McDonald's Worker Says She Was Required to Receive Pay on Fee-Laden Debit Card

[SamH]

My take on this is that the debit card payment system is ok if either:

*it’s optional for employees, and they could alternately choose paper check or direct deposit

or

*there were no fees to the employee for using the card (either fee-free card, at least for standard transactions, or employer pays fee)

If there is no way to get her wages off the card without incurring a fee, then I agree that this is a problem and the company is effectively paying her less than minimum wage. The $1.50 transaction fee may not sound like a lot, but if you are only making $7 or $8 an hour, it can add up fast.

In this case, her only option for payment was the card. From the article, it does not appear that there was any way to access the card’s funds without incurring a fee (unless I misread it). So, I think it was wrong, and she is in the right to bring this suit.

We encourage our employees to use their own account, I have to order their “Check Card” and wait for it to arrive meaning more work for me. Usually if they don’t have a checking account it’s because they failed to properly close their old account (left it with a negative balance).

In this case it appears that HER CREDIT UNION refused to allow her employer to ACH the funds into her account. From what I read there are ATM fees, inactivity fees and fees if she used it online(?). Most of our employees walk into a grocery store buy some groceries then draw their card to -0- in a cash advance that costs them nothing.

 

[SamH]

According to the PA Dept of Labor website, employers are required to “pay in cash or by bank check.”

Expecting your employer to obey the law hardly qualifies as “trying to bilk the system.”

Do you have a link? I’d be really surprised if that were the case. Do you know how many employers in PA using direct deposit are breaking the law? I haven’t issued a “paycheck” since 2000 and I’ve never paid an employee in cash in my life and know of no other “legal” employer that does that.

 

[fix]

Do you have a link? I’d be really surprised if that were the case. Do you know how many employers in PA using direct deposit are breaking the law? I haven’t issued a “paycheck” since 2000 and I’ve never paid an employee in cash in my life and know of no other “legal” employer that does that.

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[SamH]

No, the story says McDonald’s only offers bank direct deposit to managers and assistant managers. That’s ridiculous. If they’re trying to cut the cost of paper checks, there’s absolutely no reason not to offer direct deposit.

Agreed there is no reason. But that is what she said and the reporter is repeating it. Nowhere does the reporter confirm that is actually the case.

Three weeks on the job and she’s suing her employer and back on the welfare roles. I hope her next employer does a thorough background check.

 

[SamH]

Hey, she should consider herself lucky she even has a job, right? :yup:

Sounds like she’s pretty happy not having a job.

I know right now I consider myself pretty lucky to have a job. But then I also value the efforts put forth by other employees that enable us to keep a profitable business running.

 

[mafh]

Most of our employees walk into a grocery store buy some groceries then draw their card to -0- in a cash advance that costs them nothing.

I agree that if there is an easy way to get her wages off the card fee-free, then it is much less of an issue. It’s not clear to me whether that is the case here.

 

[SamH]

I agree that if there is an easy way to get her wages off the card fee-free, then it is much less of an issue. It’s not clear to me whether that is the case here.

Agreed.

The “reporter” did not do enough investigation to for anyone to render an informed opinion. Much of the story is select quotations from purported experts and from person filing the lawsuit (is if they don’t have an angle they wish to present). If the reporter were really interested in presenting an informative story they would have actually looked up the bank card and read for themselves what the fees where and possibly asked another coworker how they were paid.

To much of this is slanted in one direction that does not deal with certain facts. I know our state requires that we provide the employee with the means to access their funds without a fee. For that reason our payroll cards allow one withdrawal “fee free” a week. We also had to provide a choice of direct deposit or payroll card - we could not “force” an employee to take direct deposit if they did not want to give us their bank account number. I seriously doubt a major bank would offer a product (payroll card) for a specific purpose (payroll) that did not conform with the laws of the state.

Reading the story it appears her credit union refused to allow her to transfer the money from her payroll card directly into her account. If she’s like many of our employees she ended up on payroll card after she “forgot” to give them her credit union account information after numerous requests. After 3 whole weeks of employment she probably never figured out how to correctly use her card…

 

[gnjsdad]

Yahoo! News:

Good for her, I hope she wins!

Even if she does “win”, she still loses.

Working for the ridiculously low “minimum wage” is in itself a travesty. And before anyone responds that she should just quit and find another job, well, good luck with that in this economy!

McDonald’s is stealing not only her labor, but that of thousands of its other employees.

The so-called minimum wage should be at least 3 times what it is.

 

[SamH]

Even if she does “win”, she still loses.

Working for the ridiculously low “minimum wage” is in itself a travesty. And before anyone responds that she should just quit and find another job, well, good luck with that in this economy!

McDonald’s is stealing not only her labor, but that of thousands of its other employees.

The so-called minimum wage should be at least 3 times what it is.

You really like seeing lots of unemployed low skilled workers don’t you?

 

[Presurmksdimnds]

She freely agreed to work for the employer, I’m sure the issue of wages and payroll process came up. If she didn’t like it she was free to walk out the door and not take the job. Instead she takes the job then sues the employer because she didn’t like it.

My company transitioned to the autopay cards after I had been employed for over 5 years. I should have just walked away? And the fact that most companies are transitioning to this type of payroll is of no consequence?

‘Deal with it or don’t work’ - seems like a nasty ultimatum to me. Kinda like Obamacare and contraception… ‘Deal with it or get out of health insurance’

No. No. No.

 

[Et_Cetera]

If she had her own bank account she would not have had to use the bank card.

If she gets paid weekly or monthly the $10 inactivity fee never applies. As for ATM fees, I’m 47 years old and have never used an ATM in my life.

