I worked for Combined Insurance for over two years and had success as a sales manager. Thie compnay seems great on the outside but they are far from ethical from my perspective and experience.
They recruited me from an online resume poster site, and I interviewed immediately. I was offered the job and promises of unlimited income, promotion and a harrassment-free environment.
They sent me and every new employee to a mandatory 3-week training/liscensing session 3 hours away from home. I was told that we could not leave to go home or be fired.
First, they only paid us a "per deim" of $9.00, yes NINE Dollars a day for the entire 3 weeks!!! There's no sign on or graduation bonus either. They put us up in a hotel, that was far from nice. It was moldy, in a bad part of town, and had to room with a complete stranger for the entire 3 weeks.
Once I started the actual job as a liscensed agent, I was forced to ride with a sales manager for two weeks. He didn't meet the objective, so I had to ride with another sales manager for another two weeks. All the while, we had to split the income 50/50.
I was gauranteed $500/week for the first 12 weeks, but instead, I averaged $200 for over two months. Finally on my own, I learned that the only way to make any money is to go door to door like a magazine salesman. It is not fun.
The money would be decent, but I had to spend no less than $400-500 each month in gas, which isn't refunded at all. They also made me go out of town once a month to work a 6 day week. Sure the hotel was comped, but the goal is to be away from family or distractions so you can sell sell sell.
I got promoted to a sales manager, and that is when I learned what they were REALLY about. My first district manager, John, was a racist pig. He used the "N-word" regularly to refer to black people and he also spoke of females negatively, both fellow employees and customers.
I personally saw and heard him disqualify several African-American and Latino job candidates after the interview, solely over race. I reported everything to the HR department. After an HR interview over the phone and in person, the District manager never lost his job, and nothing was resolved.
This district manager still works for them today. I transferred to another district only to find more of the same. The regional manager Brian and the Divisional Manager, Greg were both completely unethical. I witnessed them both cursing myself and other people out, bullying, threatening and harrassing. Brian even attempted to garnish my income for a lack of sales results, but I went to HR.
They stopped him from garnishing my income, but the same exact day I made the formal complaint to HR, he demoted me back to an agent!!! I was told that no retaliation was the policy, but I guess they lied.in the same week, I got injured off the job, and became disabled. My unfair demotion led to far less income in overrides and other income to pay for my benefits. Because of Brian, my benefits stopped and I am unable to get further medical care at this time.
Its hard to believe that in there are still major corporations that tolerate racism, sexism, discrimination and harrassment to their employees and clients. I would strongly urge anyone to think twice before working for or doing business with Combined Insurance.
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