Coffee and donuts retailer Dunkin’ Donuts announced Tuesday that it is planning a national crackdown on franchise owners who hire illegal workers or fail to use the government’s “E-Verify” employment eligibility verification services before hiring staff.

The chain also suggests that they will take action to retract and reclaim franchises from owners who they find to be skirting the rules, according to the Washington Examiner.

Dunkin’ has been taking action on the latter front for several months, the Examiner reports, even going so far as to sue franchise owners who refuse to abide by several key rules when hiring help. Dunkin has filed suit against some of its own owners in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Delaware to reclaim their property after “Dunkin’ reviewed employment verification documents and practices, found violations at the subject franchisee companies, terminated the operators’ franchise agreements and then swiftly moved to remove the franchisees from the restaurants.”

The nine franchise owners whose stores were affected say that Dunkin afforded them no ability to correct their errors and that Dunkin’ refused to provide compensation for lost stores. They also claim that Dunkin’ is suing to reclaim franchises that they believe could be sold at a higher price. – READ MORE