Desperate for Workers, Oregon McDonald’s Begins Hiring 14-Year-Olds

Teenagers and fast food are a natural combination, but in a tight labor market they are popping up on both sides of the counter.

For example, a McDonald’s in Medford, Oregon, put a banner out to proclaim its intention of hiring 14- and 15-year olds.

“There are always staffing issues, but this is unheard of,” restaurant operator Heather Coleman told Insider, saying it is a unique time in the 40 years her family has operated McDonald’s franchises.

The young teens have been “a blessing in disguise,” Coleman said.

“They have the drive and work ethic. They get the technology. They catch on really quickly.”

Coleman had first tried upping the wage for new hires to $15 an hour. That produced a ripple of interest, but she said it was not until she began reaching out to 14- and 15-year-olds that she saw real results. – READ MORE