If my employer is cutting my salary by almost 20%, do I have any option?

Get Legal Help Today

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

If my employer is cutting my salary by almost 20%, do I have any option?

I am an at-will salaried employee. I do not belong to a protected class and I do not have any disabilities. I do not have a contract but I do have an offer letter, which tells me my starting salary, privileges use of mobile phone, business credit card, parking pass and that I would receive 20% commission for any new clients that I brought into the company no mention that it was a requirement. The reason for the salary is cut is not based upon reducing costs. It is because I didnt bring in any new clients yet. Additionally, the employer did not give me notice that if I did not bring in a client that my salary would be reduced. The employer has never written me up nor is their a company employee handbook. Do I have any options (i.e. voluntary quit, etc).?

Asked on May 3, 2012 under Employment Labor Law, Pennsylvania

Answers:

SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 11 years ago | Contributor

If you do not have an employment contract or some other agreement which guarantees your salary for a fixed period of time, your employer may reduce your salary at will; while you initial offer letter might offer protection if the reduction was attempted promptly upon hiring, once time has passed, the offer letter will longer bind the employer or prevent it from reducing your salary--the offer letter does not guaranty you that salary forever.

If you do not have an employment contract, your employer does not need to provide prior notice of the salary reduction or what will trigger it, and may reduce the salary for any reason.

YOu always have the option of leaving employment (e.g. quitting voluntarily), so long as their is no employment contract obligating you to remain employed for some period of time.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption