[Jbir]

A member of my staff handles cabinetry design - pricing - most of the sales process.
She is paid a base salary and commission.
Recently made an error on the color of the base cabinets for a kitchen. Costly error.

Asking if the company or the sales person should pay for this error.

 

[Tinstaafl]

The company, ethically and probably legally.

 

[WBailey1041]

Terrible that you might consider trying to make the employee pay for it. I once had a guy drop a gutter on a new grill and dent the lid really bad. I bought a new grill and gave the bent one to the employee to remind him that mistakes are costly.

He did it again and I fired him on the spot. Either fire the employee or figure out methods or processes to avoid a repeat.

 

[Half-fast Eddie]

Jbir ... first time is on the company. And you might see if you can sell it at cost, might find a builder who can fit the kitchen around the cabinets.

 

[hdavis]

If you're going to dock for mistakes, that has to be part of the employment contract up front, then you have to add in an allowance for it above what you're already paying.

 

[Pounder]

The company pays for mistakes, not the employee.

 

[Kingcarpenter1]

Company lunch

Mike

 

[KAP]

A member of my staff handles cabinetry design - pricing - most of the sales process.
She is paid a base salary and commission.
Recently made an error on the color of the base cabinets for a kitchen. Costly error.

Asking if the company or the sales person should pay for this error.

You don't have an install manager or supervisor who verifies the specifics of a salesperson? If not, this is a process issue, more than an employee issue... consider a minimum of 2nd level verification from the original person taking the order (since they're not the ones physically making and/or installing it) and also customer verification of details in writing... people/employees make countless mistakes on a daily basis, and that's where process comes into play to minimize them...

 

[Kowboy]

An employee must be paid for all hours worked. You can't withhold pay for mistakes; it's the law.

 

[HomeSealed]

Commission is not pay for hours worked, and it can slide up or down based on job particulars. That said, it still needs to be defined.

Two great points made above:
1) If you were to dock, this would need to be part of an employment agreement/company. My sales reps are paid on a tiered structure with errors and their end are assessed to the discount and commission paid accordingly. This is all clearly laid out in their employment agreement.

2) Second great point: add checks and balances if you don't already have them. It is not fool proof, but it catches a lot of errors especially if you are doing volume.

If you don't have any provision in the sales rep's agreement to accommodate any form of reduced pay for errors, then I'd agree with the sentiment that it would be illegal and unethical to do so.