Not sure what to do.....?

Question

I have been working at a shoe store for over a year, and I get paid $5.70 an hour plus 1% commission, I work in NH and i'm pretty sure the minimum wage is $6.50 as of September 1st, 2007. I don't know if I should complain or what? I am a very good employee, I hardly call out and never come in late. My manager has not given me one raise since I started working there which was almost 13 months ago. For every hundred dollars that I sell I make one dollar. I only work about 15-20 hours a week. I sell about 2,500 a week, which is only 25 dollars. I dont know if she hasn't given me a raise because im on commision or what but i dont know what she would say if I asked her for a raise? Would she tell me that im on commision and that I should sell more to make more money or what?

What should I do?

Answer 1

First, I would be completely sure (not "pretty sure") what the minimum wage is. I would search for some official looking document clearly stating that the state's minimum wage is $___ and is effective this year. Then I would show that to the manager, and ask her about it. I would be careful on how you phrase it...just say something like, "I saw this on the internet, should my base wage be that?" If she still says no, then I would ask your local labor office about it.
**Keep in mind that federal and state minimum wages can be different.**

I think you're right. New Hampshire's minimum wage is $6.50.
Check out: http://www.dol.gov/esa/minwage/america.htm

Answer 2

The New Hampshire minimum wage is the same as the federal minimum wage. $5.85 per hour. This will go up in the summer of 2008 to $6.55 and again in the summer of 2009 to $7.25.

As for getting a raise my advise is to simply ask your boss to help you. Tell her you need to make more money and can she give you some ideas on how to do this. Asking in this manner will not put your boss on the spot but inform her you want more money. She can either ignore the request, give you a raise, or give you ideas on how to make more money in the store. If her answer is general then ask her to be specific. If she ignores the request then things are either real tight with her and she can't give you a raise, or she is just a tight person and won't. Either way you may want to look elsewhere for a job if she ignores your request to make more money. If she doesn't ignore the request she will appreciate that you didn't put her on the spot and left every option open to her.

Answer 3

If you have good sales skills maybe you could use those in a field where the commisions are higher. (business-to-business equipment sales, any kind of luxury or big-ticket item. Sales is sales!) If you want to keep this job, try in this order:

1) line up a new job
2) professionally request a raise (point out your reliability, how you've made them money, etc. don't explain why you need the $$--they don't care.)
3) if you're happy with the result, stay put
4) if the raise isn't great, ask if they could do better...and mention that you've been offered another job, but would prefer to stay at the shoe store
7) if they say no, take the other job immediately...there's no future there for you.. if they offer you a raise only because you're going to leave, they are going to try and think of a way of "getting their money's worth," and that's not usually great for you.

Answer 4

1. After you have a good week, and when your boss is in a good mood, ask her for a raise. Be ready to answer the question, how much. Ask for 40 cents more per hour. Or try for 2 percent commission.

2. The federal minimum wage went upto 5.85 in july 2007. I believe your employer can count commission when determining if you are at minimum wage. With commission you are over the federal minimum wage.

Answer 5

First i would check that the correct minimum wage is $6.50 then if you are in a union i would speak to your union rep abot the fact that you are not getting the minimum wage and leave it to the union if you wish you could talk to the manager and ask her why but would sugget you make sure that it is first