Advice About Commission Garnishment

[Matti Koester]

I've created an account on this forum solely to seek advice from other property managers about a situation in my workplace regarding my commissions being garnished.

The backstory is that last month our occupancy was shot because of multiple new construction sites going up within a few miles of us as well as lack of resident retention. We were in the process of converting to Yardi and switching programs really left us in a bind as well. Management implemented a first month free special in order to boost our occupancy for the month.

Stipulations were the resident must sign a 12-15 month lease, lease within 24 hours of tour, and move-in before 4/30.

Here's where it gets hairy. I was told about the special a day in advance, on 5/4, as my manager frantically implored myself and the other leasing agent to lease as many apartments as humanely possible in April. She stressed that occupancy and retention were way down and that shadows of corporate and investors and the like were beginning to loom, and that the regional manager was going to start a special for the month. Therefore, later that day when I received a call expressing interest in one of our furnished apartments, I extended the special to the caller.

The caller submitted his application on 5/4. He was approved and moved in on 4/20. Regional manager sent out the official email instituting the special on 5/5.

Today, I was called into my manager's office and I was confronted with this discrepancy. I guess I jumped the gun by extending the special before it was explicitly sent out by regional, but I did so with good intentions, unaware that the 24 discrepancy would turn into an ordeal.

Not only was I written up for this discrepancy, $350 was garnished from my commission check to "compensate" for the loss of giving the resident the special he "shouldn't have received". My manager also continued by saying that "that amount did not cover the loss" and that they had "considered deducting $600 from my check".

I would like to supplement this explanation by also stating that I leased 23 apartments last month, more than any other agent in the region, and the 22 other leases either did not qualify for the special or met the special requirements, so this was an isolated problem.

What I desperately need is impartial advice from other property managers as to whether this is an appropriate garnishment of my wages. This is my first time being written up at this job.

Thanks.