Commission Disputes in Washington

Washington has Complex Laws Governing Commission Agreements

A commission is a percentage of the price of a product sold that is normally awarded to the person principally involved in selling the product. Commissions are not required by law and are normally agreed upon by the employer and employee. For instance, a sales associate at a department store may earn 10% commission on every sale he or she makes. Employees can be paid on commission only or a combination of wage and commission. WAC 296-126-021 (1)-(2) place important requirements on employers to ensure that in commission-based Washington employees are meeting minimum wage compensation requirements during those times when their commission does not reach that threshold. Commissions can be a great thing or it can be something that employers abuse in order to receive a windfall.

Pay-At-Risk Commission Video

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The laws that address the issue of a failure to pay commissions can be complex and it is important to hire an attorney that is well-versed in employee law and has extensive experience in this area of Washington employment law. When the commission value is set by the employee and employer in contract form, the commission may be based on either gross sales figures or net sales figures. There are certain laws prohibiting the employer from deducting certain expenses from commissions which are due to the employee. In addition, if an employee leaves an employer prior to securing a sale that was brought about through their efforts and work, the employee is still owed a commission in many cases.

If you believe that you may be owed commission wages, it is in your best interests to speak with a Washington employment law attorney from our firm as early as possible. We can help get you your unpaid commissions as well as other damages.

Are you Seeking Payment for Unpaid Overtime?

At HKM Employment Attorneys, we have represented countless clients in wage claims against employers. If you believe that your employer may be in violation of any type of employment law, either state or federal it is imperative that you discuss the details of your case with our attorney.

In many cases involving employment law, employees are unaware of the rights regarding fair compensation under Washington state employment law. Employees may fear retaliation or feel intimidated to take an employer to court. With almost 40 years of experience focused mainly on employee law, our attorneys are not afraid to take on employers and have done so countless times successfully. We have your interests and the costs involved as our concern and do all we can to resolve the matter without the need to take it to court. Skillful negotiations can be the most effective way to bring the issue to a fast and favorable resolution.

Contact a Washington employment law attorney from the firm today if you believe you may be owed unpaid commissions.