For entrepreneurs considering franchise ownership, the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) is one of the most important resources in the decision-making process. Express Employment Professionals’ 2025 FDD offers valuable insights into the brand’s operations, leadership, financial performance and support systems.
The FDD contains 23 items that explain different facets of the franchise relationship. Below is a breakdown of several key items and what they reveal about owning an Express franchise.
This item introduces the franchisor and its history. Express is a leading staffing and recruiting franchise, helping job seekers and businesses succeed across the globe. The brand operates in the United States, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, and has provided job placements for more than 10 million since it started.
This section outlines the backgrounds of the franchisor’s executive leadership. Understanding who is steering the brand helps candidates assess long-term stability and strategic direction. For example:
This section includes many more bios for franchise candidates to review.
Here, the FDD discloses any litigation involving the franchisor. Minimal or no litigation history suggests a brand with a strong track record of ethical business practices. Express currently has no litigation involving the franchise relationship.
This item confirms whether the franchisor or its leaders have declared bankruptcy. Express currently has no bankruptcies that require disclosure.
The upfront franchise fee is a key component of the total investment. The standard initial franchise fee for each service line — core occupations, professional occupations and healthcare occupations — is $40,000. However, Express offers several discounts and incentive programs that can significantly reduce or waive these fees.
In the 20 territories listed below, the initial franchise fees are discounted if a franchisee signs multiple authorized occupations addenda at the same time: 25% off for two addenda and 50% off if all three are signed. Franchisees who already own a location and sign on for additional franchises also receive discounts: 25% off the second, 35% off the third and 50% off all beyond that. Territories include:
United States
Canada
Express participates in the IFA’s VetFran Program, offering 50% off the franchise fee for qualified veterans. Successful graduates of the Emerging Entrepreneur Program are also eligible for a 50% discount. Additionally, existing franchisees may qualify for fee waivers when expanding: The professional occupations services fee is waived for renewing core occupations franchisees, and the healthcare occupations fee is waived for those approved to open an Express healthcare professionals franchise.
Ongoing fees such as royalties, advertising contributions and technology costs are detailed here. These costs may vary based on the franchise model and should be reviewed carefully.
For example, franchisees are required to pay ongoing fees based on the gross margin or gross receipts generated by their services. For core occupations services, Express retains 40% of the gross margin each month. On the 25th day of each month, Express remits the remaining 60% to the franchisee based on the services performed during the previous accounting period.
Perhaps one of the most critical sections, this item provides a breakdown of startup costs, from lease deposits to equipment. According to the 2025 FDD, the estimated total investment to open an Express franchise ranges from $91,700 to $213,000 for locations providing core occupations services, $191,000 to $391,000 for locations providing professional occupations services, and $313,150 to $503,100 for locations providing healthcare occupations services.
Franchisees may be required to purchase from approved suppliers. This section details those requirements and how they affect day-to-day operations.
Express franchisees must operate the business using the methods, standards, and specifications outlined in the operations manual or otherwise provided in writing. If not an opt-out franchisee, Express or its designee will handle payroll; otherwise, franchisees must use an approved payroll company.
Franchisees must use only approved forms, signage, advertising, stationery and supplies that meet Express’s specifications. These may be revised or amended and will be detailed in the Manual or in writing. Products and services must meet these standards.
Franchisees are given a list of approved suppliers and may not buy from unapproved sources. If a supplier is later disapproved, the franchisee must stop buying from them. Express and its affiliates approve suppliers for various items. Approval decisions consider whether the supplier can meet standards, supply needs reliably, and support the system effectively.
This item outlines key responsibilities of the franchise owner. Express franchisees should be strong leaders, community-minded and comfortable with outreach and relationship-building.
Express offers a Bridge to Ownership (“BTO”) program, which provides financial assistance to qualified candidates. Express currently finances up to $250,000 for new territories and $450,000 for resales.
Franchisee support is a major strength of the Express model. Support includes:
This section outlines the specific geographic area granted to the franchisee. The assigned territory is defined in the Franchise Agreement and is based on job market data from GbBIS. Prospective franchisees should review these terms carefully to ensure the territory aligns with their desired market and business goals.
This item outlines the brand’s trademark protections — an important part of building and maintaining a recognizable business identity.
Express grants franchisees the right to use certain proprietary marks based on the services they are authorized to offer. The marks are owned by Express's affiliate, Alamo, which has registered or applied to register them with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Express may hold proprietary technology or operational systems. This section details those protections and how they benefit franchisees.
