McDonalds Tells Workers How to Budget on Their Meager Earnings

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/mcdonalds-counsels-workers-budgeting




Two mega corporations--McDonalds and Visa--have partnered up to tell workers at the fast-food restaurant how to successfully budget on the meager wages they are paid. The suggestions, though, have little bearing in reality, as Think Progress’ Annie-Rose Strasser notes.

“You can have almost anything you want as long as you plan ahead and save for it,” McDonalds soothingly assures their employees.

But workers at McDonalds make an average of $8.25 an hour. The suggested budget, published by the company on a website, leaves room open for a second job. And it also says that employees could spend $20 a month for health care, which is an extremely low estimate; $0 for heating; and $600 for rent, another low-ball estimate, particularly for those who live in expensive cities.

To add insult to injury, the budget is directed at employees who would need to work a million hours to earn as much as the CEO of McDonalds, as Think Progress states.



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McDonalds Tells Workers To Budget By Getting A Second Job And Turning Off Their Heat

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/07/15/2300321/mcdonalds-buget-low-wage/

The site includes a sample “budget journal” for McDonalds’ employees that offers a laughably inaccurate view of what it’s like to budget on a minimum wage job. Not only does the budget leave a spot open for “second job,” it also gives wholly unreasonable estimates for employees’ costs: $20 a month for health care, $0 for heating, and $600 a month for rent. It does not include any budgeted money for food or clothing.

[snappyturtle]

1. What a farce! nt

[madaboutharry]

2. $0 for heating!

Do they tell this to employees who live in Minneapolis? What assholes.

[n2doc]

3. Must be a so California budget

Because there is no cooling money either.

Yep, to be a mickey D's employee you need to work 2 dead end jobs, for about 58 hours a week, just to make that budget. And still no Health Care.

[Cleita]

17. Even we need heat, which most of us get with gas.

I get propane and it costs me about $250 to $300 a year, depending on what gas is going for.

[corkhead]

20. the glow of your tee-vee will keep you warm, hence the $100 for the Telecom industry

[LisaLynne]

4. Yeah, see?

You don't need to make more than the absolute least we can legally pay you! Look at how that all works out so nicely! If you are having trouble living on your wages, it's clearly because you can't stick to a budget.

[Cleita]

8. Or get a second job because the first one doesn't pay enough to survive on. n/t

[Blue Owl]

5. McWTF???

[steve2470]

6. note FOOD is missing from the expenses....wtf..... nt

[Cleita]

7. And medication.

Also, I can't buy health insurance for my cat for $20. What universe are they living in?

[steve2470]

9. excellent points nt

[LisaLynne]

10. Don't be silly.

That stuff comes out of monthly, optional "Spending money". It's fine.

I am now going to go kick some double arches.

[Posteritatis]

16. One where water service is free too, apparently. (nt)

[progressoid]

11. $20 for health insurance???

[Yo_Mama]

12. You can't even buy McDonald's mini-med ins plan for that money

It begins at $14 a week, or roughly $56 a month. But the benefits are capped at $2,000 a year.
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20101005/NEWS03/101009957/mcdonalds-mini-med-plan-puts-health-reform-under-microscope-sebelius-says

This must have been Fuck An Employee day at Personnel.

[progressoid]

13. What a deal!

Sign me up!

[Yo_Mama]

14. It is almost incredible, isn't it? n/t

[Posteritatis]

15. I'm north of the border and pay double that for benefits w/my last few jobs

If they think $20/mo covers anything down there whatever insurance they have must include a fantastic drug plan.

Aren't you guys usually closer to $200-500/mo for health insurance or something similarly batshit crazy these days?

[Cleita]

18. My combined health care insurance is about $330 a month and I get

Medicare.

[progressoid]

19. Yep

My wife and I have a $4500 deductible too

[Igel]

21. Is it also issuing an order to have two jobs?

It's a sample. Elsewhere it gives sample expenses for each day, but I really would be surprised that they intended for anybody to follow their "advice."

BTW, they revised it. So now you're "supposed" to spend $50 on heat if you're English speaking and $30 if you're Spanish speaking. Or, perhaps, just take it as "Gee, I put numbers in here."