I'm an at-will employee. Private sector.

Thanks for your help!

I make hourly pay, plus commission. I've been at this job a few years, and my commission averages around 40% of my total pay.

I'm the only employee at my company paid this way, everyone else is salaried or just hourly.

Occasionally we're asked to do manual labor to help another team finish an important task on time. Usually for 2-8 hrs a week until the project is finished.

This takes me away from the task where I earn commission, effectively lowering my pay by 40% during the time-period.

I could, via my employer's very relaxed policies, just work extra hours so that I still make my regular commission. (Example, still log all my normal hours earning commission and make the 5 hrs helping an "extra" 5) However, even if I did this, it's still a pay-cut for me. If I do 5 extra hours in my normal role I earn extra commission for that work.

My question is, can they sign me on for a role that pays commission as such a large part of the comp plan, and then require me to do work where it is not possible to earn commission?

I don't think they're doing this to hurt me, I think they literally just kind of forget that their request has this effect because I'm the only one who depends on commission for so much of my income.

Thanks again!