Franchise Leaders Unite in Washington to Back the American Franchise Act

Hundreds of franchise executives and operators gathered in Washington, D.C. for the 2025 IFA Advocacy Summit, a three-day event focused on advocacy training, leadership development, and direct engagement with lawmakers. The summit came at a pivotal time as Congress considers the American Franchise Act, legislation designed to bring long-sought clarity to the joint-employer standard.

Over three days, attendees joined workshops, policy briefings, and Capitol Hill visits to share local economic impact stories and urge lawmakers to protect the independence and flexibility that fuel franchise growth. IFA President & CEO Matthew Haller highlighted how the bill would affirm that franchisors and franchisees are separate employers unless one directly controls the other’s employees—reducing costly uncertainty for operators and their teams.

Participants left with a practical playbook to continue advocacy at home: lead with real franchisee stories, reinforce with local data, and follow up consistently to keep the message front and center.

🔗 Read the full coverage on Entrepreneur.com: Franchise Industry Descends on D.C. to Advocate for ‘Independence and Flexibility’