FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Matthew Haller, 202-662-0770

Jenna Weisbord, 202-662-0766

mhaller@franchise.org

jweisbord@franchise.org

IFA PRAISES BIPARTISAN BILL TO REDEFINE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE AND LARGE EMPLOYER DEFINITION IN HEALTH CARE LAW

WASHINGTON, June 19, 2013—International Franchise Association President & CEO Steve Caldeira released the below statement following the introduction of legislation by Sens. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.)and Susan Collins (R-Maine) to increase the health care law’s definition of a full-time employee from 30 to 40 hours per week. The bill would also increase the size of an employer considered “large” under the law and delay the employer mandate penalty beyond Jan. 1, 2014.

“IFA has worked diligently to educate lawmakers since the law was passed that the definition of a full-time employee under the ACA is unworkable for employers in the franchising industry, which includes many restaurants, retailers, hotel owners and service-related business owners, and supports more than one out of every eight private sector jobs in America.

“We are pleased lawmakers are finally heeding our call to provide a more workable and common sense solution for employers under the ACA, particularly America’s franchise small businesses who continue to struggle to grow and create jobs in the current economic and regulatory environment, and look forward to working with Sens. Donnelly and Collins to galvanize additional bipartisan support for this bill.”

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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.

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