Thread regarding Lowe's Cos. layoffs

The only way to get an advantage is to unionize. Remember, these bean counters and their lawyers have already calculated the risk and financial loses and are ok with whatever that number is. In fact, they would prefer a class action lawsuit, it will dismiss them of any further damages, cost will be under their budget, and the peons get sc-aps.

I remind those impacted that there were also a lot of additional "clarifications" issued from Lowe's corporate pertaining to the onset of the Allowance that was posted on connections at the time. Some of us just so happened to save copies of those as well. I am not a lawyer but think there is valid grounds for a class action lawsuit which likely can't be started until the actual damages occur (i.e., start of 2020 fiscal year when the actual loss of the Allowance will occur). I also have to wonder that by corporate giving us such advance notice that their underlining goal was to get as many of us to quit on our own before the start of the next fiscal year in order to further reduce the pool of employees which might ultimately join any potential class action lawsuit.

There are already rumors being circulated by some members of my store management that some other type of performance based compensation package may be rolled out to help offset the Allowance loss. Personally I think that is also a line of BS being issued in an attempt to troll us into staying in line. My personal goal is to not give the deal breaking pr__ks the satisfaction of having me resign until I see how this all plays out. I have however decided there is zero chance in hell of me continuing to perform my current function at Lowe's at yet another drastically reduced pay rate (especially when there is still a chance they will later turn around and get rid of the Specialists position in the same unceremonious way the did the department managers a few years back). My takeaway is that a handshake form Lowe's corporate is worth absolutely NOTHING at this company! I do believe that the decision makers in this company will eventually reap what they sow.

Wow, I haven’t seen the words “Lowe’s Experience of the Future” in a long long time. Got bad news for everyone, the way it was written is a notice and not a binding contract. Also, the verb-age use is “allowance”. Most courts will side with bLowes.

If you want to keep your “allowance” you need to unionize.

Take a chance, what do you have to lose??

Interesting how allegedly 1 lone class action employee gets a $3000. payout. While the rest got an average $125.00? And Lowe’s is still standing. Large class actions do not favor employees

• it’s called an average for a reason. Some people didn’t work much overtime they could prove. Some left the company, some made much more than me, others made much less. There were many Chinese overtime lawsuits and California has very specific laws for overtime. Lowes wasn’t following.

Under California overtime law, workers are entitled to earn 1.5 times their regular wage when they work more than 8 hours a day, unless they fall into one of the California overtime exemptions. Once they hit 12 hours a day, workers are entitled to earn double time, which is 2 times their regular rate of pay. A good employment lawyer will tell you it doesn’t matter whether you’re paid by the hour or piece-rate (per job), the California labor code requires employers to pay overtime to all non-exempt employees.-

Yep, some of us have copies. Enjoy the read. :)

From: Store Communications
Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2012 8:22 PM
Subject: Store Compensation Changes

Store Compensation Changes

With Lowe’s change in its business strategy to a multi-channel home improvement company, we are making some changes in 2012 to our pay structures that affect individuals who are eligible for SPIFFs and commissions. These types of incentive pay are unpredictable and result in fluctuations in bi-weekly pay that subject our employees to uncertainties during various times of the year. The changes we are making will move us from a “me” to a “we” focus where collaboration and teamwork to get the sale matter most – regardless of where or who is involved in the sale.

Change Overview

Effective Saturday, February 11th, we are eliminating all SPIFFs and commissions from our compensation plans. We are replacing a portion of this income with an adjustment in affected employees’ pay equivalent to 50% of their 2011 earnings received from SPIFFs and commissions (paycheck dates: 1/28/2011 through 1/13/2012). Employees who earned less than $250 in SPIFFs/Commissions in 2011 will not receive an adjustment. Project Specialists - Exteriors and Project Specialists - Interiors are excluded from this change and will continue to have variable elements as part of their overall compensation structure.

For example: If a Sales Specialist, Department Manager or CSA, full-time or part-time, on the sales floor earned $3,000 in pay through SPIFFs/commissions in 2011, we will take 50% of this amount, or $1,500, divide it by 52 weeks, and pay $28.85/week in the form of an allowance. This allowance will result in dependable income, not subject to fluctuations or variability based on SPIFFs/commissions or other circumstances beyond our employees’ control.

