CHIPOTLE Mexican Grill announced it will extend some of the same benefits it provides to salaried employees to part-time and entry level workers, starting July 1, including sick pay, paid vacation time and tuition reimbursement.
The company says the benefits are meant to attract qualified employees and will hopefully help in recruiting high school and college students, Chipotle’s “target demographic” for its entry level positions.
JD Cummings, Chipotle’s recruitment strategy manager, said the goal is to help workers move up to become a manager or franchise owner.
“You’ve got to promise them you’re going to develop them,” he said. “You’ve got to promise them a future that if they are dedicated and good and strong for the company, you are going to reward them.”
As of December 2014, Chipotle was reported to have more than 53,000 employees; of those, about 48,5000 were hourly workers.
“It’s an incredible statement by our leadership about how much we want to invest in the best people we have and to keep them with us,” Cummings said last week at the annual Summer Brand camp marketing and human resources conference, according to ABC News.
Chipotle did not immediately respond to a request for further details about the benefits, such as how much paid time off hourly workers will receive and what criteria they must meet to qualify for tuition reimbursement, CNN reported.
The move by Chipotle comes as US fast food chains are pressured to boost wages and enhance working conditions.
In April, Starbucks announced it would cover the cost of four years of tuition at Arizona State University’s online program for full- and part-time employees.
McDonald’s also recently announced it would increase wages for its employees by at least $1 more than the local minimum wage, although this does not apply to its franchise locations. (With reports from ABC News and CNN)
(LA Midweek June 10 – 12, 2015 Sec. B pg.1)
