A federal judge ruled in favor of nearly 2,000 current and former exotic dancers at Rick's Cabaret, a Manhattan dance club, who claimed they should have been paid the federal minimum wage, Reuters reported.

The lawsuit joins a number of cases that ruled in favor of exotic dancers having the same protection under the Fair Labor Standards Act as other employees. The dancers alleged management at Rick's Cabaret wrongly classified them as independent contractors.

What's more, they were obligated to pay a fee to the club owners on the nights they performed and were compensated with extra pay at an average of $20 during private sessions. U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer decided the dancers were the main source of revenue for the club and should be fairly compensated for their services rendered.

Eric Langan, chief executive officer of Rick's Cabaret, explained the business will likely appeal the decision, citing the fact that most of the dancers earn in excess of $1,000 per night. Giving the dancers a minimum wage would be a mere fraction of what they earn during their performances, and the club was unlikely to change its time and attendance policy.

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