McDonald's Sued by Employee Over Debit Card Wage Fees

When I first heard about the woman suing McDonald’s over receiving wages through a debit card, I wondered, oh is this another let’s see what else we can sue bloated ol’ McD’s for story? I mean, what’s the big deal over receiving wages though a card if you can withdraw and you use cards anyway, right?? Wrong!

By suing via a class-action law suit filed last Thursday, 27-year-old single mother, Natalie Gunshannon, has brought to light an absurdly corrupt practice that had better crawl back under the rock it came out from under.

Gunshannon worked there for a month and finally got her first paycheck which was actually a Chase Bank debit card with a fees statement attached. Wages would be deposited on the card and withdrawn from there. She read the statement and did not sign her card. She asked her boss if she could be paid by check or direct deposit. She also took her complaint to the main franchise holder. No, the card was the only option – and the fees.

The JP Morgan Chase payroll card includes the following fee deductions:

$1.50 charge for ATM withdrawals
$5 for over-the-counter cash withdrawals
$15 for lost/stolen card
$1 per balance inquiry
75 cents per online bill payment

Minimum wage is $7.25 and Gunshannon was making $7.44 – so any fees which are necessary every time an employee checks their balance or withdraws their wages could easily put the wages under the minimum wage mark.

Public relations coordinator, Beth Dal Santo said:

We value our employees and everything they do for our organization. We are committed to providing them the best possible work environment so they can deliver the fast, reliable service that our customers expect.

Is that so?

Attorney Mike Cefalo calls this “another example of corporate greed.” And that the fees are:

squeezing the most vulnerable of our society. They make minimum wage or a little more and they squeeze money from them.

When they work hard and earn their wages, why should they have to pay fees to collect their rightful wages?

The suit:

seeks an unspecified amount of monetary damages and asks for punitive, compensatory and liquidated damages, plus legal fees and litigation costs against the company for its “ill-gotten gains contrary to justice, equity, good conscience and Pennsylvania law.

Cefalo now has more and more employees coming to him with the same stories.

Natalie understandably says she needs to receive all the money she earns.