The International Franchise Association’s 2025 Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C. brought fresh momentum to efforts to secure a permanent fix to the joint employer issue. The three-day event (Sept. 15–17) followed the introduction of the bipartisan American Franchise Act in the U.S. House of Representatives, a bill that would lock in the 2020 National Labor Relations Board standard and provide long-term clarity for franchisors and franchisees.

IFA President & CEO Matt Haller and lawmakers including Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK), Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-MI), Rep. Don Davis (D-NC), U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer, SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler, and U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) shared optimism about the bill’s bipartisan support and the path to eventual passage. Haller noted that growing support in Congress, favorable signals from the White House, and recent tax legislation create a rare opportunity to achieve a “durable, sustainable” solution.

The summit also featured discussions on the economy, tariffs, and other policy issues impacting small business and franchising, reinforcing the need for long-term certainty in federal rules.

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