Two former Tulane University police officers are pushing back against the school in court, arguing that a repayment scheme tied to their training and gear turned their jobs into something close to a financial trap. Their attorney, Ellie Schilling, did not mince words, calling the provisions "the equivalent of indentured servitude."
What the filing says
In a reconventional demand filed Jan. 13 in Orleans Parish Civil District Court, former officers Kenneth Julian and Shanell Fernandez ask a judge to throw out Tulane’s repayment agreement and block the university from collecting on it. The filing brings claims under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and Louisiana's Wage Payment Act and seeks collective relief on behalf of similarly situated Tulane University Police Department officers. The factual and legal theories are laid out in the document posted on DocumentCloud.
How the repayment clause works
When Tulane hires officers who do not yet hold Louisiana POST certification, the university fronts the cost of the required courses and has new hires sign a repayment agreement that kicks in if they leave before completing a three-year commitment period. According to reporting based on internal records, the deal works on a sliding scale: 100% of costs if an officer leaves in year one, 50% in year two and 25% in year three. Those costs can sweep in uniforms, equipment, off-site training, the POST certification itself and any wages paid during training above minimum wage, according to Verite News.
Legal arguments
Julian and Fernandez argue that these clawbacks effectively force officers to give up earned pay or absorb improper deductions, which they say violates both federal and state law. Their counterclaim asserts causes of action under the FLSA and asks the court for declaratory and injunctive relief under the Louisiana Wage Payment Act. For the state law on final pay after resignation, see the Louisiana Legislature.
Officers' accounts and university response
According to the complaint and local reporting, Fernandez says she worked for Tulane University Police Department for about nine months at roughly $16 an hour before resigning, citing family medical needs and low pay. After she left, Tulane allegedly told her she owed just under $28,000. Julian, who says he resigned after about 17 months, recounts first being told he owed a little over $79,000, then later receiving a demand for about $68,000. His attorney says the shifting figures do not line up with returned equipment and payroll records. Tulane spokesperson Michael Strecker declined to comment, citing the university’s policy on pending litigation, as reported by The Tulane Hullabaloo.
Why this matters beyond Tulane
Training repayment agreement provisions, widely known as TRAPs, have turned into a national flashpoint because large clawbacks can saddle workers with "employer-driven debt" and make it financially risky to leave a job. Regulators and consumer advocates have warned that aggressive repayment terms can look a lot like noncompete agreements or unlawful wage deductions, especially for lower-paid employees. For broader reporting and regulatory context, see Business.com and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's issue brief on employer-driven debt.
What's next
The counterclaim is styled as a proposed class action and asks the court to bar Tulane from enforcing the repayment terms against current and former campus police officers. Tulane’s original petitions against several former officers were filed in 2023 and 2024, local reporting notes, and the dispute is still unfolding in Orleans Parish Civil District Court. A ruling on whether these provisions are enforceable could ripple beyond one private university, potentially reshaping how employers, including campus police departments, structure post-training contracts and retention policies. For the timeline and filings, see reporting from Verite News.
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