Is a City Publications franchisee required to complete the initial training program before opening their Franchised Business?
City_Publications Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
the sole property of Franchisor and shall promptly be returned upon the expiration or termination of this Agreement.
SECTION 10. TRAINING & OPERATIONS ASSISTANCE
A. Initial Training Training Provided:
Franchisor shall make an initial training program available to Franchisee (or, if Franchisee is a corporation, limited liability company or partnership, it's Designated Manager) and up to one (1) assistant. Prior to the opening of the Franchised Business, Franchisee (or the Designated Manager if Franchisee is a business entity) must attend and successfully complete, to Franchisor's satisfaction, an initial training program consisting of approximately forty (40) hours in 2-3 days virtual classroom sessions and two to three days on-the-job instruction pertaining to operation of the Franchised Business including, but not limited to, administrative, operational and sales/marketing matters. Franchisor shall conduct the initial training program virtually or at its headquarters or at another designated location. Franchisor shall not charge tuition or similar fees for initial training, but all expenses incurred by Franchisee during the initial training shall be sole responsibility of Franchisee.
Fee Payment & Training Others
If training is conducted at a separate time from the signing trip, then, all expenses incurred by Franchisee in attending such program including, but not limited to, travel costs, room and board expenses and employees' salaries, shall be the sole responsibility of Franchisee. Franchisee shall be responsible for training its management and other employees.
Training Timeline
Franchisee is responsible to complete training in a timely manner to ensure the opening of the Franchised Business within six (6) months of the Effective Date pursuant to Section. 6.B.1. Franchisee must complete all of the business setup activity as defined in the first session before the second (on-site) session will be scheduled.
B. Initial training for Sales Employees
In addition to any provisions elsewhere in this agreement, Franchisee shall at its expense, arrange for eight (8) hours of virtual training for any new employee authorized to sell Franchised products. Training shall be complete and certified by Franchisor prior to an employee conducting any sales activity.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPT (FDD pages 39–129)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to City Publications' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, a franchisee (or their Designated Manager, if the franchisee is a business entity) must attend and successfully complete the initial training program before opening their franchised business. This initial training program, which City Publications makes available, consists of approximately 40 hours of virtual classroom sessions over 2-3 days, along with 2-3 days of on-the-job instruction. The training covers administrative, operational, and sales/marketing aspects of the business.
City Publications does not charge tuition for the initial training program. However, the franchisee is responsible for all expenses incurred during training, such as travel, lodging, and employee salaries. This means that while the core training is provided without a direct fee, franchisees need to budget for these additional costs to ensure they can complete the mandatory training. Franchisee is responsible to complete training in a timely manner to ensure the opening of the Franchised Business within six (6) months of the Effective Date.
If a franchisee appoints a new Designated Manager after beginning operations, that manager must also complete the initial training program to City Publications' satisfaction within 60 days. The franchisee will bear all travel and living expenses for the new manager's training. Additionally, franchisees must ensure that any new sales employees complete eight hours of virtual training certified by City Publications before they can engage in any sales activities. This ongoing training requirement ensures that all personnel involved in the City Publications franchise are adequately trained and up-to-date with the franchisor's standards and practices.