During a press conference on July 27, members of Congress, including U.S. Reps. Bradley Byrne (R-Ala.), Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), Lou Correa (D-Calif.), Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) and Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) introduced the Save Local Business Act, which is the single most important piece of legislation for franchising in decades.

Washington D.C. could use a dose of reality, compassion and bipartisanship. IFA is hoping the Franchise Action Broadcast will accomplish this, and more.

After more than three years of murky, government-inspired “joint employment” liability looming over franchises, the IFA-led effort to fight back recently reached a new high point. On July 27, the 115th Congress introduced a bipartisan bill entitled the Save Local Business Act (H.R. 3441), and its intent is to provide clarity on all the joint employment compliance questions that have faced franchise owners over the past three years.

The first half of 2017 saw the number of states passing proactive joint employer bills double to 18.

 

IFA continues to work with key stakeholders ahead of approaching deadlines for public and private companies.

A common theme in Washington this year is partisan gridlock. Some political analysts believe the country continues to be in a state of constant electoral debate, even with 18 months before the next election. IFA staff are frequently confronted with the challenge of finding bipartisan energy to advance legislative solutions important to the franchise community, particularly on the evolving joint employer standard.