Johnson Controls Workers Land $17.5 Million Deal on Commissions

Johnson Controls Inc. sales workers secured a federal judge’s initial approval for a $17.5 million settlement to end a lawsuit alleging the company stiffed them on payouts when it changed its commission plan.

The deal provides at least $300 apiece for nearly 1,800 salespeople who say the HVAC equipment company canceled their backlogged commissions when it switched plans, the US District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin said Tuesday. The settlement represents nearly 55% of the estimated damages after accounting for bridge payments Johnson Controls made, the order said.

The plaintiffs sued in early 2024 after Johnson Controls altered ...