What violation occurs if a salesperson cashes a commission check and gives part of it to an affiliate broker?

When a salesperson cashes a commission check and gives part of it to an affiliate broker, it constitutes an improper brokerage commission. This situation arises because commission payments are strictly regulated in real estate transactions, and typically only licensed individuals are entitled to receive commissions.

In such cases, the salesperson is violating the rule that ensures commissions are paid only to those who are officially licensed to perform real estate activities. This action can lead to disciplinary action from the regulatory body governing real estate practices in Virginia, as it undermines the integrity of the commission structure and the regulatory framework designed to protect consumers and maintain fair practices in the industry.

The other options relate to issues that do not directly apply to this scenario. Failure to disclose earnings would refer to a lack of transparency regarding income, which is not the issue here. Fraudulent misrepresentation involves misleading information about property or transactions rather than improper commission distribution. Lastly, unlicensed broker activity deals with individuals performing broker actions without a license, which, while somewhat related, does not capture the specific violation occurring when a licensed salesperson improperly distributes their commission.