If you are a travel agent, your employment contract may indicate that you are to be paid commissions for every sale. Your commissions may be a significant part of your income. If you are not paid the commission that you are promised, it can put you in a financial bind. If your employer fails to pay the commission that you have earned and are entitled to receive, you could be the victim of wage theft. There are resources available to help you in such situations, and if you have suffered wage theft as a travel agent, you may be able to file an employment law claim against your employer to recover commission and damages.
Commission Wage Theft As A Travel Agent
When you are hired in as a travel agent, you should sign an employment contract and you should be given an employee handbook. You will need to hang on to these because they contain important details regarding your employment and income. You will need these documents as evidence should you ever suffer wage theft and need to pursue a claim against your employer. Always maintain any work-related documentation and correspondence.
Employees can be paid for their work in several different ways. As a travel agent, you may be paid hourly wages, you could be paid a set salary, or you may receive commissions. There could even be a combination of the two, such as hourly wages or salary plus commission. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is a federal law that establishes minimum wage and other employment regulations. You must be paid at least minimum wage. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, but some states have set higher minimum wages.
You should not only research the FLSA and other federal employment laws, you should also familiarize yourself with the state laws that apply to your situation. You need to be aware of your protections, and if your employer violates the laws and does not pay you properly, you should act promptly. There is a statute of limitations, known as a time limit, for pursuing a claim after wage theft. If you wait too long, you cannot recover compensation for your losses, which will include your lost wages.
As an example, as a travel agent, you may be paid a flat fee for each reservation that you make, or you may be paid a percentage of each transaction. Your employer may not pay you any commission you are owed, or they may only pay you a small portion. They must pay you all your commissions earned during the specified time period and issue your payment on the agreed date. Otherwise, it is wage theft.
The Next Steps
If you have are a travel agent who did not make any commission despite having sales, you should gather all the supporting evidence that you can find as quickly as possible. Your lawsuit must be filed within two years of the violation, so get your claim underway as quickly as possible. Also, the longer you wait to file a claim, the more compensation you will lose. You do not want to keep losing money, so the faster you act, the sooner your employer will realize that you mean business and that you will not tolerate their actions.
If you win your claim against your employer, there are remedies available to you. The state Wage and Hour Division may supervise the payment of any back wages. You may also be awarded liquidated damages and any legal expenses, such as attorney’s fees, court costs, and so forth. You will need an employment law attorney to help you gather your supporting evidence and documentation and to ensure that your claim is on the right track in a timely fashion.
Speak To An Employment Law Attorney
If you are a travel agent who was not paid your commissions, you should speak with an employment law attorney who handles wage theft claims in your area. An attorney will be familiar with the state and federal laws that apply to your situation and will know how to proceed with your claim. Your lawyer will investigate the claim and gather supporting evidence to determine the total amount of commissions that you are owed.
You should discuss your attorney’s payment plans when you speak with them. Do not delay getting the help you need as a travel agent who was not paid commissions. Complete the Free Case Evaluation Form today.
