On August 28, 2014, the California Supreme Court reversed a 2012 Court of Appeal decision in Patterson v. Domino's Pizza, LLC. The lower court held that franchise operating systems, like Domino's, deprive franchisees of the ability to control the manner and means of their business operations, thus making the franchisee's employees the franchisor's employees for vicarious liability purposes.

Ms. Patterson, an employee of a Domino's Pizza franchisee, alleged she was sexually assaulted by the store manager. Patterson sued the franchisee, as well as the franchisor, Domino's Pizza, claiming Domino's was vicariously liable for the assault. Domino's argued that it was not Ms. Patterson's employer because the franchise agreement stated that the franchisee was an independent contractor and that Domino's was not involved in the "training, supervision or hiring of [the franchisee's] employees."

The Court of Appeal reversed, holding the case could proceed to trial since reasonable inferences could be drawn from the franchise agreement and Domino's' management guidelines that the franchisee lacked managerial independence and that evidence existed that a Domino's area representative had interfered with the franchisee's employment decisions by suggesting the franchisee should fire the store manager.

Recognizing that system-wide controls in the traditional franchising context, which are designed to protect a franchisor's trademarks, trade name and goodwill, do not necessarily deprive franchisees of day-to-day operational control of their businesses or employment practices, the Supreme Court overturned the Court of Appeal's decision. It held:

The "means and manner" test generally used by the Courts of Appeal cannot stand for the proposition that a comprehensive operating system alone constitutes the "control" needed to support vicarious liability claims like those raised here.

The court instituted a new test for determining whether a franchisee's employees may be deemed employees of the franchisor, holding:

A franchisor becomes potentially liable for actions of the franchisee's employees only if it has retained or assumed a general right of control over factors such as hiring, direction, supervision, discipline, discharge, and relevant day-to-day aspects of the workplace behavior of the franchisee's employees.

The Supreme Court found Domino's had not retained or assumed a general right of control over the hiring, direction, supervision, discipline, discharge, and relevant day-to-day aspects of the workplace behavior of the franchisee's employees since Domino's had no right or duty to control employment or personnel matters (including sexual harassment training), and did not do so.

To read the entire case, click: Taylor Patterson v. Domino's Pizza, LLC.