Owed Incentives

HXDave

Hi all. I hope there is someone on these forums that could offer me some assistance. I used to work in a Travel agency, however towards the end of September i left (I gave my required 4 weeks notice, and left on what i presumed to be good terms). During the month of September, i made a number of bookings with certain tour operators who, as a thank you, give the booking agents vouchers (incentives). These vouchers are usually processed at the end of the month, and sent out to the agents who did the bookings the following month (in this case - October). I have contacted my previous employer asking about these vouchers, and have been told that they got several lots of vouchers through and, because they could not determine who or what they were for, have spent the vouchers towards the office.

Now i know for a fact that the companies who send the vouchers through also send reports through to show what the vouchers are for, and who they were for, so what my old company has told me is a whole lot of lies.#

However, my question is this: Are them vouchers that were earned by me still legally mine, despite the fact that i have left the company? The tour operators involved specifically reward the staff with the vouchers, and not the company you work for (they do this by offering increased commissions). If so, what are my options. Or should i just kiss the vouchers / money goodbye?

Kind regards

bluenoseam

I think the question is would this fall under terms in your contract which exclude you from bonuses earned after handing your notice in which have certainly been built in to all the contracts i've had to sign for work (granted the huge total of 4 - but you get the idea), it could be that the company do not give bonuses or gratuities "earned" while working notice period and hence haven't sent them, which while it sounds rubbish isn't uncommon.

The problem also comes that while you're right, the operators reward the staff it's all administered through the company, which would then come under the situation i spoke about above.

Sambucus_Nigra

What did your contract say about 'them vouchers'?

HXDave

thanks for the answers guys.

Firstly, it was not the company that i worked for that gave the incentives. I worked as a tarvel agent, and when booking through selected tour operators, they sent an incentive payment (or a bonus, call it what you will), to the office you worked in, as a thank you for booking with them.

Secondly, regarding what it said in my contract - what contract? i worked there 5 years with no formal written contract. however, as i mentioned at the start, it was not MY company that gave me the incentive, it was other companies.

Hope this helps in clarifying the situation.

Regards

Sambucus_Nigra

HXDave wrote: »

thanks for the answers guys.

Firstly, it was not the company that i worked for that gave the incentives. I worked as a tarvel agent, and when booking through selected tour operators, they sent an incentive payment (or a bonus, call it what you will), to the office you worked in, as a thank you for booking with them.

Secondly, regarding what it said in my contract - what contract? i worked there 5 years with no formal written contract. however, as i mentioned at the start, it was not MY company that gave me the incentive, it was other companies.

Hope this helps in clarifying the situation.

Regards

Yeah, I got that bit about the incentives coming from the third party. My point is, without a contract, that states that your employer will pass them on to you whether or not you still work there, you don't have anything to go on.

paddedjohn

OP, not sure of the answer to your question but im not suprised holidays are so expensive when we are paying tour operaters, travel agents and booking agents.

HXDave

paddedjohn wrote: »

OP, not sure of the answer to your question but im not suprised holidays are so expensive when we are paying tour operaters, travel agents and booking agents.

Actually, the one of the operators in question has a price match gaurantee, which i used on a number of occassions in order to beat internet package holidays prices.

For the other folks that have answered, many thanks.