Labour Board Serves Up Shocker To McDonald’s – Finds franchisor potentially liable for employment practices of franchisees’
On July 29, 2014 the General Counsel of the National Labour Relations Board ruled that McDonald’s USA, LLC (“McDonald’s ”) could be held liable as a joint employer in 43 wage and labour complaints related to the operations of independent franchises. This procedural ruling has the potential to radically undermine the employment-related advantages of franchising arrangements in the United States.