Franchising's Weekly Rewind

The State of the Union Recap This past Tuesday January 19, President Obama delivered the State of the Union Address. In his address to the nation, POTUS spoke about several issues effecting franchising including minimum wage, a 30-hour work week and joint employer issues.  In response to the State of the Union address, International Franchise Association President & CEO Steve Calderia issued a response urging policymakers to reject the National Labor Relations Board’s declaration that franchisors and franchisees are joint employers. He also called on the administration to amend the definition of full-time to a traditional 40-hour work week under the Affordable Care Act. Find out more about the State of the Union Address and Calderia’s response. (From FastCasual.com) McDonald’s Sued for Discrimination A group of former McDonald’s employees are suing the fast food giant for racial discrimination and sexual harassment. In their suit the plaintiffs are naming McDonald’s as a defendant. This comes after the 10 plaintiffs say they were wrongfully fired last year and replaced with mostly white workers. Typically, the franchisee is sued in cases like this, but in this instance the world’s foremost fast-food company is being held responsible for the franchisee's actions. This falls under the National Relations Board’s declaration of a joint employer. (From The Huffington Post) Buffalo Wild Wings, Sodexo Donate $500K to NRAEF Buffalo Wild Wings Inc. and Sodexo Inc. have donated over $500,000 to the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF). The donation is to support the NRAEF’s mission to enhance the restaurant industry’s service to the public through education, community engagement and career opportunities. Buffalo Wild Wings donated $385,000 to the NRAEF to establish the Buffalo Wild Wings Scholarship Fund for students pursuing a career in culinary arts, food science or foodservice management. Sodexo donated $125,000 to support the NRAEF’s nationwide career technical education program. (From QSR Magazine) Pinot’s Palette Reaches 100 Locations Milestone The Houston-based franchise, Pinot’s Palette, has awarded its 100^th franchise agreement. The 100^th franchise will be in Princeton, New Jersey, and it will be the ninth location in the state. The franchise brand pairs painting and wine at studios and retail centers across the nation. (From Chron) Blaze Pizza is Heading North The build-your-own pizza chain, Blaze Fast Fire’d Pizza has announced a franchise agreement with Five Star Blaze Holdings, Inc. to develop Blaze Pizza restaurants in Canada. Blaze Pizza is looking to target Toronto, Edmonton and Calgary for its first locations. They are looking to open at least 60 franchise units in Canada. (From PizzaMarketplace.com)