PR Snag for MCD: McDonald’s Helps Workers Obtain Food Stamps

by Burke Speaker | October 25, 2013 9:51 am

Just a week after a report found more than half of fast food workers[1] rely on government assistance , a taped call shows that McDonald’s (MCD[2]) is directing workers toward food stamps and other public programs.

The hamburger chain’s “McResource” — a helpline for MCD employees — directed a worker to get government assistance via food stamps and heating assistance.

Worker rights organizations say the call shows that even McDonald’s admits that their wages aren’t enough to support them.

From CNN Money:[3]

The advocacy group “Low Pay is not Ok” recorded a phone call made to the helpline by one McDonald’s worker Nancy Salgado. The group circulated an edited video of the recording. McDonald’s said the video was “not an accurate portrayal of the resource line” because it was “very obviously” edited.

However, CNNMoney reviewed the full recording of the call.  … The helpline operator never asked [the worker] how much she made per hour, and how many hours per week she worked beyond the fact that she was a full-time employee. But she said that [the worker] “definitely should be able to qualify for both food stamps and heating assistance.”

The report that was released last week estimated that public aid for fast-food workers cost taxpaying Americans some $7 billion each year.

Earlier this year, McDonald’s came under fire for its budget planning guide for its employees[4].

The guide allowed for a budgeted income from a second job — which workers claimed was an admission from MCD that the company was paying “unlivable” wages.

MCD is up 6.47% year-to-date.

Source URL: https://investorplace.com/2013/10/pr-snag-mcd-mcdonalds-helps-workers-obtain-food-stamps/

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