Ok so I need some help – I’m being told by my employer that since they removed our base pay and we are 100% commissioned now, that we have zero right to a work schedule and/or any time off. We are required to use PTO for any time off however that is 3hrs or greater during open business hours. To set the stage here, the hours we work are 6:30am – 7:30pm M-F 6:30am – 5:30pm Sat off Sunday. The rub is that I routinely do not get off work until 10:30pm after having been at work for 16 hours – and don’t worry breaks of any type including a lunch break are not provided. We just get told you could take a break if you had better time management… but all appointments are scheduled off site so we can’t control when we are scheduled appointments – also they will not limit online scheduling. (Obviously I’m in a customer service job). Now I could add in that they have let go and refuse to provide the support staff (hourly employees) that we have had for over a decade and expect us to do their job for free alongside our job. I could also add that we are now required to do lots of legwork and warranty/accounting processes that have never been part of our job, but I’ve been informed that when they changed our pay plan and forced us to sign or resign, that I accepted it which I feel even if shitty is probably accurate (although there are no mentions of these changes in the new pay plan). Essentially it’s deal or dip out. Now, the money is good and I can’t make it somewhere else, so I’ve been here dealing. But. What id really like is to see my family sometimes, I’m a single dad with high school, middle school, and elementary children that need me at home before midnight since I’m gone by 6am six days a week and alternating Saturday’s.
The TLDR version is what are the labor laws in Texas in regards to schedules and required hours for fully commissioned (health care and benefits are good) employees? Or can they legit say it’s whatever they want? Last year we worked 7 days no time off for months, 12+ hour shifts.