American McDonald’s is now willing to give work to 14-year-olds

One of McDonald’s restaurants in Oregon has started recruiting and is now willing to give work to 14-year-olds. It is driven by the general labor shortages that many other similar companies in the United States face. The problems started earlier and deepened during the covid-19 pandemic. According to the restaurant manager, fourteen-year-olds are lucky in misfortune. "We now accept 14-year-olds and 15-year-olds," the restaurant posted a large billboard in Medford, southern Oregon. Some people on social networks have criticized this effort, but employing 14-year-olds is perfectly legal in the state of Oregon, subject to certain conditions. The fast food sector has relied on the work of teenagers for a long time, but mostly people from the age of 16. The manager of a restaurant in Oregon confirmed on Wednesday that a large advertising banner is still hanging in front of the restaurant and that the establishment continues to recruit at the age of fourteen. Restaurant operator Heather Coleman told Business Insider she didn't remember ever being as bad as she was right now. And her family has been leading McDonald’s franchises for 40 years. But when management offered the job to even younger people, Coleman had 25 job applications on the table in two weeks. "There have always been problems with securing staff, but this is completely unheard of," Coleman said. "These fourteen and fifteen-year-old employees are lucky in misfortune. They have the energy and work ethic, they know how to use technology and they learn really fast, "she added. Coleman says she has tried everything when fast food operators across the United States have had to close headquarters and sell only from drive-thru windows due to staff shortages. Coleman had previously increased the minimum hourly wage to $ 15 , but that didn't work either. The approach chosen by restaurants in Oregon could thus herald a growing trend in the USA. One Burger King restaurant in Ohio has previously chosen a similar approach and directly addressed the parents directly in the restaurant in the form of an advertisement, whether they have a fourteen or fifteen-year-old child who would like to earn extra money.