Anyone here do payroll or any type of knowledge on how commissions should be paid? Had a nice phone call today telling me basically I made to much and they won’t be paying me all of what I made. Before I get to hot headed need to cover my bases first.

I'd get hotheaded to. You outsold their supply.

Have a copy of your contract? It all depends on what you agreed to.

I would need more info. If this was an agreed upon commission, and you held up your end of the deal, then they owe you what was agreed upon.

Depending on specifics, they may not have to pay it to you, though, even though you earned it.

This

I would have hired you in a New a York minute.

Good luck, they can change comp plans anytime they want, not ethical but legal. I worked for a major Corp. For years and they did this stuff all the time. Sorry for your pain.

I get a base salary plus “performance” pay with goals. I get paid to hit certain goals and can make up to 200% of goal. Revenue is uncapped. Worst part is I’ve made more other months than I have this past month. The blame is covid19 and it has had a negative impact but the complete opposite is true for me. Sales is sales. You have your good months and your bad. They were so kind to offer me a temporary $500 boost per month on my salary buts that’s no where close to what I’m getting shorted.

Sounds like you need to figure out if you are worth what you think you are worth, and if they don’t want to pay what you are worth then it’s time to go looking for someplace that does

Sounds like you work for a chicken house floor collector.

I’m basically going to get paid about 45% of what I earned so I’m thinking it’s time to go. Bad timing right now with this and trying to buy a house.

Bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Not saying to stay put, just to stay put until you have another one in hand.

Quit.

If you are buying a house, you might want to wait to make any moves. It can throw a monkey wrench into everything if you are working with a lender for financing. Probably be smart to have a call with them first.

Sorry to hear you are in this mess. Seems to be how it is though with sales. Every job I’ve had since college has been commission based and they always change comp plans. Usually they honor the year’s plan that was signed, and then just jack the next years goals. If you have a comp plan saying they will pay you x once you sell y, and you held your end of the agreement, then that’s just crap on their part. Depending on how much you are talking and how far you wanna take it, it might make sense to speak with an attorney. (But what a mess that will be). Good luck

6.6 million filed for unemployment last week. Almost 17 in the last three weeks. If you're trying to buy a house, don't leave until you've found something else. There's a ton of competition out there right now.

Say fine but make me whole when it is over. Not sure where you can go these days. Buddy had best month ever in March and close to worst ever now. It won't last forever. Sales and commission jobs have to save for the bad days.

This.

Do you work at my old company? A transportation broker in DFW?

If you are going to continue to work there, I would politely ask for an explanation from your boss of where they got the numbers they gave you. I would bring anything that you have in writing where your commission percentage is written down and agreed to by them.

If they don't honor it, I would start looking...I know I did the second I was told I was greedy for asking for the pay that was already agreed to. I am a lot happier now.

Life is way too short to work for greedy bosses that will lie and cheat to not pay you what you are worth.

If you are in DFW and want to take this further than discussing with your boss, I used a corporate and employment attorney to get out of the previously mentioned company's overreaching non compete when I left. PM me if you want contact information.

20 yrs from now:

Damn, all this waisted time chasing the mighty dollar living like rats, I wished I could have travelled the World instead.

Damn it!

As stated before YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT YOU WILL ALLOW OTHERS TO DO TO YOU. Sometimes that’s a hard decision. I have never been able to put a price tag on unfair treatment.

Most likely some pencil necked bean counter driving this. The finance guys seldom have a clue about motivating the sales force, leave it up to the bean counters and they would layoff the sales force to save money.


I never understood why a company does this. Sales compensation plans are drafted to be a win/win deal. There are factors that cause plans to change but most of the time it's greed. (this is coming from a business owner)

I haven't heard this specifically before but it is so true.

Good advice.....

Do you have a written copy of your commission structure or contract? Are they changing it mid-stream?

Are they doing this to all the sales people or are you the only one?

Are they having cash flow issues?


You can always be looking for a new job but I'd recommend getting that house deal done first.

Qualifies as worst advice ever.