Overview
Training Repayment Agreement Provisions, or TRAPs, are contracts that require employees to work for their employer for a certain period of time or else repay their employer for the cost of “free” training provided on the job. Where the training provided is primarily for the benefit of the employer or does not provide a transferable credential, or where the TRAP is provided to the employee without certain required disclosures, it may violate state or federal law.
TRAPs are commonly used in the airline industry to keep pilots tied to low-paying or grueling positions. Fredericks v. Ameriflight, filed on January 30, 2022 in Puerto Rico federal district court, alleges that cargo airline Ameriflight uses an unlawful TRAP to keep pilots from leaving their jobs for up to two years in exchange for training that provides little or no benefit to pilots.
If you have worked as a pilot at Ameriflight or another airline and are subject to a TRAP, we are interested in hearing from you. Please submit your contact information to our form here: CONTACT US. We will review your information and may be in touch over the next several weeks if we have additional questions.