Work in franchises: searching for solutions at the regulatory frontier

The recent underpayment scandals that have plagued 7-Eleven, Domino’s Pizza and other franchises have generated immense public debate and prompted significant law reform in Australia. As yet, there has been limited academic consideration of the effectiveness of regulatory frameworks and initiatives designed to enhance and ensure work-related rights and responsibilities of franchise workers, franchisees and franchisors. By combining comparative doctrinal analysis of labour and competition and consumer laws, with mixed methods research, this project aims to address a critical gap in regulatory scholarship and provide fresh empirical and theoretical insights into the effective regulation of work in franchises in Australia and beyond.