Sec. 2961.

(1) As used in this section:

(a) "Commission" means compensation accruing to a sales representative for payment by a principal, the rate of which is expressed as a percentage of the amount of orders or sales or as a percentage of the dollar amount of profits.

(b) "Person" means an individual, corporation, partnership, association, governmental entity, or any other legal entity.

(c) "Prevailing party" means a party who wins on all the allegations of the complaint or on all of the responses to the complaint.

(d) "Principal" means a person that does either of the following:

(i) Manufactures, produces, imports, sells, or distributes a product in this state.

(ii) Contracts with a sales representative to solicit orders for or sell a product in this state.

(e) "Sales representative" means a person who contracts with or is employed by a principal for the solicitation of orders or sale of goods and is paid, in whole or in part, by commission. Sales representative does not include a person who places an order or sale for a product on his or her own account for resale by that sales representative.

(2) The terms of the contract between the principal and sales representative shall determine when a commission becomes due.

(3) If the time when the commission is due cannot be determined by a contract between the principal and sales representative, the past practices between the parties shall control or, if there are no past practices, the custom and usage prevalent in this state for the business that is the subject of the relationship between the parties.

(4) All commissions that are due at the time of termination of a contract between a sales representative and principal shall be paid within 45 days after the date of termination. Commissions that become due after the termination date shall be paid within 45 days after the date on which the commission became due.

(5) A principal who fails to comply with this section is liable to the sales representative for both of the following:

(a) Actual damages caused by the failure to pay the commissions when due.

(b) If the principal is found to have intentionally failed to pay the commission when due, an amount equal to 2 times the amount of commissions due but not paid as required by this section or $100,000.00, whichever is less.

(6) If a sales representative brings a cause of action pursuant to this section, the court shall award to the prevailing party reasonable attorney fees and court costs.

(7) In an action brought under this section, jurisdiction shall be determined in accordance with chapter 7.

(8) A provision in a contract between a principal and a sales representative purporting to waive any right under this section is void.

(9) This section does not affect the rights of a principal or sales representative that are otherwise provided by law.

History: Add. 1992, Act 125, Imd. Eff. June 29, 1992