FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Alisa Harrison, 202-628-8000
Matthew Haller, 202-662-0770
aharrison@franchise.org
mhaller@franchise.org
@franchising411
IFA STATEMENT ON FEBRUARY JOBS REPORT
WASHINGTON, March 9, 2012 – IFA President & CEO Steve Caldeira released the following statement following the Labor Department’s monthly jobs report for February. The report shows 227,000 new jobs were created in February, with the unemployment rate holding steady at 8.3 percent. The December and January reports were also revised up slightly.
“The February monthly jobs report tracks with the franchise industry’s projections for modest growth in 2012 of two percent growth in new franchise business formation and job creation. The report includes increases in jobs among key franchise sectors such as business services, personal services, retail, restaurant and health care, which reflect the overall improved sense of optimism from franchise businesses in 2012.
“While today’s report is another positive sign that the economy is recovering, the franchise industry is still not growing at pre-recession levels due to uncertainty over tax rates and a variety of regulatory issues impacting the small business lending environment that is so critical to franchise business growth. With additional access to small business credit and more certainty over tax rates beyond 2012, the franchise industry would likely be growing even faster in terms of new business formation and job creation.”
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About the International Franchise Association
The International Franchise Association is the world’s oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide. Celebrating over 50 years of excellence, education and advocacy, IFA works through its government relations and public policy, media relations and educational programs to protect, enhance and promote franchising. Through its media awareness campaign highlighting the theme, Franchising: Building Local Businesses, One Opportunity at a Time, IFA promotes the economic impact of the more than 825,000 franchise establishments, which support nearly 18 million jobs and $2.1 trillion of economic output for the U.S. economy. IFA members include franchise companies in over 300 different business format categories, individual franchisees and companies that support the industry in marketing, law and business development.