What is the point of this post? It’s completely irrelevant that you have never used an ATM in your life. I think this might just be a post to rile us up, but a lot of people, rich and poor, use an ATM. I believe she did have her own bank account, but even if she didn’t, why should she have to? Your post points out everything that is wrong with this new GOP Catholicism. Sure, side with the banks and this corporation that is trying to take a few dollars away from a single mother who is trying to make an honest living. I hope you sincerely think about how you came off with this arrogant post.

 

[Et_Cetera]

This forum just makes me understand more and more why I left Catholicism. Gone is the compassion that Jesus asked us to have for others and in is this business worship. Sam, I think you really need to assess yourself and the way that you think about others. The way that you initially wanted to side with the corporation is really telling. You should think about how Jesus would want you to view those who work at someplace like McDonald’s. Did you automatically want to assume that this mother must be trying to milk the system because she has a minimum wage, low-paying job? If so, that’s really, really terrible and judgmental, but honestly I don’t see any other explanation at this point.

 

[SamH]

What is the point of this post? It’s completely irrelevant that you have never used an ATM in your life. I think this might just be a post to rile us up, but a lot of people, rich and poor, use an ATM. I believe she did have her own bank account, but even if she didn’t, why should she have to? Your post points out everything that is wrong with this new GOP Catholicism. Sure, side with the banks and this corporation that is trying to take a few dollars away from a single mother who is trying to make an honest living. I hope you sincerely think about how you came off with this arrogant post.

I’m pointing out that it is very easy to avoid ATM charges.

What does her being a single mother have to do with it - are you making it a point that she’s made bad decisions in the past?

 

[SamH]

This forum just makes me understand more and more why I left Catholicism. Gone is the compassion that Jesus asked us to have for others and in is this business worship. Sam, I think you really need to assess yourself and the way that you think about others. The way that you initially wanted to side with the corporation is really telling. You should think about how Jesus would want you to view those who work at someplace like McDonald’s. Did you automatically want to assume that this mother must be trying to milk the system because she has a minimum wage, low-paying job? If so, that’s really, really terrible and judgmental, but honestly I don’t see any other explanation at this point.

Self assessment complete - still feel the same.

 

[Et_Cetera]

I’m pointing out that it is very easy to avoid ATM charges.

What does her being a single mother have to do with it - are you making it a point that she’s made bad decisions in the past?

Not at all. I know great people raised by single mothers. I just thought it was odd that your gut reaction was to side with the Golden Arches over this woman who is just trying to get her fair pay.

 

[SamH]

My company transitioned to the autopay cards after I had been employed for over 5 years. I should have just walked away? And the fact that most companies are transitioning to this type of payroll is of no consequence?

‘Deal with it or don’t work’ - seems like a nasty ultimatum to me. Kinda like Obamacare and contraception… ‘Deal with it or get out of health insurance’

No. No. No.

Was the transition to auto pay so bad that you actually considered quitting then suing your employer?

 

[fix]

This forum just makes me understand more and more why I left Catholicism. Gone is the compassion that Jesus asked us to have for others and in is this business worship. Sam, I think you really need to assess yourself and the way that you think about others. The way that you initially wanted to side with the corporation is really telling. You should think about how Jesus would want you to view those who work at someplace like McDonald’s. Did you automatically want to assume that this mother must be trying to milk the system because she has a minimum wage, low-paying job? If so, that’s really, really terrible and judgmental, but honestly I don’t see any other explanation at this point.

Do you think you are guilty of what you accuse others of?

 

[SamH]

Not at all. I know great people raised by single mothers. I just thought it was odd that your gut reaction was to side with the Golden Arches over this woman who is just trying to get her fair pay.

The problem is I have a hard time believing she wasn’t getting her fair pay. I know how direct deposit and payroll cards work, and the story being told doesn’t make much sense - several posters have said the same - even those that want to agree with her.

 

[manualman]

This forum just makes me understand more and more why I left Catholicism. Gone is the compassion that Jesus asked us to have for others and in is this business worship. Sam, I think you really need to assess yourself and the way that you think about others. The way that you initially wanted to side with the corporation is really telling. You should think about how Jesus would want you to view those who work at someplace like McDonald’s. Did you automatically want to assume that this mother must be trying to milk the system because she has a minimum wage, low-paying job? If so, that’s really, really terrible and judgmental, but honestly I don’t see any other explanation at this point.

Isn’t it just as wrong to jump to the conclusion that the employer is the villain when the facts are highly ambiguous in the article? As noted by others, the reporter did a very poor job of looking into exactly what options this person had once the funds were in the debit account. If she was able to go into the local grocery and cash out for a mere $1.50 transaction fee, I find it hard to believe she has a case. She’d face the same problem if given a paper payroll check, no?

The problem isn’t that Sam is an ogre. The problem is that the story has too few facts to draw conclusions. Leaping to the conclusion that a franchise owner is a gredy bugger is not any holier than leaping to the conclusion that a minimum wage employee suing an employer is a freeloader.

 

[SamH]

Isn’t it just as wrong to jump to the conclusion that the employer is the villain when the facts are highly ambiguous in the article? As noted by others, the reporter did a very poor job of looking into exactly what options this person had once the funds were in the debit account. If she was able to go into the local grocery and cash out for a mere $1.50 transaction fee, I find it hard to believe she has a case. She’d face the same problem if given a paper payroll check, no?

The problem isn’t that Sam is an ogre. The problem is that the story has too few facts to draw conclusions. Leaping to the conclusion that a franchise owner is a gredy bugger is not any holier than leaping to the conclusion that a minimum wage employee suing an employer is a freeloader.

I thought the bigger problem was leaping to the conclusion the whole Catholic Faith is in error because a few members refuse to be gullible.