This section details the franchisee’s required involvement in the daily management of the business. Prospective owners should evaluate whether these expectations align with their personal goals and preferred work-life balance. Express stipulates that franchisees or designated principals are required to take an active role in the daily operations of the business.
This outlines the limitations and requirements Express places on the services franchisees are allowed to offer. Franchisees must strictly follow the standards set in the Franchise Agreement and authorized occupations addenda, only providing approved services using Express-branded materials and systems. Express also retains full authority to modify the list of authorized services at any time, without limitation.
This section explains the conditions under which a Franchise Agreement can be renewed, terminated or transferred, as well as how disputes are to be handled. Understanding these terms is essential, as a Franchise Agreement represents a significant long-term investment.
The initial term of the agreement is five years. Franchisees may request a renewal by submitting an application no earlier than 12 months and no later than 6 months before the end of their current term.
This section identifies any public figures the franchisor has paid or arranged to promote the franchise. Understanding these endorsements can give franchise owners insight into the brand’s marketing approach and the image the franchisor is aiming to project. Express does not use any public figures to promote the franchise.
This section provides earnings data for franchise locations over various time frames. For example, Express’ most recent Item 19 shows that franchise units open more than 24 months in fiscal year 2024 generated average sales of $5,380,571.
This item details the number of franchised and company-owned locations, along with contact information for current franchisees. Reviewing this data helps candidates evaluate the brand’s stability and growth trajectory. Express has gone from a total of 791 in 2022 to 786 in 2024.
Express includes audited financial statements for FY 2022, 2023 and 2024 in its FDD. Franchise candidates are advised to consult a financial advisor to assess the franchisor’s balance sheet and overall financial health.
Here, candidates will find all agreements they’ll need to sign. It’s important to review this item with a franchise attorney before committing. Here are the contracts listed under Item 22:
This section verifies that the candidate has received the FDD. Franchise regulations require a minimum 14-day review period before any agreements can be signed.
The 2025 FDD for Express Employment Professionals offers a transparent, in-depth look at what it takes to join the franchise. From costs and support to revenue potential and leadership, it gives candidates the information they need to make an informed decision. Prospective owners should take the time to read every section, ask questions and seek professional guidance where needed.
For more information on franchising with Express Employment Professionals, visit: https://1851franchise.com/expressemployment/info.
Express Employment Professionals
SPONSORED
From initial investment to financial performance, here's what prospective franchise owners can expect from the staffing agency's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document.
For entrepreneurs considering franchise ownership, the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) is one of the most important resources in the decision-making process. Express Employment Professionals’ 2025 FDD offers valuable insights into the brand’s operations, leadership, financial performance and support systems.
The FDD contains 23 items that explain different facets of the franchise relationship. Below is a breakdown of several key items and what they reveal about owning an Express franchise.
This item introduces the franchisor and its history. Express is a leading staffing and recruiting franchise, helping job seekers and businesses succeed across the globe. The brand operates in the United States, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, and has provided job placements for more than 10 million since it started.
This section outlines the backgrounds of the franchisor’s executive leadership. Understanding who is steering the brand helps candidates assess long-term stability and strategic direction. For example:
This section includes many more bios for franchise candidates to review.
Here, the FDD discloses any litigation involving the franchisor. Minimal or no litigation history suggests a brand with a strong track record of ethical business practices. Express currently has no litigation involving the franchise relationship.
This item confirms whether the franchisor or its leaders have declared bankruptcy. Express currently has no bankruptcies that require disclosure.
The upfront franchise fee is a key component of the total investment. The standard initial franchise fee for each service line — core occupations, professional occupations and healthcare occupations — is $40,000. However, Express offers several discounts and incentive programs that can significantly reduce or waive these fees.
In the 20 territories listed below, the initial franchise fees are discounted if a franchisee signs multiple authorized occupations addenda at the same time: 25% off for two addenda and 50% off if all three are signed. Franchisees who already own a location and sign on for additional franchises also receive discounts: 25% off the second, 35% off the third and 50% off all beyond that. Territories include:
United States
Canada
Express participates in the IFA’s VetFran Program, offering 50% off the franchise fee for qualified veterans. Successful graduates of the Emerging Entrepreneur Program are also eligible for a 50% discount. Additionally, existing franchisees may qualify for fee waivers when expanding: The professional occupations services fee is waived for renewing core occupations franchisees, and the healthcare occupations fee is waived for those approved to open an Express healthcare professionals franchise.
Ongoing fees such as royalties, advertising contributions and technology costs are detailed here. These costs may vary based on the franchise model and should be reviewed carefully.
