• Home
  • News
    • Politics / Govt
    • Legislature
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
    • Archives
  • Sports
    • Badgers
    • Packers
      • Titletown Report
    • Brewers
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support

Wisconsin Radio Network

Wisconsin News and Sports

You are here: Home / Politics / Govt / Lawmakers consider new guidelines for sales crews

Lawmakers consider new guidelines for sales crews

April 10, 2007 By WRN Contributor

A proposal to regulate traveling sales crews operating in Wisconsin went before a legislative panel on Tuesday. The bill from State Senator John Erpenbach (D-Middleton) would create strict new regulations for the door-to-door sales industry. He says it would keep those companies from exploiting young people. Erpenbach cited several examples of student workers being promised high paying jobs, but ending up in horrible working conditions.

Industry officials say the bill unfairly targets legitimate operations. Dean Heyl, an attorney for the door-to-door sales company Southwestern , says it would have little impact on the crews that already ignore the law. He says those companies already avoid law enforcement when they illegally start selling in a given area. Heyl says the industry would like the bill amended to exempt companies who follow current laws.

During a legislative hearing on the bill Tuesday, lawmakers heard from Kristen Ray Spicer. She worked for a Southwestern crew in 2005 under the promise of earning a big paycheck. But at the end of the summer, she says she ended up owing the company $150 and walked away with nothing. She also says the company made her crew work over 80 hours a week, limited contact with her parents, and did very little after a co-worker allegedly raped her. Erpenbach says the bill would keep student workers like Spicer from being taken advantage of.

The legislation was inspired by a 1999 van crash near Janesville that killed seven members of a traveling magazine sales crew.

AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (MP3 1:48)

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Politics / Govt



Featured Stories

Evers delivers State of the State address

Abortion rights rally highlights Wisconsin Supreme Court race

Bail and benefits questions will be on Wisconsin’s April statewide ballot

Evers issues promised TikTok ban

Johnson, Baldwin both vote ‘yes’ to avert rail strike

TwitterFacebook

Sports Headlines

Giannis breaks franchise scoring record, Bucks beat Nets in OT

Wisconsin’s Davis declares for NBA Draft

Badgers to face Arizona State in Las Vegas Bowl

Williams likely out for the season with broken hand

Packers releasing TE Jace Sternberger

More Sports

Tweets by @WRN

Get our news delivered to your inbox:

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Copyright © 2023 · Learfield News & Ag, LLC