McDonald’s did not comment on whether its efforts to ensure franchisee compliance with child labor laws, safety standards and hours procedures constituted the sort of “indirect” or “reserved” control over essential conditions of employment laid out in a National Labor Relations Board Joint Employer rule set to take effect in February. Barring congressional intervention, franchisors like McDonald’s will then be liable for some franchisee labor law violations if they meet several criteria laid out in the rule.
According to the Economic Policy Institute, at least 10 states introduced or passed bills weakening the protections for working minors in the last two years, with several bills backed by regional restaurant associations. McDonald’s did not respond to a request for comment on its opinion of those bills.
