I worked for an RV dealership in FL. When I was hired I was offered a $400 per week salary plus commission. 6 months into my employ, after a change in management, all salespeople were advised that our salary was now a $300 per week draw. We were told take it or leave.
We were required to work at least 5 days per week, totaling 40+ hours at the dealership site. I was consistently one of the top 5 performers at our dealership throughout my employment. As the market crumbled and the banks refused to give financing, the dealerships sales plummeted. I spoke with my GM and advised him that I could not work for no pay and that I had to have at least minimum wage in order to continue working there. He said he understood and that I should give him a week to work it out. At the end of that week, he advised me that the dealership had no money, couldn't pay for advertising, was laying off salaried employees, and that he couldn't help me.
I told him that I could not continue to work for him and put myself into a deeper hole. I left the dealership and began looking for another position. I filed an unemployment claim which they denied, saying I had abandoned my position. I now have an appeal, and plan to bring up the FLSA. Can anyone give me any advice?
We were required to work at least 5 days per week, totaling 40+ hours at the dealership site. I was consistently one of the top 5 performers at our dealership throughout my employment. As the market crumbled and the banks refused to give financing, the dealerships sales plummeted. I spoke with my GM and advised him that I could not work for no pay and that I had to have at least minimum wage in order to continue working there. He said he understood and that I should give him a week to work it out. At the end of that week, he advised me that the dealership had no money, couldn't pay for advertising, was laying off salaried employees, and that he couldn't help me.
I told him that I could not continue to work for him and put myself into a deeper hole. I left the dealership and began looking for another position. I filed an unemployment claim which they denied, saying I had abandoned my position. I now have an appeal, and plan to bring up the FLSA. Can anyone give me any advice?