For example, franchisees are required to pay ongoing fees based on the gross margin or gross receipts generated by their services. For core occupations services, Express retains 40% of the gross margin each month. On the 25th day of each month, Express remits the remaining 60% to the franchisee based on the services performed during the previous accounting period.
Perhaps one of the most critical sections, this item provides a breakdown of startup costs, from lease deposits to equipment. According to the 2025 FDD, the estimated total investment to open an Express franchise ranges from $91,700 to $213,000 for locations providing core occupations services, $191,000 to $391,000 for locations providing professional occupations services, and $313,150 to $503,100 for locations providing healthcare occupations services.
Franchisees may be required to purchase from approved suppliers. This section details those requirements and how they affect day-to-day operations.
Express franchisees must operate the business using the methods, standards, and specifications outlined in the operations manual or otherwise provided in writing. If not an opt-out franchisee, Express or its designee will handle payroll; otherwise, franchisees must use an approved payroll company.
Franchisees must use only approved forms, signage, advertising, stationery and supplies that meet Express’s specifications. These may be revised or amended and will be detailed in the Manual or in writing. Products and services must meet these standards.
Franchisees are given a list of approved suppliers and may not buy from unapproved sources. If a supplier is later disapproved, the franchisee must stop buying from them. Express and its affiliates approve suppliers for various items. Approval decisions consider whether the supplier can meet standards, supply needs reliably, and support the system effectively.
This item outlines key responsibilities of the franchise owner. Express franchisees should be strong leaders, community-minded and comfortable with outreach and relationship-building.
Express offers a Bridge to Ownership (“BTO”) program, which provides financial assistance to qualified candidates. Express currently finances up to $250,000 for new territories and $450,000 for resales.
Franchisee support is a major strength of the Express model. Support includes:
This section outlines the specific geographic area granted to the franchisee. The assigned territory is defined in the Franchise Agreement and is based on job market data from GbBIS. Prospective franchisees should review these terms carefully to ensure the territory aligns with their desired market and business goals.
This item outlines the brand’s trademark protections — an important part of building and maintaining a recognizable business identity.
Express grants franchisees the right to use certain proprietary marks based on the services they are authorized to offer. The marks are owned by Express's affiliate, Alamo, which has registered or applied to register them with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Express may hold proprietary technology or operational systems. This section details those protections and how they benefit franchisees.
This section details the franchisee’s required involvement in the daily management of the business. Prospective owners should evaluate whether these expectations align with their personal goals and preferred work-life balance. Express stipulates that franchisees or designated principals are required to take an active role in the daily operations of the business.
This outlines the limitations and requirements Express places on the services franchisees are allowed to offer. Franchisees must strictly follow the standards set in the Franchise Agreement and authorized occupations addenda, only providing approved services using Express-branded materials and systems. Express also retains full authority to modify the list of authorized services at any time, without limitation.
This section explains the conditions under which a Franchise Agreement can be renewed, terminated or transferred, as well as how disputes are to be handled. Understanding these terms is essential, as a Franchise Agreement represents a significant long-term investment.
The initial term of the agreement is five years. Franchisees may request a renewal by submitting an application no earlier than 12 months and no later than 6 months before the end of their current term.
This section identifies any public figures the franchisor has paid or arranged to promote the franchise. Understanding these endorsements can give franchise owners insight into the brand’s marketing approach and the image the franchisor is aiming to project. Express does not use any public figures to promote the franchise.
This section provides earnings data for franchise locations over various time frames. For example, Express’ most recent Item 19 shows that franchise units open more than 24 months in fiscal year 2024 generated average sales of $5,380,571.
This item details the number of franchised and company-owned locations, along with contact information for current franchisees. Reviewing this data helps candidates evaluate the brand’s stability and growth trajectory. Express has gone from a total of 791 in 2022 to 786 in 2024.
Express includes audited financial statements for FY 2022, 2023 and 2024 in its FDD. Franchise candidates are advised to consult a financial advisor to assess the franchisor’s balance sheet and overall financial health.
Here, candidates will find all agreements they’ll need to sign. It’s important to review this item with a franchise attorney before committing. Here are the contracts listed under Item 22:
This section verifies that the candidate has received the FDD. Franchise regulations require a minimum 14-day review period before any agreements can be signed.
The 2025 FDD for Express Employment Professionals offers a transparent, in-depth look at what it takes to join the franchise. From costs and support to revenue potential and leadership, it gives candidates the information they need to make an informed decision. Prospective owners should take the time to read every section, ask questions and seek professional guidance where needed.
For more information on franchising with Express Employment Professionals, visit: https://1851franchise.com/expressemployment/info.
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