Can I sue for nonpayment of field transition bonus?

[anonymous]

Do I have a case if I wanted to sue my employer for non payment of my promised field transition bonus? I left my field sales position to take the role of national sales trainer. I signed a contract which stated that I would be paid either the home office bonus or the field transition bonus - whichever is higher - for a period of 3 years. The field transitition bonus is significantly higher than the home office bonus. The contract is written this way to entice folks to leave the field for home office positions. The company hired a new CEO who decided that the home office bonus would not be paid for 2017. The field was paid their sales bonuses plus they were also paid an accelerator. When asked about the field transition bonus, we were told they couldn't pay it since they weren't paying the home office bonus. Even though the home office bonus was not paid, based on the terms in the contract ( "the higher of either..." ) suggests that the field transition bonus would automatically have to be paid. I would like to know if it's worth pursuing this legally. And if so, what type of attorney do I get. Do I forgo any rights if I leave the company?

 

[Charles Joseph]

The answer to your questions depends on the language in your contract. You should have an experienced employment attorney look over your contract.

You can read more about employee rights at https://www.workingnowandthen.com/.


This response is not legal advice, but is general information only, based upon the information stated in the question and general legal principles. It is provided for general educational purposes of the public who may have similar questions, not for any specific individual or circumstance. It is not intended to create an attorney-client relationship. Legal issues depend on all the specific facts of a situation, which are not present here. If you would like to obtain specific legal advice about your issue, you must contact a local attorney who is licensed to practice law in your state.