In Washington, is Deer Solution allowed to restrict a franchisee from soliciting or hiring employees of Deer Solution itself?

According to the 2025 Deer Solution Franchise Disclosure Document, in the state of Washington, Deer Solution is prohibited from restricting a franchisee from soliciting or hiring any employee of a franchisee of the same franchisor or any employee of the franchisor. This protection is explicitly stated in the Washington FDD Amendment.

This means that any provisions within the franchise agreement or other documents that attempt to prevent a Deer Solution franchisee in Washington from hiring employees of either another Deer Solution franchisee or from Deer Solution itself are considered void and unenforceable. This is due to RCW 49.62.060, a Washington state law that specifically addresses these types of restrictions.

For a prospective Deer Solution franchisee in Washington, this is a significant benefit. It allows them the freedom to recruit talent from within the Deer Solution network, potentially gaining experienced employees who are already familiar with the Deer Solution system. This can be a valuable resource for growing their franchise and improving operational efficiency. Franchisees should be aware of this protection and ensure that their franchise agreement does not contain any clauses that conflict with this right.