Elaine Pachter is like thousands of other workers–which is why her case is so worrying to New York employers.

The senior sales representative successfully sued Bernard Hodes Group Inc. for nearly a quarter of a million dollars in damages and prejudgment interest. She claimed the Manhattan-based staffing services company unlawfully deducted some of its business costs from her monthly commission checks during the 11 years she bought advertising space for Hodes’ clients.