…at least for terminated employees.
A well-written sales compensation plan document clearly defines when the commission* is officially “earned,” and this may or may not be at the same time that it is paid. Many companies will pay some or all of the commission for a sale following the booking of the order, but reserve the right to reverse sales credit and payment if the order is cancelled, the product is returned, or the sales value is not collected from the customer within a certain timeframe.
Typical “triggers” for payment include:
- Booking/Order: The customer has agreed to purchase a specific product or service at a specific time for a specific price with specific terms, all documented in writing (e.g., booking)
- Shipment/Work completed: The product is shipped from the warehouse, or the service is delivered and accepted by the customer
- Revenue: Revenue for the sale is recognized in the company’s account in system (which may be triggered by shipment or service delivery as well)
- Cash: Some or all of the payment for the sale is received.
In the case where some or all of the commission is withheld until the company receives payment from the customer, some states (Illinois and Maryland) are beginning to adopt what is called “substantial procurement” doctrine, recognizing the right of sales people to be paid commission for booking a sale, even if their plan document states that payment is not earned or made until cash is received.
Despite this clearly defined “trigger” for earning and payment in the plan document, former employees in Illinois and Maryland can now argue otherwise. Their argument is rooted in the significant investment of time and effort on their part culminating in the successful close of the sale. They argue that a booked order “substantially procured” the commission because they (1) were able to convince the customer to agree to the sale, (2) processed the order, and (3) knew the company was prepared to ship or deliver the product or service to the customer.
In today’s economy, with companies struggling to maintain their cash flow, sales reps are not typically in the business of securing payment, leaving this task to their friends in accounts receivable.
Bottom line: In at least two states in the US, your sales people have the right to their commission payment if they obtained the order, regardless of the wording of your sales compensation plan document. Thus far, the practical implications have extended only to terminated employees. Watch for similar actions in other states, and for sales people making the claim that payments may not be withheld until cash is received if their job is done once the order is obtained.
Credit to an article published on the SHRM web site by Joan Deschenaux (SHRM Senior Legal Editor), visible only to SHRM members.
*To date, this issue has arisen only with true commission plans (communicating compensation as a percent of the value of what is sold). However, the principles apply and the issue may shortly arise with other forms of sales compensation including quota-based incentives or bonus-type plans.
Donya Rose, CSCP, is Managing Principal of The Cygnal Group. She is a recognized expert in sales compensation plan design, regularly speaking at conferences and writing published articles. She serves clients from F500 to growth-stage businesses, and advises WorldatWork on sales compensation hot topics and best practices.