WASHINGTON– Tomorrow, at 10:15 a.m., the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions, chaired by Rep. Bob Good (R-VA), and the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development, chaired by Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT), will hold a joint hearing titled "Safeguarding Student-Athletes from NLRB Misclassification."
"The weaponized NLRB consistently misinterprets the National Labor Relations Act, and this may now upend college sports,"said Chair Good. "Classifying athletic conferences as joint employers is absurd and opens institutions up to massive liabilities and costs, completely distorting the relationship between athletes and their universities. The NLRB’s actions will negatively impact countless student-athletes, faculty, and the entire student body at these institutions."
"As a former college athlete, I understand the challenge of balancing the demands of giving 100 percent both in the classroom and on the field," said Chair Owens. "The current push to label student-athletes as employees undermines the primary responsibility of colleges and universities: to deliver a high-quality education. Our committee is dedicated to student success, and during this hearing, we'll explore the far-reaching implications of the NLRB’s interpretation of the National Labor Relations Act."
What:
Joint Subcommittee hearing titled "Safeguarding Student-Athletes from NLRB Misclassification"
When:
10:15 a.m. on Tuesday, March 12, 2024
Where:
2175 Rayburn House Office Building
Witnesses:
Ms. Jill Bodensteiner, Vice President and Director of Athletics, Saint Joseph’s University
Mr. Tyler Sims, Shareholder, Littler Mendelson
Mr. Mark Gaston Pearce, Executive Director, Workers’ Rights Institute at Georgetown Law
Professor Matthew Mitten, Professor of Law and Executive Director, National Sports Law Institute, Marquette University Law School
Press:
The hearing is open to the press and will be live-streamed on the Committee’s YouTube page.
