In Washington, what specific actions is Churchs Chicken prohibited from restricting a franchisee from doing regarding employees of other franchisees or the franchisor?
Churchs_Chicken 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 Development Agreement or elsewhere are void and unenforceable in Washington.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD pages 67–68)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Churchs Chicken Franchise Disclosure Document, in the state of Washington, Churchs Chicken is prohibited from restricting a franchisee from soliciting or hiring employees of other Churchs Chicken franchisees or employees of Churchs Chicken itself.
This protection for franchisees in Washington is due to RCW 49.62.060, a Washington state law. This law directly impacts the franchise agreement, rendering any conflicting provisions within the Development Agreement or other related documents as void and unenforceable in Washington.
For a prospective Churchs Chicken franchisee in Washington, this means they have the freedom to recruit and hire employees from other Churchs Chicken locations or from the corporate entity without facing legal repercussions from the franchisor. This can be a significant advantage in securing experienced staff and potentially improving the franchisee's operations.