In Washington state, can Bambu restrict a franchisee from soliciting or hiring employees of other Bambu franchisees?
Bambu Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
RCW 49.62.060 prohibits a franchisor from restricting, restraining, or prohibiting a franchisee from (i) soliciting or hiring any employee of a franchisee of the same franchisor or (ii) soliciting or hiring any employee of the franchisor. As a result, any such provisions contained in the Agreement or elsewhere are void and unenforceable in Washington.
Source: Item 23 — Receipts (FDD pages 52–209)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Bambu's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, in Washington state, Bambu is prohibited from restricting a franchisee from soliciting or hiring employees of either Bambu itself or another Bambu franchisee. This protection is explicitly stated in the Washington Rider to the Nondisclosure and Noncompetition Agreement.
This means that a Bambu franchisee in Washington has the freedom to recruit and hire employees from other Bambu locations or from Bambu corporate without facing legal repercussions from the franchise agreement. This could be a significant advantage for franchisees looking to build their team with experienced personnel already familiar with the Bambu system.
However, it's important to note that while Bambu cannot enforce restrictions on soliciting or hiring, this does not prevent individual employees from having their own non-compete agreements. These agreements are void and unenforceable in Washington unless the employee's earnings exceed $100,000 per year, or $250,000 per year for independent contractors, amounts that will be adjusted annually for inflation. Franchisees should still be mindful of potential contractual obligations that their new hires may have with their previous employers, even if those obligations cannot be enforced by Bambu itself.