Blue MauMau, by Janet Sparks, September 17th, 2018 Following the National Labor Relations Board administrative judge’s recent decision to reject McDonald’s proposed settlement to resolve all cases that called it a joint employer with its franchisees on labor law violations, the NLRB announced Thursday that it will overhaul the current joint-employer definition. Continue reading on […]
Making small-business owners’ concerns heard in the political process
Franchise owners are small business owners and they can have a big political impact, which is our experience in Maine. Franchise owners in Maine will continue to have the opportunity to educate their lawmakers, which we have learned do not know much about franchising, but we have shown them the importance of franchisees in Maine, to invest and create […]
Thank you for your support! Without it we wouldn’t have gotten as far as we did.
Dear Members and Friends of MFOA, Thank you for your support, participation, and advocacy for Maine franchise owners. Your support helped advance the Maine Franchise Owners Association (MFOA) and its mission to protect, defend and enhance the equity for all franchise owners. Even though we lost LD 1458 in the senate, we did get our […]
Calling All Maine Franchise Owners The Maine House Vote is Today!
The time for action has come. The Maine Small Business Investment Protection Act (LD1458) is scheduled to be voted on by the Maine House of Representatives this morning! We support the Minority Report, Senator Patrick’s amendment to LD1458 to strengthen franchising, not harm or limit it. We all make our living in franchising; damaging it […]
Franchisee Protections Exist Across the Maine Border in Canada
Five provinces in Canada have passed franchise disclosure and fair franchise relationship laws: Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Ontario, and Prince Edward Island. British Columbia is also considering franchise disclosure and franchise relationship legislation. In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires the use of a Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) in all 50 states […]
Well Attended Maine Franchise Owners Business Day and Legislative Meet
On Wednesday, January 29th, over 40 franchise owners met at The Senator Inn in Augusta to share best practices, and learn about various resources for Maine franchise owners. Four impressive and informative speakers headlined the afternoon. Jim Coen, Executive Director of Maine Franchise Owners Association (MFOA) spoke about the importance of organizing franchise owners in […]
The IFA is Not Pulling Punches
Yesterday the IFA sent a letter to its members alerting them to the pending doom, and that the sky will fall in Maine if the Labor Commerce and Economic Development Committee votes “ought to pass” on the “5 Principles” of the Maine Small Business Investment Act. They have organized a Town Hall Telephone Call for […]
Maine Unemployment Rate 6.4 Percent in November
State Labor Commissioner Jeanne Paquette released November workforce estimates for Maine. Seasonally Adjusted Statewide Data Survey of Households – The preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate estimate for Maine was 6.4 percent in November—the lowest figure since November 2008—down from 6.7 percent in October and 7.2 percent one year ago. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics […]
Governor Welcomes Blue Ribbon Commission Report on Unemployment System
AUGUSTA – Governor Paul R. LePage is pleased with the final report of The Unemployment Reform Blue Ribbon Commission, which was delivered this week. An Executive Order signed by the Governor in May established the Commission and tasked it with reviewing various complaints and concerns raised by Maine citizens about the consistency and objectivity of […]
What Franchisees Could Lose If the Minimum Wage Is Raised
Fast-food workers in about 100 cities will strike on Thursday, leaving franchisees caught between a rock and a hard place. Protesters are calling for $15 an hour — a huge increase from the current federal minimum wage of $7.25, or a full-time salary of about $15,000 a year. The upcoming strikes follow the protests that […]