McDonald’s starts hiring children as restaurant struggles for staff

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A McDonald’s restaurant in the US is resorting to hiring children as fast-food companies across the country face staffing shortages.

The branch in Medford, Oregon, put up a banner outside the restaurants that reads: “Now hiring 14 & 15 year olds”.

Store operator Heather Coleman told Insider the move was a first in her family’s 40-year history of operating McDonald’s franchises.

She said: “There are always staffing issues, but this is unheard of.”

Opening the door to 14- and 15- year olds had brought in about 25 new applications in two weeks, she said.

The young workers have been “a blessing in disguise,” Coleman said. “They have the drive and work ethic. They get the technology. They catch on really quickly.”

In the US, the minimum age for working in non-agricultural sectors is 14 but laws can vary by state.

According to Oregon’s labour department, children aged 14 and 15 cannot work school hours and are limited to three hours on any school day.

It comes as employers in the US struggle to fill jobs to meet strengthened consumer demand, posting a record-high number of openings.

A growing number of companies have loosened restrictions on hiring out of desperation. Drug store chain CVS announced earlier in August it would no longer require a minimum high school degree to fill entry-level spots at its stores.

Meanwhile, Amazon has stopped testing job seekers for marijuana.

Hiring younger workers could be a smart strategy to tackle the staffing crisis. “It’s really tough times for staffing, why wouldn’t you try to figure out how to hire people?” Kalinowski Equity founder Mark Kalinowski told Insider. “Over time we’ll get back to normal.”