What are the franchisee's responsibilities regarding expenses and dismissal of employees during Carls Jr. training programs?
Carls_Jr Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
hise Agreement). The fee is paid to us but we pass this entire fee to a third-party vendor to help facilitate the training environment. The use of Star University requires certain high-speed internet and hardware and such costs will be solely your responsibility. Star University is a required training tool for your Franchised Restaurant.
You will be required to pay all travel, living and other expenses incurred by you and your employees while attending the training. We reserve the right to dismiss from the FMTP any person whom we do not believe will perform acceptably in the position for which he has been hired by you, and you will provide a suitable replacement within one month of that dismissal.
The minimum length of the FMTP is 8 consecutive weeks; however, depending on the prior experience of the trainee, the FMTP could be shorter or longer. The FMTP trainers are experienced Carl's Jr.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 42–55)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Carls Jr. Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are responsible for covering all travel, living, and other expenses incurred by themselves and their employees while attending any training programs. This includes the Franchise Management Training Program (FMTP) and potentially other additional training programs that Carls Jr. may offer.
Carls Jr. retains the right to dismiss any individual from the FMTP if they believe the person will not perform acceptably in their designated role. If an employee is dismissed from the FMTP, the franchisee is obligated to provide a suitable replacement within one month of the dismissal.
The franchisee is considered the sole employer of their employees at all times, including during training programs. Therefore, the franchisee is solely responsible for all employment decisions and actions related to their employees, ensuring they receive adequate training. This underscores that while Carls Jr. provides the training content and can dismiss trainees, the ultimate responsibility for employment and replacement rests with the franchisee.