U.S. regulators have been hearing from dozens of workers and advocates in various industries, including healthcare, trucking and retail, about some employers hitting them up with large IOUs for training costs after they quit. The so-called Training Repayment Agreement Provisions, or TRAPs, has drawn the attention of regulators as well as legislators.
More employers are using TRAPs even with unemployment at low-levels, which has been seen as empowering workers, says Jonathan Harris who teaches at the Loyola Law School Los Angeles.
“Employers are looking for ways to keep their workers from quitting without raising wages or improving working conditions,” Harris said.