We hope that you are well during this unprecedented time. IFA and members of the Franchise Action Network are urging Congress to take immediate steps to provide temporary liability protections to America’s small businesses as they navigate the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in their local communities.
Franchise businesses are currently preparing their employees, management teams, facilities, equipment, products, and services as the nation’s economy gets set to re-open. We are becoming increasingly concerned about efforts by trial lawyers to file unfounded lawsuits against small businesses, alleging that customers or employees were infected with COVID-19 because of the nation’s essential critical infrastructure businesses that kept operating. IFA has launched a petition to protect franchise small businesses.
Given the historical efforts of Congress and the Administration to provide the necessary liquidity to franchise businesses so they can stay afloat during these critical days, it would be devastating to have these same employers facing a series of unjust lawsuits upon re-opening.
Your businesses have served and protected America during this damaging pandemic. As Congress considers additional legislation to address the economic fallout due to COVID-19, we must ask them to serve and protect small businesses like yours by enacting reasonable “Good Samaritan” legal protections as the country gradually returns to work.
To that end, we are asking you to sign this petition to protect small business owners from unjust lawsuits.
To view the full letter that will be sent to members of Congress, please click here.