Gayle Carpentier
11-10-2006, 01:09 PM
Hoping someone can direct me here.
Over the last five years I have been the sole business development director of a nationally known nonprofit. I was hired on a salary/commission basis. This contract is in writing, and with minor changes has been renewed each year.
In June, I was verbally told that while my work was exemplary, the VP and CEO had decided to drop my compensation to just salary (effectively cutting my compensation by 55%).
In previous years, the contract never renewed on schedule, and the previous year contract was allowed to stay in force until the new agreement was signed.
The same situation is occurring now, but with a change. The VP allowed the current agreement to roll over and paid due commissions for July/August. However she is now refusing to pay commissions for Sept/Oct - stating that I knew they were planning on changing the position to straight salary.
This is complicated by the fact that we have jointly created both a transition agreement and new contract (which both clearly state that there are existing commissions to be paid - and the VP and I were in agreement on this), but after a review of this in September, I have received no final agreement, nor any confirmation of what a new working agreement would be at this time.
I am assuming, that given the history, until a new agreement is signed, that the old one must be in force. Can anyone point me toward relevant California compensation law to help me understand what my rights are here?
Many thanks - a VERY confused nonprofit exec
Over the last five years I have been the sole business development director of a nationally known nonprofit. I was hired on a salary/commission basis. This contract is in writing, and with minor changes has been renewed each year.
In June, I was verbally told that while my work was exemplary, the VP and CEO had decided to drop my compensation to just salary (effectively cutting my compensation by 55%).
In previous years, the contract never renewed on schedule, and the previous year contract was allowed to stay in force until the new agreement was signed.
The same situation is occurring now, but with a change. The VP allowed the current agreement to roll over and paid due commissions for July/August. However she is now refusing to pay commissions for Sept/Oct - stating that I knew they were planning on changing the position to straight salary.
This is complicated by the fact that we have jointly created both a transition agreement and new contract (which both clearly state that there are existing commissions to be paid - and the VP and I were in agreement on this), but after a review of this in September, I have received no final agreement, nor any confirmation of what a new working agreement would be at this time.
I am assuming, that given the history, until a new agreement is signed, that the old one must be in force. Can anyone point me toward relevant California compensation law to help me understand what my rights are here?
Many thanks - a VERY confused nonprofit exec
