In Washington, is Embassy Suites allowed to restrict a franchisee from soliciting or hiring employees of another franchisee or the franchisor?

According to Embassy Suites's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Washington state law RCW 49.62.060 prohibits Embassy Suites from restricting a franchisee from soliciting or hiring employees of either another Embassy Suites franchisee or Embassy Suites itself. This means that any clause within the franchise agreement that attempts to prevent a franchisee in Washington from hiring employees from these sources is legally void and unenforceable.

For a prospective Embassy Suites franchisee in Washington, this is a significant benefit. It allows them to freely recruit and hire experienced staff who may already be familiar with the Embassy Suites system or the hospitality industry in general. This can reduce training costs and improve the quality of service at the franchisee's hotel.

However, franchisees should be aware that while they can solicit and hire employees from other franchisees or the franchisor, other laws regarding non-competition covenants may still apply. Specifically, RCW 49.62.020 states that a noncompetition covenant is void and unenforceable against an employee, including an employee of a franchisee, unless the employee's earnings from the party seeking enforcement, when annualized, exceed $100,000 per year (an amount that will be adjusted annually for inflation). Therefore, franchisees should consult with legal counsel to ensure compliance with all applicable employment laws in Washington.