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tadita83 · Jan 21, 2012, 03:26 PM

I live in virginia first off. My husband works at a sales job which I know means that the company can pay commission. My problem is that the company sets his schedule at 9am-8pm six days a week. As soon as I get him home its time for him to go to bed so he can get up and go again. On top of that, if he doesn't sell something for the week he doesn't get paid for that week. So that means he worked a 60 hour week and gets nothing for it. On an average week he would make $400 for that 60 hours of work meaning he is only making $6.67 an hour which is considerably below minimum wage! I have seen on some state websites that employers can only pay commission if the employee is in charge of his/her own schedule. Does anyone know if that is true and if so is it true in virginia? I seriously feel that this company is trying to take advantage of my husband and get free labor! What they fail to realize is not only are they taking food out of my baby's mouth, but they are also stealing my husband away from me by making him work these insane hours. Please help!

Fr_Chuck · Jan 21, 2012, 05:15 PM

Does he do other duties besides sales?

What is he selling? Why is he selling so little?
From the company view point he needs to sell more to earn more.

Why does he just not go work somewhere else?

tadita83 · Jan 21, 2012, 07:28 PM

He sells security systems. He has just started this job so we are trying to decide whether to stay with it or not, but what really pisses me off is that they tell him he HAS to be there at 9:00 or he doesn't get to work that day. Which would be fine to set 9am as the time if he wasn't working until almost 9 at night and if he was getting paid for all of it, but on top of that he gets there on time then they make him wait in the office for 4 hours today until the manager got there. So that was time he could be out selling. As far as selling more, easier said than done in this economy. Not to mention they've got him knocking doors,after 6pm at night trying to sell. I wouldn't buy either if someone came to my door at that time of night! Why doesn't he go somewhere else? We've applied and applied and applied. This job search has been going on since July. We haven't had a real paycheck since July from him. LIving entirely off my income which isn't much as a public school teacher in a poor county. This was the first hope we had of getting our lives back in order. Which makes me even madder that that hope is being ripped away by someone taking advantage.

Any anger or frustration is not directed at you Chuck. Just wanted to make sure you know that:)

ScottGem · Jan 21, 2012, 07:42 PM

Contact the VA Dept of Labor. They can tell you whether this is legal or not. Personally I don't think it is. The amount of hours required seems what is most illegal.

Fr_Chuck · Jan 21, 2012, 07:57 PM

What alarm companies do, I would suspect the same for him.
In the morning hours, they go and pass out flyers, and put them on doors and mail boxes. And try to make appointments if possible. Then evenings, they go back to those places and try to talk to the people.

The alarm companies have a very very high turn over in sales.

If this is what he is doing, this is the way alarm companies work.

tadita83 · Jul 17, 2012, 12:34 PM

I haven't been on the computer to respond. He has since left this job THANK GOD! But it still upsets me that there are other people working there that they are being done the same way.

ScottGem · Jul 17, 2012, 12:48 PM

Thanks for following up.