Tennessee Firearms Assoc. Inc.

So 18 months ago I got this job that is 50% travel. It's base salary plus $150/day bonus for every day I travel. Expenses are paid, and I get 52.5c/mi if I take my personal vehicle. I have all of this in the employment offer letter.

In July, my company was purchased by an overseas entity. We were informed last week that starting in January we will no longer get the travel bonus (which, for this year, I will have made roughly $25,000 on travel bonus alone). Okay, fine, we said. We just won't travel.

Well today my department got an email saying "it is in your job description that you wil travel. This will not change." They will not pay us to travel, and they are evasive on whether or not they are going to up our salaries to compensate.

If I refuse to travel, can they terminate me? Even though I have the offer letter saying they'll pay me for travel?

You want real advice, you need a labor lawyer.

My two cents, last time I checked, TN was an at will state. Unless you have some kind of special contract, they can fire you for any reason, just as you can quit for any reason. No penalty on either side.

Personally, I would look for a new job, and when told to travel, refuse on the grounds I was no longer being given the bonus I agreed to when I joined up. They might fire me on the spot, but you got to make a stand if you even want a chance at the money. Calmly pointing out how much good you have done the business and then noting you agreed to travel if given the bonus. No bonus, no travel. They return the bonus, you travel, company keeps productive employee. You just have to be prepared for them to say see yah later.