Unpaid Sales Commissions

[grampa_jay]

This happened in Michigan.

I was employed in a sales capacity. Compensation included a base pay plus commisions as detailed in letter of employment. 7 months of ongoing sales, resulted in payment of commisions per agreement. I have all pay stubs and commision records.

In the 8th month of employment, employer faced financial problems and terminated me. I understood this to be a result of bad business climate affecting myself and numerous other employees. At total of 5 employees were terminated on the same day. I accepted this. Discussions with employer yielded his verbal promise to pay me commissions on sales already booked which had not been delivered. He also reitterated this promise in an email to me.

Part of employers financial problem included his inability to pay supplliers who withheld shipment of products that had been ordered. Eventually, suppliers were satisfied and products were shipped long after i was terminated. Products were then shipped to end customers, resulting in profits on orders I placed before leaving.

Repeated requests for information on status of orders I placed went unanswered by employer.

I have signed copies of orders including photocopies of customer deposit checks for most of these orders. For others, i have a list of the purchase order numbers to the suppliers for these products.

How can I collect commisions due me, now 6 months following my termination? The amount of commisions is small ($500).

[cbg]

Have you tried the state DOL?

[grampa_jay]

The only thing i can find on Michigan DOL websites, regarding non payment pertains to payment of minium wages with no reference to commisions? Do you have any specific details of where to seek information?

[aaron]

The standard Michigan Department of Labor wage complaint has a space for unpaid sales commissions.

Michigan has a pretty helpful statute (MCL 600.2961) which can sometimes help inspire an employment lawyer to assist with even a smaller sales commission case against a collectable defendant.