djeikyb
United States of America#2UPDATE EX-employee responds
Sun, May 16, 2010
While I'm not a fan of BOID Inc, the original poster makes some odd claims.
1. They take your old vacuum and modify them to be worse? No, see, they go to your house, ask you to bring out your old vacuum, and have you demonstrate just how bad it is, then have you use the Kirby. If you do buy the latest and greatest Kirby, your old vacuum is recycled to thrift stores, currently the Marjorie Mason Center.
2. The Kirby vacuum doesn't work? They do demonstrations with potential customers using the vacuum, picking up dirt the old vacuum didn't, taking out stains, cleaning windows, etc to prove it does. The only thing that breaks or wears out (albeit infrequently) is the rubber belt, which is acknowledged upfront, and cheap to replace. From personal experience, my church has been using the same two Kirby vacuums since 1994, and they show no indication of needing replacement.
Now, the job does suck. It is commission only (anything they tell you about 1800/mo is a one month deal only). The only way you make money after that is by selling vacuums. And you aren't an employee, just an independent contractor; they have you fill out the appropriate tax forms. They make pretty clear that working with their team is totally optional and just a handy benefit for you.
mmm
Ellington,#3Consumer Suggestion
Thu, October 29, 2009
I took a couple days of training and decided not to pursue working for the distributor.
I have some tax and business experience and have discovered that their contract withe the dealers is illegal. Both at the state and federal level there is a legal defintion of an employee and an independent contractor. The contract that dealers sign with the distributor is so restrictive that under the law the dealers are defined as employees.
That means that the distributor must withhold federal and state income tax (if your state has income tax). The distributor must also pay their share of medicare and social security tax and federal state unemployment tax.
You should file a complaint with your state department of labor and department of revenue.
If you are classified as an employee the company owes you the minimum wage for the hours you worked or at least 40 hours a week.
If you have filed a tax return as independent contractor you should go the website www.IRS.gov and download form SS-8, fill it in and send it to the IRS.
Note: I am not a labor lawyer but you have the right to file a complaint with the state agencies and the IRS and have them make a determination of your employment status with the Kirby distributor.