College athletes could be considered employees, court rules

FILE - Signage at the headquarters of the NCAA is viewed in Indianapolis, March 12, 2020. A U.S. appeals court in Philadelphia has ruled that some college athletes may qualify as employees under federal wage-and-hour laws.

Although college sports have long been considered amateur athletics, a federal appeals court said there should be a legal test to determine when athletes are playing for fun and when they are working for a school or college.

ESPN.com reports that when the efforts of college athletes directly benefit a school, they may be subject to federal wage and hour laws. Defendants in the lawsuit include the NCAA and member schools such as Duke University, Villanova University and the University of Oregon.