I'll try to keep it short and to the point.
I work for a summer sales company. One where they form teams or offices to go to various cities across the country to sell security systems door-to-door. I'm a technician and install said system when it's sold. We are contracted to work a summer, where we get a certain amount payed up front, and a certain amount on a back-end check. It's a significant amount on the back-end, but it's forfeited if you quit or get fired.
Our office of about 8 sales reps, and 3 technicians lives in Louisville KY, where we have done most of our work through the summer, until recently. For the past 3 weeks I have been commuting daily (6-day work week, no set hours) to Cincinnati. It's about an 1.75 hour drive going 74 (the speed limit is 70). The plan is to keep doing that for the rest of the summer selling season (about 1.5 more months)
Obviously it costs more to install a security system in Cincinnati than it does in Louisville (time, gas, etc.). Herein lies my problem. The brunt of the cost is falling on me, and my other technician (the 3rd tech is the 'lead tech' and is "so tied up with paper work" in louisville he's unable to make it to Cinci except about 3 times a week :\
The only thing my contract says about "area" is:
I know that's a terribly vague, and broad definition of an area. But here's the thing. About a month ago the corporate office was looking into moving our office to cincinnati. That includes canceling the leases for our apartments and fronting the cost to move everyone and their stuff up there. It was ultimately decided that they would hold off until next year, when they would start an office up there from the beginning. To me, that sounds like they have defined what they believe is a new "Area", but they are having us work in it anyways.
I've told my lead tech I'm pissed about spending 4 hours a day in the car commuting to and from home, I'm pissed about not getting reimbursed for gas, I'm pissed at my company for not recognizing why I'm pissed and thinking that I would (should?) be okay with this.
I told my manager I wanted to talk to him about it, he couldn't talk over the phone b/c I wasn't on his cell phone plan so he would go over minutes
frown: ) and he would call me to meet in the morning. That was this morning, he never called. I'm ready to tell them I'm not going back up there until I see some compensation. Am I dreaming?
Cliffs:
1. 4 hour daily commute
2. I'm pissed
3. Do I have to put up with this in order to get my back-end check or has my company violated their contract and am I entitled to compensation.
p.s. I know that this job is sleazy, no one likes door-to-door sales, it's just a summer job... it hasn't been the greatest experience. Thanks for reading/advice
I work for a summer sales company. One where they form teams or offices to go to various cities across the country to sell security systems door-to-door. I'm a technician and install said system when it's sold. We are contracted to work a summer, where we get a certain amount payed up front, and a certain amount on a back-end check. It's a significant amount on the back-end, but it's forfeited if you quit or get fired.
Our office of about 8 sales reps, and 3 technicians lives in Louisville KY, where we have done most of our work through the summer, until recently. For the past 3 weeks I have been commuting daily (6-day work week, no set hours) to Cincinnati. It's about an 1.75 hour drive going 74 (the speed limit is 70). The plan is to keep doing that for the rest of the summer selling season (about 1.5 more months)
Obviously it costs more to install a security system in Cincinnati than it does in Louisville (time, gas, etc.). Herein lies my problem. The brunt of the cost is falling on me, and my other technician (the 3rd tech is the 'lead tech' and is "so tied up with paper work" in louisville he's unable to make it to Cinci except about 3 times a week :\
The only thing my contract says about "area" is:
1. Appointment of Independent Contractor. The Company hereby agrees to hire Independent Contractor as a Technician in such geographic area ("Area") as the Company may determine from August 31, 2006 through September 6, 2007, to install home and commercial security systems offered by the Company.
I know that's a terribly vague, and broad definition of an area. But here's the thing. About a month ago the corporate office was looking into moving our office to cincinnati. That includes canceling the leases for our apartments and fronting the cost to move everyone and their stuff up there. It was ultimately decided that they would hold off until next year, when they would start an office up there from the beginning. To me, that sounds like they have defined what they believe is a new "Area", but they are having us work in it anyways.
I've told my lead tech I'm pissed about spending 4 hours a day in the car commuting to and from home, I'm pissed about not getting reimbursed for gas, I'm pissed at my company for not recognizing why I'm pissed and thinking that I would (should?) be okay with this.
I told my manager I wanted to talk to him about it, he couldn't talk over the phone b/c I wasn't on his cell phone plan so he would go over minutes
Cliffs:
1. 4 hour daily commute
2. I'm pissed
3. Do I have to put up with this in order to get my back-end check or has my company violated their contract and am I entitled to compensation.
p.s. I know that this job is sleazy, no one likes door-to-door sales, it's just a summer job... it hasn't been the greatest experience. Thanks for reading/advice