That First Paycheck

Posted Jun 1, 2009 by Donna Koehn

Updated Jun 1, 2009 at 11:22 AM

It’s a sad sign of the times when you have to know someone to get a job at McDonald’s.

My daughter, who turns 18 this week and graduated from high school on Friday night, started her job at the Golden Arches today. She filled out applications all over town for months before landing this one. A friend of hers was recently promoted to shift manager there and got her in the door.

I’ve read that this is the toughest summer for teenage workers since 1976, when I graduated from high school. My friends and I could find nothing. My dad finally got me a job at a hospital laboratory washing used test tubes and specimen bottles. If I needed motivation to go on to college, that was it.

My daughter is excited and I think a little nervous. I’ve always had respect for the fast-food workers who manage to keep their cool, especially while handling the drive-through. This will be yet another step in her independence before she starts college this fall.

I was impressed that McDonald’s management required her to bring in her diploma to show that she was a graduate and therefore could work daytime hours while other kids are still in school. That attention to detail is nice and reassures a mom that the company isn’t trying to exploit its young workers.

However, I feel sorry for the employees who aren’t teens living at home with help from Mom and Dad. She was provided one shirt, but had to buy a certain type of black pants and work shoes. The McDonald’s training manual even recommended she buy the shoes at Wal-Mart. Even at Wal-Mart, the pants were $20 a pair (we bought two) and the shoes were $25. Imagine the adult trying to make it in a minimum wage job in which you’re out $65 before your first paycheck. (The manual says you can wait until your first payday to buy the shoes, but I’m pretty sure you’d want them from the beginning, considering the floor might be wet and slippery.) Lucky for her, we have a washer and dryer, too.

She headed out this morning looking cute as a button in her crisp red shirt, black visor and name tag. If you visit the Fishhawk area McDonald’s, please have patience with the little girl with pretty red hair and a sweet smile. I can assure you, she’s trying her best.