How joint employer broke franchising

The joint employer standard has changed four times in the last decade. Franchise brands have been quietly restructuring their operations around every shift—pulling back franchisee support, shelving HR programs, and waiting for the other shoe to drop.

In this episode, Leighton Healey talks with Haider Murtaza, Senior Director of Federal Government Relations at the International Franchise Association, about what that uncertainty has cost franchising, what the American Franchise Act would change, and why the most powerful voice on this issue isn't a lobbyist; it's a franchise owner in a congressional district.

What is What's Next in Franchising?

What’s Next in Franchising is a podcast for leaders scaling home and commercial services franchises, where growth puts real pressure on operations, teams, and culture.

Each episode explores what changes as franchise systems grow—across labor, technology, training, and field execution—through a weekly franchise news review and in-depth conversations with operators and executives actively building service brands.

The show is hosted by Leighton Healey, CEO of KnowHow, who has led from every seat in franchising: franchisee, franchisor, and now a technology founder. This vantage point shapes grounded, practical conversations focused on how to scale without losing quality, consistency, or trust in the field.