Can you hire a Contract Employee and have a Termination Fee or similar?

Question

We want to hire an apprentice under a one year contract of employment in California (for a construction position). We do not want to train this employee and have them quit within one year of employment. Can we hire them as a contract employee and charge a termination fee or similar of employee quits during the contract? I have already looked under my CA employee laws page and could not find the answer to my question there.

Answer 1

I don't think you can do that as such however you can incorporate the cost of training into the contract and get reimbursed for it if they leave before the contract end. You really need a lawyer