Exotic dancer takes her act to court

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WASHINGTON, March 13 (UPI) -- An exotic dancer alleges in a lawsuit she and her fellow dancers should be paid wages in addition to tips at their Washington strip club.

Quansa Thompson said she could earn as much as $1,200 a night stripping at The House in Washington, but those funds came primarily from tips as the strip club's operators only paid dancers $20 each for showing up for work, The Washington Post said Friday.

Thompson, 29, is suing her former employer under the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. She alleges under the federal law, operators of The House are required to pay their exotic dancers wages beyond the base $20 payments.

Thompson, who was fired from the strip club last summer, told the Post if her U.S. District Court suit results in her fellow exotic dancers gaining additional workplace rights, she would consider a return to the stage.

"It would be the best job," she said of exotic dancing. "People would have more respect for it."