1. (1) As used in this chapter "employer" means:

   1. (a) an individual or employing unit which employs one or more individuals for some portion of a day during a calendar year, or that, as a condition for approval of this chapter for full tax credit against the tax imposed by the Federal Unemployment Tax Act, is required, under the act, to be an employer;
   2. (b) an employing unit that, having become an employer under Subsection (1)(a), has not, under Sections 35A-4-303 and 35A-4-310, ceased to be an employer subject to this chapter; or
   3. (c) for the effective period of its election under Subsection 35A-4-310(3), an employing unit that has elected to become fully subject to this chapter.

2. (2)

   1. (a) For purposes of this Subsection (2), "federal executive agency" means an executive agency, as defined in 5 U.S.C. Sec. 105, of the federal government.
   2. (b) For purposes of determining whether two or more persons are considered joint employers under this chapter, an administrative ruling of a federal executive agency may not be considered a generally applicable law unless that administrative ruling is determined to be generally applicable by a court of law, or adopted by statute or rule.

3. (3)

   1. (a) As used in this Subsection (3):

      1. (i) "Franchise" means the same as that term is defined in 16 C.F.R. Sec. 436.1.
      2. (ii) "Franchisee" means the same as that term is defined in 16 C.F.R. Sec. 436.1.
      3. (iii) "Franchisor" means the same as that term is defined in 16 C.F.R. Sec. 436.1.

   2. (b) For purposes of this chapter, a franchisor is not considered to be an employer of:

      1. (i) a franchisee; or
      2. (ii) a franchisee's employee.
   3. (c) With respect to a specific claim for relief under this chapter made by a franchisee or a franchisee's employee, this Subsection (3) does not apply to a franchisor under a franchise that exercises a type or degree of control over the franchisee or the franchisee's employee not customarily exercised by a franchisor for the purpose of protecting the franchisor's trademarks and brand.

Amended by Chapter 370, 2016 General Session