Is a Chesters franchisee required to use the employment-related policies or procedures provided by Chesters?
Chesters Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
We and you agree that any materials, guidance, or assistance that we provide with respect to employment-related policies or procedures, whether in the Manuals or otherwise, are solely for your optional use.
Those materials do not form part of the mandatory operational standards.
You will determine to what extent, if any, these materials, guidance, or assistance should apply to your employees.
You acknowledge that we do not dictate or control labor or employment matters for licensees and their employees.
You are solely responsible for determining the terms and conditions of employment for all of your employees, for all decisions concerning the hiring, firing and discipline of your employees, and for all other aspects of your Restaurant's labor relations and employment practices.
We and you are not joint employers of your employees and other personnel.
We do not and will not share or codetermine any of your employees' essential terms and conditions of employment.
More specifically, in no case do we have any authority to determine or set your employees': (1) wages, benefits, and other compensation; (2) hours of work and scheduling; (3) the assignment of duties to be performed; (4) the supervision of the performance of duties; (5) work rules and directions governing the manner, means, and methods of the performance of duties and the grounds for discipline; (6) the tenure of employment, including hiring and discharge; and/or (7) working conditions related to the safety and health of employees.
You alone have sole authority to determine any or all your employees' essential terms and conditions of employment.
Source: Item 23 — **RECEIPTS (FDD pages 48–197)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Chesters' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are not required to use the employment-related policies or procedures provided by Chesters. Chesters states that any materials, guidance, or assistance provided regarding employment policies are solely for the franchisee's optional use and do not form part of the mandatory operational standards.
This means that Chesters franchisees have the autonomy to determine the extent to which they apply these materials to their employees. The FDD emphasizes that Chesters does not dictate or control labor or employment matters for franchisees and their employees. Franchisees are solely responsible for determining the terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, firing, discipline, and all other aspects of labor relations and employment practices.
Chesters explicitly states that it is not a joint employer with its franchisees and does not share or codetermine any of the employees' essential terms and conditions of employment. Chesters has no authority to determine or set employees' wages, benefits, hours, duties, supervision, work rules, tenure, or working conditions. The franchisee alone has the authority to determine these essential terms and conditions.
This arrangement is common in franchising, where franchisees are typically considered independent business owners responsible for their own employment practices, allowing them to tailor their policies to local market conditions and legal requirements.