Photo by Department of Labor on Flickr is licensed under CC BY 2.0: https://bit.ly/3xZe6YR

Julie Su, President Biden’s nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), has shown herself to be an alarming threat to the franchising sector.

Total put at risk by Julie Su in Senate HELP Committee members’ states:

  • 256,862 franchise establishments
  • 2,772,133 franchise employees
  • $274.31 billion in economic output from franchises

Su, who was previously the head of California’s Labor and Workforce Development Agency, aggressively supported A.B. 257, the “FAST Recovery Act.” The bill would grant California’s government vast new power to regulate wages and company policies at franchised restaurants. Californian voters made clear their opposition to the radical overhaul last year, with over one million voters signing a petition proposing a ballot referendum which could overturn the new law.

Su has also been a participant in the Biden administration’s broader attacks on franchising. Shortly after Su became U.S. Deputy Secretary of Labor, DOL announced a revocation of Trump-era protections under the joint employer standard, further threatening the viability of the franchise model.

Su has a confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee on Thursday. Here are how many franchise establishments, employees, and financial output could be put at risk in the states of Senate HELP members if Julie Su ascends to Labor Secretary:

Alabama – represented by Senator Tommy Tuberville (R)

  • 13,433 franchise establishments
  • 144,972 franchise employees
  • $14.345 billion in output

Alaska – represented by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R)

  • 1,213 franchise establishments
  • 13,091 franchise employees
  • $1.295 billion in output

Colorado – represented by Senator John Hickenlooper (D)

  • 17,901 franchise establishments
  • 193,190 franchise employees
  • $19.117 billion in output

Connecticut – represented by Senator Chris Murphy (D)

  • 7,160 franchise establishments
  • 77,268 franchise employees
  • $7.646 billion in output

Indiana – represented by Senator Mike Braun (R)

  • 18,065 franchise establishments
  • 194,960 franchise employees
  • $19.292 billion in output

Kansas – represented by Senator Roger Marshall (R)

  • 8,366 franchise establishments
  • 90,286 franchise employees
  • $8.934 billion in output

Kentucky – represented by Senator Rand Paul (R)

  • 11,485 franchise establishments
  • 123,948 franchise employees
  • $12.265 billion in output

Louisiana – represented by Ranking Member Bill Cassidy (R)

  • 11,659 franchise establishments
  • 125,829 franchise employees
  • $12.451 billion in output

Maine – represented by Senator Susan Collins (R)

  • 2,291 franchise establishments
  • 24,729 franchise employees
  • $2.447 billion in output

Massachusetts – represented by Senator Ed Markey (D)

  • 11,052 franchise establishments
  • 119,279 franchise employees
  • $11.803 billion in output

Minnesota – represented by Senator Tina Smith (D)

  • 14,129 franchise establishments
  • 152,484 franchise employees
  • $15.089 billion in output

New Hampshire – represented by Senator Maggie Hassan (D)

  • 3,029 franchise establishments
  • 32,690 franchise employees
  • $3.235 billion in output

New Mexico – represented by Senator Ben Ray Luján (D)

  • 4,924 franchise establishments
  • 53,146 franchise employees
  • $5.259 billion in output

North Carolina – represented by Senator Ted Budd (R)

  • 28,531 franchise establishments
  • 307,915 franchise employees
  • $30.469 billion in output

Oklahoma – represented by Senator Markwayne Mullin (R)

  • 10,445 franchise establishments
  • 112,727 franchise employees
  • $11.155 billion in output

Pennsylvania – represented by Senator Bob Casey (D)

  • 27,521 franchise establishments
  • 297,015 franchise employees
  • $29.390 billion in output

Utah – represented by Senator Mitt Romney (R)

  • 9,223 franchise establishments
  • 99,541 franchise employees
  • $9.850 billion in output

Vermont – represented by Chairman Bernie Sanders (I)

  • 1,023 franchise establishments
  • 11,040 franchise employees
  • $1.092 billion in output

Virginia – represented by Senator Tim Kaine (D)

  • 23,333 franchise establishments
  • 251,813 franchise employees
  • $24.917 billion in output

Washington – represented by Senator Patty Murray (D)

  • 16,859 franchise establishments
  • 181,953 franchise employees
  • $18.005 billion in output

Wisconsin – represented by Senator Tammy Baldwin (D)

  • 15,220 franchise establishments
  • 164,257 franchise employees
  • $16.254 billion in output

In total, Julie Su threatens 256,862 establishments; 2,772,133 employees; and $274.31 billion in financial output in the franchising sector across Senate HELP members’ states.*

Members of the HELP Committee should defend their thousands of constituents engaged in the franchising sector by rejecting Biden’s radical nominee, Julie Su.

*Data obtained from the FRANdata 2023 Franchising Economic Outlook.