PetSmart used dog grooming school to ‘trap’ employees, Colorado lawsuit says
The state of Colorado has taken legal action against PetSmart, alleging that the pet store chain deceived 106 of its Colorado employees by enticing them to enroll in a supposedly free dog grooming school and later pursuing them with collection agencies when they left for another job.
Attorney General Phil Weiser stated, “PetSmart lured prospective dog groomers with promises of ‘free’ paid training, only to trap them into staying with the company.”
The lawsuit, filed in Denver District Court, points out several PetSmart advertisements claiming that its grooming academy was free, when in reality, it cost either $5,000 or $5,500. Forgiveness of half the cost was contingent upon the employee remaining with PetSmart for at least one year post-graduation, while full forgiveness required a two-year commitment.
According to the lawsuit, many employees felt compelled to stay with PetSmart for the stipulated period due to the financial burden of the training cost, even at the expense of potentially better job opportunities or work environments.
Furthermore, the lawsuit alleges that the grooming training provided by PetSmart was subpar, with one employee being informed by a prospective employer that her PetSmart grooming certificate was not recognized elsewhere.
The contract that PetSmart grooming students were required to sign is referred to as a training repayment agreement provision (TRAP), a term heavily utilized in the lawsuit.
PetSmart representatives declined to comment on the matter.
The attorney general’s office is seeking a court order to prevent PetSmart from pursuing debts from former grooming academy participants and penalties of up to $50,000 per TRAP for alleged violations of the Colorado Consumer Protection Act.
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