancers in clubs.

The settlement benefits entertainers who performed as independent contractors at one or more of the San Francisco area clubs between Aug. 8, 2010, and Nov. 16, 2018, or at one or more of the Greater California clubs between Feb. 8, 2017, and Nov. 16, 2018.

Deja Vu Services is a strip club operator that runs clubs around the world, including numerous locations in California. According to a class action lawsuit against the company, Deja Vu violates California labor laws by classifying its performers as independent contractors. Plaintiffs in the case say they deserve to be paid and treated as employees under California law.

“Plaintiffs and class members have incurred financial loss, injury, and damage as a result of Defendant’s common policies and practices of misclassifying them as independent contractors and failing to pay them minimum wages in addition to the tips that they were given by customers,” the wage-and-hour class action lawsuit contends.

Deja Vu Services hasn’t admitted any wrongdoing but agreed to resolve these allegations with a $6.5 million class action settlement.

The settlement includes a $125,000 PAGA payment, 75% of which will be given to the California Labor & Workforce Development Agency as penalties. The remaining 25% will be used to fund class member payments.

Under the terms of the settlement, class members can receive either a cash payment or a dance fee settlement.

Of the settlement fund, $4 million will be used to pay regular cash payments based on the amount they earned during the class period according to 1099 forms. Exact payments will vary, but will represent a proportional share of the cash fund for each class member. 

Another $500,000 of the settlement fund will be used to fund additional dance fee payments to class members. These funds would have otherwise been retained by the clubs as part of its gross income. The settlement’s dance fee payments allow class members to collect this compensation as additional commission. 

In addition to providing cash payments, the class action lawsuit settlement provides non-monetary relief to dancers. Going forward, Deja Vu Services and the included nightclubs will treat all entertainers as employees and pay them according to applicable labor laws. These business changes are valued at a minimum of $2 million. 

The deadline for exclusion and objection is Oct. 17, 2022.

The final approval hearing for the Deja Vu Services class action lawsuit settlement is scheduled for Nov. 17, 2022.

Class members do not need to file a claim in order to receive regular settlement payments. However, in order to receive a dance fee payment, class members must submit an election form by Oct. 17, 2022.

Who’s Eligible

The settlement benefits entertainers who performed as independent contractors at one or more of the San Francisco area clubs between Aug. 8, 2010, and Nov. 16, 2018, or at one or more of the Greater California clubs between Feb. 8, 2017, and Nov. 16, 2018.

Potential Award

Varies

Proof of Purchase

No proof of purchase applicable

Election Form

NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.

Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.

Election Form Deadline

10/17/2022

Case Name

Roe v SFBSC Management LLC et al., Case No. 14-cv-03616-LB in the U.S. District Court Northern District of California

Roes 1 and 2 v Déjà vu Services, Case No. 19-cv-03960-LB in the U.S. District Court Northern District of California

Final Hearing

11/17/2022

Settlement Website

SFBSCSettlement.com

Claims Administrator

SFBSC/Deja Vu Services Settlement
P.O. Box 26170
Santa Ana, CA 92799
SFBSCSettlement@Simpluris.com
866-603-6949

Class Counsel

Jason Thompson
SOMMERS SCHWARTZ PC

Megan Bonanni
PITT MCGEHEE PALMER BONANNI & RIVERS PC

Steven G Tidrick
Joel B Young
THE TIDRICK LAW FIRM LLP

Defense Counsel

Douglas Melton
Shane Cahill
Long & Levit LLP

Tammara Bokmuller
Bowman and Brooke LLP

Bradley Shafer
Shafer & Associates PC