Ohio Dancer Wage Settlement: $800,000.00 Fund and Claim Deadline

The notice names six Ohio clubs. However, the notice’s description of who qualifies for money is inconsistent, as noted above, so working at one of these clubs alone may not resolve eligibility.

• Cheeks in West Carrollton
• Private Dancer, House of Babes, or Sirens in Columbus
• Top Hat in Mansfield
• House of Babes in Columbus
• Fantasyland West in Bucyrus

The proposed settlement provides $800,000 in monetary relief. A person who submits a required claim form by October 20, 2026 may seek a share if the settlement is approved.

The notice does not state a payment formula, an estimated individual payment, or how claims will be divided. It also does not state whether court-approved attorney fees, expenses, and service awards will reduce payments to claimants.

These workplace changes begin 30 days after final approval, if the court approves the settlement. You do not need to submit a timely claim form to receive the benefit of this non-monetary relief.

For a dancer who chooses employee status, the notice says the club must follow applicable wage, overtime, and tax laws. For a dancer who chooses independent-contractor status, the notice says the club must treat the dancer as a true independent contractor under Ohio law and may not try to persuade dancers to choose that status.

• The defendants will stop using the Entertainer Tenant System, the Entertainer Tenant Space Lease Agreement, and related materials.
• The defendants will stop imposing the rent charge previously imposed under that lease agreement.
• Dancers at clubs still operated by defendants will be allowed to choose employee or independent-contractor classification, unless a defendant classifies all dancers as employees.

To request money, complete the required claim form using one of these methods. The claim must be received by the Claims Administrator by October 20, 2026.

The supplied notice pages require a completed claim form but do not say whether documents supporting work history, fees, losses, or other facts must be submitted.

• Submit online through the claim form at www.OhioStripClubCase.com.
• Or print the claim form at the end of the notice, complete it, and mail it to Hogan v. Cleveland Ave. Restaurant, c/o Atticus Administration, PO Box 64053, St. Paul, MN 55164.

No. If the settlement is approved, the non-monetary workplace relief is available whether or not you submit a timely claim form. But a timely claim form is required to seek monetary compensation.

If you stay in the case and the court approves the settlement, you will automatically give up certain non-FLSA claims against the defendants and related parties based on the facts in the complaint. These include listed claims involving unpaid wages, tips, deductions, antitrust, civil conspiracy, unjust enrichment, and related damages.

FLSA means the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. The notice says FLSA claims are not automatically released. But submitting a valid claim form also releases the described FLSA claims.

Opting out means leaving this lawsuit. If you opt out, you will not receive money from this settlement. The notice says you may bring your own lawsuit for the same claims, but its result could be better or worse than this case’s result.

• Send a written exclusion request by U.S. mail, email, or fax to Biller & Kimble, LLC.
• Make sure it is received by October 20, 2026.
• State that you wish to opt out of the lawsuit, identify the case, and acknowledge that you will receive no settlement money and may bring your own lawsuit.

You may object and still submit a claim form. The court is scheduled to consider settlement approval on December 1, 2026. The notice says you may attend the hearing after objecting, but you do not have to.

• Write that you object to the settlement and explain the specific reasons, including legal or evidentiary support.
• Say whether you intend to appear at the final approval hearing.
• List prior settlements that you or your lawyer objected to.
• Include your name, address, telephone number, signature, and date.
• Ensure the objection is received by plaintiffs’ attorneys by October 20, 2026.

The court will hold a hearing on December 1, 2026 to consider whether to approve the settlement and the requested attorney fees, expense reimbursement, and service awards. This is a scheduled hearing, not a statement that the settlement has been approved or that payments will be made.

The attorneys representing the class are seeking court approval of fees equal to one-third of the settlement amount, reimbursement of litigation expenses they advanced, and $5,000 service awards for each of the two class representatives. The notice says class members do not separately pay these attorneys for their representation.

The notice says the law forbids an employer from retaliating against an employee for participating in or making a claim in the lawsuit. It gives examples such as firing, reducing pay, or changing hours. It says to report retaliation immediately to the plaintiffs’ attorneys.