July 31, 2024 (DENVER) — Attorney General Phil Weiser and a coalition of six attorneys general announced an agreement to end unfair labor practices at oil change and auto services company Valvoline LLC, Valvoline Instant Oil Change Franchising Inc., and VGP Holdings LLC.
Valvoline required its hourly employees to sign non-competition agreements that prohibited them from working in the oil change business at any store within 100 miles of their Valvoline location for one year after leaving Valvoline. Valvoline also required its hourly employees to sign non-solicitation agreements that forbid them from soliciting current Valvoline employees or customers for one year after their employment with Valvoline ended.
“Non-compete agreements are widespread in the workforce. These unfair agreements keep wages low, place an undue burden on workers, and significantly reduce their future job prospects. In Colorado, we are committed to protecting workers and fighting for fair treatment for all. Today’s agreement provides security that Colorado Valvoline employees will not be subject to such restrictive employment conditions going forward,” said Weiser.
Under the agreement, Valvoline will issue notices within 15 days to all current employees and all former employees who stopped working at Valvoline within the past year that the non-competition and non-solicitation agreements are no longer in effect. This settlement will benefit 440 current employees and 500 former employees throughout the coalition states, including current and former employees in Colorado. If Valvoline materially violates the terms of the agreement in any of the coalition states, the attorney general of that state can seek a $500,000 penalty.
Joining Weiser in negotiating this agreement were the attorneys general of Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, and Pennsylvania.
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Media Contact:
Lawrence Pacheco
Chief Communications Officer
(720) 508-6553 office | (720) 245-4689 cell
lawrence.pacheco@coag.gov