WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) - The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a federal lawsuit against Pleasures, 4849 S. West St, and its operating company, Mother's Finest LTD, alleging wage violations affecting 80 female entertainers. The 10-page lawsuit, filed on Jan. 6 in the U.S. District Court of Kansas, comes after an investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division allegedly uncovered illegal wage practices at the Wichita gentleman's club, including unpaid wages, unauthorized deductions from tips, and an unusual clause forcing workers to reimburse the employer if litigation or investigations led to the recovery of lost wages. Wildfire death toll surges to 24 as firefighters brace for more fierce winds in Los Angeles The complaint accuses Pleasures of misclassifying its dancers as independent contractors. The classification allegedly deprived the dancers of overtime and other benefits and protections, made illegal deductions from dancers’ tips and allegedly had dancers sign contracts with a clause forcing them to kick back lost wages recovered by litigation or an investigation. “There are very specific rules that determine if a worker is an independent contractor or an employee. In this case, Pleasures acted as an employer because they set work hours, schedules and terms of the dancers’ contract,” explained Wage and Hour Division District Director Reed Trone in Kansas City, Missouri. “The department will always fight for workers, especially those who may not know their rights under federal law and hold employers accountable.” The lawsuit seeks back wages and an equal amount of liquidated damages for the 80 dancers. It asks the court to restrain Pleasures from illegal retaliation against its employees and to forbid the company from violating the Fair Labor Standards Act.