The Trump appointee charged with enforcing federal labor rights is moving to head off a court ruling in a case against McDonald’s that could redefine the accountability of companies for their franchisees’ employment practices.

The case, being tried before a special court of the National Labor Relations Board, was brought during the Obama administration, when the board was under Democratic control. Since President Trump’s election, Republican members have regained a majority, steering the board away from a pro-labor orientation.

An adverse decision for McDonald’s could have enormous implications for the franchise business model, affecting millions of workers in the fast-food industry and beyond. Employees at disparate franchise locations could seek union representation to deal directly with parent companies, rather than be left to work out disputes with franchisees.

But rather than push for a decision that could create a broad precedent, the board’s new general counsel has been scrambling to broker settlement terms among the company, its franchisees and the workers at the center of the case. A judge had halted the trial for 60 days to provide a chance to do so.