Employment of Student-Athletes

GENERAL overview

The Compliance Office is required to maintain written records of all student-athlete employment activities in order to ensure continued compliance with NCAA regulations.

Prior to the employment of a current student-athlete, there are two forms that must be completed and verified by the Compliance Office. The first form is called Form A: Student-Athlete Employment Approval which is  what the student-athlete completes to request approval to work.  The second form is called Form B: Employer Agreement, which is what the employer completes to verify employment of the student-athlete.  It is very important that both Form A: Student-Athlete Employment Approval and Form B: Employer Agreement are on file in the Compliance Office prior to the student-athlete's first day of employment. 

At the conclusion of the student-athlete' s employment ,  you will be required to complete and submit Form C: Employment Verification along with any payroll documentation and time sheets.

These forms can be found on ARMS.

As a potential employer of a student-athlete, it is important for you to know and understand the  following NCAA rules regarding student-athlete employment:

  1. A student-athlete may not be hired based on his/her athletics ability;

  2. A student-athlete may be compensated only for work actually performed at a rate commensurate with the going rate in that locality for similar services;

  3. A student-athlete's name, picture or likeness may not be used to advertise, recommend or promote the sale or use of a commercial product or service of any kind; and

  4. Transportation to work or any other benefits (e.g., meals)  may not be provided unless the benefit is provided for all other employees.

If you have any further questions, please call the Compliance Office at 225-578-5465 or jerickson@lsu.edu

FAQs

Question: What should I do if I want to employ a student-athlete?

Answer:    1) Contact the Compliance Office to ensure that the student-athlete has received approval to work from his/her head coach and academic counselor.
                   2) Complete Form B: Employer Approval. Submit the form to the Compliance Office via fax at (225) 578-2430 or email to Jason at jerickson@lsu.edu.

Question:  When can I employ a student-athlete?

Answer:      A student-athlete may work at any time provided he/she has received approval from the Compliance Office, in addition to his/her head coach and academic counselor.  A student-athlete may work as may hours                     as his/her schedule allows, but he/she may not miss class for work under any circumstance.

Question:  May I employ multiple student-athletes?

Answer:      Yes.

Question:  Do I have to complete a separate form for each student-athlete that I employ?

Answer:     Yes.

Question:  How much can I pay a student-athlete?

Answer:     You may pay a student-athlete only at a rate commensurate with that of other employees performing similar tasks.  If a student-athlete works as a cashier and your cashiers earn $10/hour, you may only pay the                      student-athlete $10/hour.  Additionally, a student-athlete may only be paid for work actually performed.  

Question:  Can I provide transportation for the student-athlete to get to and from work?

Answer:      It depends.  You may only provide a student-athlete with a benefit if you make that benefit available to all employees.  Therefore, you may only provide transportation if you offer transportation to all of your                                employees.

Question:   Should I keep track of the student-athletes work hours?

Answer:      Yes.  You should record all work hours, in addition to maintaining pay stubs.  The Compliance Office may request these records to verify employment details.

Question:   Other than initial registration, when else should I contact the Compliance Office?

Answer:      You should contact the Compliance Office immediately if there are any changes in the student-athlete's employment status (e.g., wages, termination, etc.