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Owner Hasn't Lived up to Agreement(s)

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tpl4586

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? Pennsylvania

In December of 2004, I accepted a position as the Operations Manager with a small startup company that I had worked briefly for in the past. I considered the owner somewhat of a friend so I decided to leave a good position with benefits to assume this new position. A large project was in the works and I was to be a "major part" in the implementation and management of it.

I started work on February 1, 2005 and was given a job description that outlined my benefits, responsibilities, etc. and was signed by the owner mentioned above. The salary was set at $40,000 per annum and the benefits were as follows:

Annual Bonus of 10% of stores operating profit up to 30% of salary

2 Weeks paid vacation

Health Care Benefits. 75% of policy cost or flat $500 per month

Participate in future employee stock program to be structured at a later date.

My position was eliminated last week, not because of job performance, but because the owner felt that he no longer required an Operations Manager even though the aforementioned project is about to come to fruition. I've NEVER received any of the benefits listed above other than my salary, despite repeated reminders to the owner of his benefits promises. Also, he is balking at paying back expenses that I have put on my own credit card following repeated declinations when trying to use the company AMEX for supply purchases both by myself and other employees. This particular reimbursement - not including the missing benefits - is approximately $1,900. This includes mileage for several 278 mile round trips to another city. Prior to claiming mileage, I offered - as a goodwill, "team guy" gesture - to use the company credit card to periodically buy a tank of gas in lieu of mileage reimbursements or per diem expenses. This stopped only after repeated credit card declinations and my purchase of a new car. On another note, a verbal agreement was made to take care of a cell phone bill that was bought specifically by me to use in this position (clients and vendors routinely contacted me via that number).

Do I have any legal standing to sue for these benefits and expense reimbursments? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 


pattytx

Senior Member
I hate to sound like a broken record here, but you should get the advise of an attorney to see if this "agreement" rises to the level of a valid, enforceable contract and, if so, if the company has breached it and what your recourse might be. Contract law is state- and case-specific.

There is nothing in the LAW requiring benefits or expense reimbursements (either federal or in your state).
 

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