Borg-Warner Corp. v. Ostertag
Borg-Warner Corp. v. Ostertag
Opinion of the Court
1. Nonacceptance of the new bonus terms. The circuit court found that Ostertag did not agree to the terms proposed November 1st. If he had so agreed, he could recover nothing on his counterclaim. His total sales from
Thus the first question is whether this finding of the circuit court is against the great weight and clear preponderance of the evidence. There is no evidence of any express assent to the new bonus terms for the year which had begun July 1, 1957. It is Borg-Warner’s position that Ostertag’s continuing to render service for almost four months, and his acceptance of salary payments increased by $50 per month compel a finding that assent was given, though by implication from conduct. Borg-Warner considers that Ostertag withdrew his objection to the new terms by continuing to work.
If the benefit silently accepted by Ostertag had been more substantial, the argument that he must be deemed to have accepted the new bonus terms would be more persuasive. The increase in monthly salary, however, would produce $400 up to the next July 1st. This advantage is slight when compared with the disadvantage which appears to be involved in the new bonus terms. During the previous year his salary had been $7,200 and his bonus (at four percent of sales in excess’ of $269,680) $10*898, or total earnings of $18,098. Under the new terms, Ostertag could not earn as much as the year before no matter what volume sales reached. His greatest possible earning would be twice his salary ($15,200) and he would need total sales of approximately $730,000 to reach that.
It may well be that it did not require much sales effort to approach in one year the volume of sales made the preceding year, and the parties may well have anticipated an increase in quota. We do not presume to say that the new terms were unfair, but it is not unreasonable under these circumstances that Ostertag should consider that they were not the satisfactory terms he had been promised, nor is it unreasonable to
The finding of the circuit court that Ostertag did not agree to the new bonus terms is not against the great weight and clear preponderance of the evidence.
2. The contract of employment. The result reached in the circuit court was based on the following analysis: Ostertag was hired by the year, i.e., each party was obligated for a full year at a time. The bonus terms which applied to the first year (1955-1956) were replaced by other terms agreed upon for the second year (1956-1957). The employment continued into the third year (1957-1958) without a new agreement on terms. There is a presumption that under such circumstances the terms for the second year were renewed for the third.
Where an employee is hired without any specific provision for tenure or termination, the question may arise whether the relationship is terminable at will or is for successive periods until terminated at the end of a period. This court has treated the question as one of fact and has sustained findings that the hiring is for successive months or years where the agreed
Where an employee is hired by the year and continues in employment after the end of a particular year, there is a presumption that he is again employed for the new year on the same terms as before.
The reasonable manner in which to compute the bonus for part of the year is to prorate the quota over the period involved and apply the formula to sales during that period in excess of the prorated quota. There is no indication that the volume of sales fluctuated seasonally.
The employer’s unilateral designation of new terms not agreed to by the employee was a termination by the employer without fault of the employee as of November 1st. Prorating the 1956-1957 quota as above, slated, the quota for the four-month period up to November 1st would be one third of $269,680, or $89,893. Ostertag was entitled to a bonus of four percent of the amount by which orders received and accepted during this period exceeded the prorated quota.
Accepting the finding that Ostertag did not agree to the new bonus terms for 1957-1958, the employer cannot claim that it paid the increased salary in reliance upon the acceptance of the new bonus terms and the employer is not entitled to offset the amount of the increased salary beginning November 1st against the bonus allowed for the four months before November 1st. We are unable to determine from the record the total amount of orders received and accepted during the four months and this fact will have to be determined by the circuit court.
By the Court. — Judgment reversed. Cause remanded for determination of the net amount due defendant in accordance with the opinion and for entry of judgment accordingly.
Kellogg v. Citizens Ins. Co. (1896), 94 Wis. 554, 69 N. W. 362; Dickinson v. Norwegian Plow Co. (1898), 101 Wis. 157, 76 N. W. 1108; Appleton Waterworks Co. v. Appleton (1907), 132 Wis. 563, 113 N. W. 44; Cronemillar v. Duluth-Superior Milling Co. (1908), 134 Wis. 248, 114 N. W. 432; and Milwaukee Corrugating Co. v. Krueger (1924), 184 Wis. 139, 198 N. W. 394.
Kellogg v. Citizens Ins. Co., supra, footnote 1; Dickinson v. Norwegian Plow Co., supra, footnote 1; and Cronemillar v. Duluth-Superior Milling Co., supra, footnote 1.
Milwaukee Corrugating Co. v. Krueger, supra, p. 152, footnote 1.
Kellogg v. Citizens Ins. Co., supra, footnote 1; and Dickinson v. Norwegian Plow Co., supra, footnote 1.
See 35 Am. Jur., Master and Servant, p. 511, sec. 80, and Zwolanek v. Baker Mfg. Co. (1912), 150 Wis. 517, 137 N. W. 769.
Dissenting Opinion
(dissenting). I am not able to join in the opinion in which the majority of my brethren concur.
Mr. Ostertag had been employed by the year, with each year commencing July 1st. It had been the practice for the compensation for a subsequent year to be determined sometime after July 1st; compensation for 1956-1957 was determined at the end of August, 1956. No arrangement had been made by July 1, 1957, for the year then commencing. Ostertag made frequent inquiries thereafter but was told that his compensation had not yet been determined. On November 1, 1957, by letter, his employer informed him of the terms of his 1957-1958 employment. These gave him an increase of $50 in monthly salary but decreased his year-end bonus.
I consider that by continuing to work without reservation and by taking the compensation stated in the November 1, 1957, offer, Ostertag accepted that offer and thereby a contract between the parties came into existence according to which contract the issues must be resolved.
In my opinion, the judgment should be reversed, judgment entered in favor of plaintiff on its complaint, and defendant’s counterclaim dismissed.
I am authorized to state that Mr. Justice Currie and Mr. Justice Gordon join in this opinion.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Borg-Warner Corporation, Appellant, v. Ostertag, Respondent
- Cited By
- 6 cases
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- Published