NEARLY 200 FRANCHISE BRANDS CALL ON CONGRESS TO SUPPORT LIABILITY PROTECTIONS IN NEXT CORONAVIRUS RELIEF PACKAGE

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In a letter signed by 187 franchise brands, businesses urge Congress to consider support for Safe to Work Act

Washington D.C. – Today, 187 franchise brands signed a letter requesting Congress to consider the passage of S. 4317, the Safe to Work Act. The request outlined in the letter includes ensuring small businesses that have implemented reasonable, good faith measures to mitigate spread of the virus in their communities are protected from liability claims.  

The 187 franchise brands in the letter represent hundreds of thousands of small businesses that employ millions of people in various industries throughout the country. These businesses urge Congress to implement protections that allow them to continue serving customers and keep employees on payroll. 

“These businesses made substantial investments to protect individuals from exposure following the latest health and safety guidelines, implementing unprecedented virus mitigation protocols such as enhanced cleaning and sanitation practices as well as social distancing measures,” the letter states. “It is only appropriate that Congress protect such companies from claims of liability based on alleged virus exposure despite their best efforts to stop the highly contagious disease.”

The legislation in S. 4317 would cover all businesses that make reasonable efforts to help stop the spread of the virus, and protect employees and guests of businesses from unfounded lawsuits from December 2019 through December 2024. Additionally, the Safe to Work Act clarifies that no joint liability is created whenever a business provides COVID-19-related assistance to a franchisee or that franchisee’s employees is important to promote information sharing and practices that best protect the workforce and the public.

The full letter can be found here. 

About the International Franchise Association

Celebrating 60 years of excellence, education and advocacy, the International Franchise Association is the world’s oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide. IFA works through its government relations and public policy, media relations and educational programs to protect, enhance and promote franchising and the more than 733,000 franchise establishments that support nearly 7.6 million direct jobs, $674.3 billion of economic output for the U.S. economy and 2.5 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). IFA members include franchise companies in over 300 different business format categories, individual franchisees and companies that support the industry in marketing, law, technology and business development.

For additional information or more media inquiries, please contact sworley@franchise.org

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