On April 1, McDonald’s announced their plan to improve benefits for employees, including wage increases and college tuition assistance.
McDonald’s President and Corporate Executive Officer Steve Easterbrook stated in the company’s announcement that the company has been working on a benefits package for employees.
“We’ve listened to our employees and learned that — in addition to increased wages — paid personal leave and financial assistance for completing their education would make a real difference in their careers and lives,” he said.
McDonald’s Archways to Opportunity program will expand to include college tuition assistance and free high school completion.
Chris Joyce, freshman criminal justice major, said, “Who couldn’t use a little extra help when it comes to paying for school? I think the tuition assistance will relieve some of the burden that comes with paying to get an education.”
The Tuition Assistance Program provides employees with financial assistance for all college courses at institutions accredited by the U.S. Department of Education. The offer includes tuition coverage of up to $700 a year for workers and up to $1,050 a year for managers. The money can be used for in-person or online classes. However, all courses must be pre-approved by management.
McDonald’s employees who have worked for at least a year and average a minimum of 20 hours of work a week are eligible for the assistance. Workers are permitted to study the major of their choosing and are not required to stay within the company. A full list of eligibility requirements can be found on aboutmcdonalds.com.
Joyce worked at Burger King for more than two years and said he didn’t receive any benefits, nor did he receive anything higher than minimum wage. He said that getting assistance with college is something that would be helpful for all employees.
“I know people who worked at Burger King for 10 years or longer, and the only raise they got was when minimum wage increased as a whole,” he said. “If they had a chance to go to college and get a degree, they wouldn’t have stayed at the restaurant, or they could have at least gained the skills to be promoted.”
Another Opportunity program, College Credit Connection, is for McDonald’s employees and staff who want to pursue a two or four-year degree in business or general studies.
To earn college tuition, staff or employees who go through American Council on Education-approved training can send transcripts of their training to select colleges who follow the ACE credit recommendations. The colleges offer discounted tuition rates and other benefits to McDonald’s employees.
McDonald’s suggested colleges include Bellevue University, DeVry University, Kaplan University, Thomas Edison State College, Strayer University, Drexel University Online, Saint Leo University, College for America, Excelsior College, National Louis University, University of Phoenix, Lewis University, Ivy Tech Community College, Colorado Technical University and DePaul University.
Although McDonald’s does not limit the educational options to these colleges, they do, however, have guaranteed relationships with them.
Other improvements begin July 1, when all starting wages at company-owned McDonald’s restaurants in the U.S. will be one dollar higher than the local minimum wage. All employees will receive a wage adjustment based on tenure and their job performance.
July 1 also marks the start of paid leave for full- and part-time employees who have worked at the company for at least one year. Employees will accrue time off in accordance with how many hours they work per week (i.e. if they work 20 hours a week, they will have approximately 20 hours of paid time off per year). Those who don’t take time off will be paid for the value of that time.
“We know that a motivated workforce leads to better customer service,” Easterbrook said. “This initial step not only benefits our employees, it will improve the McDonald’s restaurant experience.”
Courtesy of tmz.com
Follow the news editor on Twitter @Current_Yakira
