A New Jersey appeals court ruling could open the door to a finding that commissioned real estate salespeople are employees and not independent contractors.

The appeals court said the so-called ABC Test for deciding a worker’s employment status applies to a dispute between real estate salespeople and Weichert Realty over payroll deductions. The ruling said an Essex County Superior Court judge correctly denied Weichert’s bid to dismiss a class action over the company’s deductions for insurance, marketing and other expenses from the salespeople’s earnings.