Dozens of long-term, fully vested, high-producing Exclusive Agents were terminated last year for erroneous reasons. For instance, after management told me to hire a customer service center called Premier Services (at a whopping $750/mo) to take are of my clients while I was on a 2-week medical absence receiving treatment at the Mayo Clinic.... without any notice whatsoever, I received a letter from Horace Mann right before my scheduled absence stating they were terminating me because they didn't feel I could care for my clients if I was out of the office for 2 weeks. So basically, they don't feel their own customer service department can do its job in my absence. I was there for 5 years and never took a vacation. After I was terminated, I found out 4 agents in Oregon were terminated for having high claims ratios...just like me, no notice, no probationary period to improve. When either party terminates the contract, the vested agent is supposed to get a year's worth of commissions. I received a check for $1.96. I didn't ask what the Oregon agents received. I have a feeling Horace Mann is terminating high producing agents in order to hire a cheaper labor force. Why keep agents who cost you a lot in renewals every year when you can hire new agents who have to start from scratch? And when Horace Mann refuses to pay you your contractual termination commission, it's hard to sue them because they took away all your money, so you can't pay your lawyer. My advice is to steer clear of this company. I wish I had. I personally know 4 agents who are suing Horace Mann and several more agents who want to, but can't afford to because Horace Mann violated their contracts and refused to pay them per their contractual agreement.
