The International Franchise Association (IFA) released its second annual Franchisee Survey, showing the impacts of inflationary pressures on franchised businesses. The report shows that while inflation is improving as compared to 2022, it is still having a significant impact on franchised businesses across all sectors with the cost of labor being the biggest driver. The report also highlights a number of ways that being part of a franchise system provides advantages for navigating rising costs.

The International Franchise Association (IFA) today released the following statement on passage of AB 1228 by the California State Legislature, after it was amended following the announcement of a legislative agreement brokered by Governor Gavin Newsom, the Save Local Restaurants coalition and the Service Employees Union International (SEIU). The agreement will protect California restaurants from the harms of AB 257 (FAST Act), joint liability on quick-service restaurants imposed by the original version of AB 1228, and regulatory overreach by the Industrial Welfare Commission.

Featured inside discussions on the state of play in Washington and policies impacting franchising with Members of Congress, regulatory experts, political insiders, and franchise leaders; Advocates met with over 250 lawmakers

Testifying before the U.S. House Small Business Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access, Jimmy John’s Franchisee James Chung shared the impact of franchising on local economies and communities and the ways Congress can reduce regulatory burdens to support small business growth.

The Save Local Restaurants coalition today announced that a comprehensive legislative agreement has been reached regarding quick service restaurants and outstanding legislative and regulatory issues in California. The language of the agreement has been inserted in Assembly Bill 1228 (Holden) and this version of the bill must pass both houses of the state legislature by Thursday, September 14. The components of the agreement can be found here. 

The International Franchise Association (IFA) today released new research from Oxford Economics showing franchisees’ concerns with the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) forthcoming joint employer standard. The survey shows that the rule is expected to increase uncertainty among franchisees, increase costs for franchisees, their franchisors and consumers, and decrease access to business ownership through franchising, which provides a pathway to ownership for women and people of color at disproportionately greater rates.