Settlement reached with PetSmart after some Pa. employees had to repay for ‘free’ training

HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office reached a settlement with PetSmart after some employees in Pennsylvania had to enter a repayment agreement for training that was advertised as free.

The settlement alleges that for a limited time, PetSmart offered a pet groomer/stylist training program for employees in Pennsylvania that it represented as free. The company then required employees who participated in this training to enter into an agreement that required the employee to pay a sum of up to $5,500 if their employment with the company ended within two years of beginning the training program.

Agreements of this type, in which employers require employees to repay training costs if they leave before a designated period of time, are often referred to as “TRAPs” – training repayment agreement provisions, the attorney general’s office said.

“Employees taking advantage of seemingly free training are seeking to better their skills and knowledge for their jobs. PetSmart took advantage of those aspirations and set Pennsylvania employees up to pay thousands of dollars while misrepresenting the terms,” Attorney General Michelle Henry said. “Practices like these are unfair and my office will continue to work to stop their use and protect hardworking Pennsylvanians.”

In the Assurance of Voluntary Compliance, PetSmart agrees to no longer use training repayment agreement provisions, or otherwise offer free services or goods in Pennsylvania unless all terms, conditions, and obligations are clearly and conspicuously disclosed up front.

As part of the settlement, PetSmart has also agreed to pay $20,000 to the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, which will be used for future public protection and educational purposes.

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