Matthew Bodie

Matthew Bodie

Professor of Law
Robins Kaplan Professor of Law

Prof. Matthew Bodie Interviewed by NPR About NLRB Complaint that Reality Show Contestants are Employees and Eligible for Labor Protections

Professor Matthew Bodie, Robins Kaplan Professor of Law, was interviewed by NPR about a complaint issued by the National Labor Relations Board saying participants in the Netflix reality show Love Is Blind are actually employees rather than contestants and therefore eligible for basic labor protections under federal law. The labor complaint comes after several former contestants — publicly, sometimes anonymously to the press, and in lawsuits — have described poor treatment they faced while filming the show, including allegations that their physical safety was at risk. A hearing for the NLRB complaint is scheduled for April 2025. An administrative law judge will then decide if the production companies violated labor law. Either party can then appeal the decision. If appealed, the case would reach the five-member NLRB board in Washington, D.C. Prof. Bodie said Donald Trump is expected to revamp the NLRB leadership, and likely to fill an empty spot on the board, creating a majority of Trump appointees. Even if the case doesn’t make it to that stage, the president-elect is also likely to replace the current NLRB general counsel with his own pick, who could choose to drop the case.