Reasons for the Change

1. To enable Lowe’s Experience of the Future, we must be ready to engage with our customers wherever (at home, in-store, on-line, call-center, on mobile device) and whenever (24 hours a day/7 days a week) they want to engage with us. To do this, our employee reward structures must align to support this “wherever” and “whenever” selling model, moving from a “me” to a “we” approach when it comes to pay, rewards, and performance evaluation.

2. Our vendors, a major source of funding for SPIFFs and commissions, are being asked by our merchants to drive “every-day low pricing” by reallocating their dollars into lower prices on our products.

3. New selling tools will come on line in the third quarter that will convert many existing special-order items into stock items. This means that special-order-sales will diminish greatly, which will dramatically impact employee earnings. So, now is the time to make adjustments prior to the additional changes that are coming which could impact the overall earning potential of our associates.

Additional Details

· The addition of this allowance to offset the loss in variable pay, will NOT become part of the employee’s BASE pay. It will remain a separate line on the employee’s paycheck.

· Should an employee be promoted to a salaried position, this allowance to the employee’s paycheck will be removed, and the new base rate at time of promotion will be determined by the competitive salary for the new position.

· Moves between hourly store positions will allow the employees to retain the allowance, unless the employee moves into a PS-E or PS-I role, in which case the employee will lose the “allowance.” Moves to positions in Distribution or the Customer Support Center (CSC), or other Lowe’s affiliates will result in an elimination of the employee’s allowance.

· To access your expected pay allowance, follow this path on LowesNet: Store > Store Departments > Human Resources > Staffing/Employment > Variable Earnings Conversion Statement - Employee.

This new pay structure, which shifts to a more collaborative, team-based “we” approach is what will make Lowe’s our customers’ first choice for home improvement. When this happens, Lowe’s wins…and when Lowe’s wins, we all win.

Interesting how allegedly 1 lone class action employee gets a $3000. payout. While the rest got an average $125.00? And Lowe’s is still standing. Large class actions do not favor employees.

just keep in mind lowes has lost so many lawsuits with their employees that the federal govt. had to install a 3rd party ADA monitor because they were literally targeting people with disabilities company-wide. they were forced to institute a system to track all accommodation request and how lowes handled them.

lowes might be the big dog in the room but their history of major abuses against their workforce is so documented that its gone beyond just fining them and awarding money to those they wronged. this all plays heavily against them in every future lawsuit.

Broken promise, no guarantee in a class action. Except $1.25 maybe. Just like the “Chinese” OT Lawsuit. Employees thought that would sink Lowe’s, Not! Lawyers made out, employees thought they were going to cash in, instead got shafted.

• I got close to $3k in that lawsuit. It was way more than $1.25, the first time it’s a slap on the wrist. It gets more expensive each time the company doesn’t learn.

Broken promise, no guarantee in a class action. Except $1.25 maybe. Just like the “Chinese” OT Lawsuit. Employees thought that would sink Lowe’s, Not! Lawyers made out, employees thought they were going to cash in, instead got shafted. This is no different. Time to move on from The 2012 promise.

Make sure you take advantage of that class action lawsuit so you can all be able to collect that $14 when it’s all said and done..

i imagine it depends on legalities of what is guaranteed compensation. There is NO question that we were given a statement letter detailing the elimination of spiffs/commissions and the allowance that was developed to make up for the harsh pay cut.

“ We of course have been informed that the allowance is being stripped away despite the in writing promise.”
Post ID: @122Gwm8H

If it’s true Specialists have a written guarantee of allowance (so long as they remain an hourly associate with the company), I can only assume a class action suit will be inevitable. All it will take is just one of the hundreds if not thousands of remaining Specialists to produce the document. If it’s as everyone claims, it will be an easy victory and Lowe’s will stand to lose hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars.

I can’t see why anyone would sit by and allow a multi billion dollar corporation to get by with not paying their allowance, a source of income that’s owed.