Staffing

Oregon McDonald’s hiring as young as 14 years old

iStock Photo

September 1, 2021

One McDonald's franchisee is so desperate for workers, she's appealing to 14- and 15-year-olds for new hires, according to a Business Insider report. Medford, Oregon, franchisee Heather Coleman told the news outlet: "There are always staffing issues, but this is unheard of."

Coleman's family has operated the McDonald's for 40 years and said staffing is at an all-time low. Though bringing the minimum wage up to $15 didn't work, lowering the hiring age brought in about 25 applicants in two weeks, Coleman told Business Insider.

Anyone 14 years or older can legally work in the state of Oregon, but those under 15 cannot work more than three hours on a school day, during school hours or more than eight hours on non-school days, according to a New York Post report.

Unemployment dropped to 5.4% in July, but restaurant management is still feeling the squeeze from the COVID-19 pandemic. About 8.7 million people remain unemployed — far higher than the 5.7 million unemployed before the pandemic shutdown in 2020.