Chipotle Will Start Giving Paid Time Off, Tuition Reimbursement And Sick Days To Part-Time Workers

In recent months, the biggest companies in the US are getting immense pressure to increase wages and work conditions for salaried employees as well as part-time workers. In light of that Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. has announced their employees will see an important increase benefits starting July 1, including paid vacation time, sick pay and tuition reimbursement. The company hopes that the mentioned benefits, which were previously offered to salaried employees, will encourage to career-building for workers and help recruit high school and college students.

Chipotle recruitment strategy manager JD Cummings explained the importance of this change at the annual Summer Brand Camp marketing and human resources conference, “It’s an incredible statement by our leadership about how much we want to invest in the best people we have and to keep them with us.” The company, based in Denver, Colorado, counted around 53,100 employees, including about 48,500 hourly employees, as of December 2014. “You've got to promise them you're going to develop them,” Cummings insisted. “You've got to promise them a future that if they are dedicated and good and strong for the company, you are going to reward them.”

The announcement comes after Starbucks Chairman and CEO, Howard Schultz partnered with Arizona State University last year, for its Starbucks College Achievement Plan, allowing part-time and full-time employees to go to college online. Also, McDonald’s recently announced that company-owned restaurants (which account for almost 10 percent worldwide), will earn $1 over the local minimum wage starting July 1. In addition full and part-time workers, who’ve worked with the company for a year at that time, will get paid time off.