A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier • Hacker News Board

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#341

Post by kabdib » Fri, Dec 06, 2019, 12:12 AM UTC

sebringj wrote: post #32

Before I had a programmer job when i was younger, i completely 100% empathize with her in having those types of thankless jobs and constantly being tired. I can't imagine being trapped in that going forward. I bootstrapped my situation but I had a nice parents, a middle-class upbringing and a decent school to start everything, and a knack for programming... but I know/met so many who do not have this leg up in whatev…

I worked as a dishwasher for a year. Every high-tech job I've had since then has been easy in comparison, even the crazy ones.

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#342

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Dec 06, 2019, 12:12 AM UTC

michaelmrose wrote: post #197

Miner49er wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How does that change my point though? Either way they end up net poorer. If you're poor and don't take the $1000, you are the same and everyone else is $1000 richer. This makes you effectively $1000 poorer. Yang actually says UBI will save money compared to benefits. So if you pick UBI you're even more than $1000 poorer, if he's right.

There is no particular reason to believe that increases in costs would exactly match the benefits granted leaving you 1000 dollars poorer even if ssdi income was better than ubi. Furthermore ubi would not be negatively effected by a spouse earning money in a way that actually punishes families for working nor would it require suing the government for 5-10 years while they pretend your family member isn't disabled. On…

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Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#343

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Dec 06, 2019, 12:13 AM UTC

duxup wrote: post #112

I worked a pizza (among others) job through high school and college. I've been overworked at many professional technical jobs in different roles before. I'm paid a great deal more now, and yet I was never more tired or worn out or found it hard to study than when I worked the ovens at the pizza place. I often work with people who have never worked such jobs. They're upset that they're 'overworked' and spend their tim…

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Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#344

Post by stevenwoo » Fri, Dec 06, 2019, 12:14 AM UTC

narrator wrote: post #128

The people who do ok with these jobs are people with tight nit families who live 12 people to an apartment and share all expenses. For some reason, that kind of living arrangement never works in America. Zoning can cause that to be a problem, but there are other reasons it doesn't work. I was reading a blog by an American who took a job at a hair cutter in China and 12 people lived in 3 rooms in bunk beds in the back…

That living situation describes migrant farm workers and day workers across America, probably any industry that use illegal immigrants for most of their labor.

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#345

Post by iaabtpbtpnn » Fri, Dec 06, 2019, 12:15 AM UTC

js2 wrote: post #237

In another America: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/12/04/realestate/05... (Yes, this an NYT Real Estate fluff piece, but god damn, sometimes I wonder how this is the same country.)

Perhaps it is the same country precisely because of that disparity? Maybe the rich's lavish lifestyles are only possible due to masses of hidden poor people, who suffer primarily because such rich people exist?

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#346

Post by oh_sigh » Fri, Dec 06, 2019, 12:16 AM UTC

scottlocklin wrote: post #315

oh_sigh wrote: post #229

Earlier quoted context omitted.

She isn't paying $370 out of pocket though. She could be paying $0 out of pocket using the advanced payments to pay for her premium. And tax credits can make it so you are owed money by the government - it doesn't matter if she pays $370/mo in taxes or not. As other posters have said, bronze doesn't buy you much - but I can't understand why she can't afford it if it is $0 out of pocket.

Well maybe you should fly out there and explain to exhausted mickey-d's worker how she could magically get free health insurance. Seriously; it would be an epic good deed assuming you're actually right. I know people who have been in this position: just because you read something on a website doesn't make it necessarily true.

Why would I need to fly out there? Open enrollment is happening right now, and I just plugged her stats into the form on healthcare.gov. It literally took me less than 90 seconds.

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#347

Post by vkou » Fri, Dec 06, 2019, 12:19 AM UTC

larrywright wrote: post #219

sterkekoffie wrote: post #211

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In 2017, McDonald's had 235,000 employees and paid its shareholders $7.7 billion. Compelling argument, all right.

The restaurants are almost entirely owned by franchisees and run on fairly tight margins. You can argue that the corporation makes too much money or whatever, but they’re not the ones who will be screwed if I’m right.

If those franchises will not be able to make ends meet, corporate will have to reduce their tithe. Trust me, there's a lot of money that can be squeezed from the shareholders.

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#348

Post by oh_sigh » Fri, Dec 06, 2019, 12:20 AM UTC

TurkishPoptart wrote: post #317

oh_sigh wrote: post #233

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can take the tax credit and apply it to your taxes at EOY, or you can have advanced payment where the tax credits are paid out monthly to your insurance company to help cover your premiums. Using the latter method, she basically just gets free health care - she doesn't need to wait a full year to recoup her $370*12

I suspect that for most people making, say, less than $60,000 a year, paying cash for insurance and then expecting to be reimbursed by filing incomprehensible tax forms is not an option. This person simply can't afford it. Tax credits are useless when you are living paycheck to paycheck from two crappy jobs. She is probably eligible for Medicaid.

The ACA specifically supports paying your estimated tax credit directly to the insurance company on a month to month basis, meaning you don't need to front the cash before you get it back as a tax credit.

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#349

Post by bluedino » Fri, Dec 06, 2019, 12:20 AM UTC

x2f10 wrote: post #18

Her job is already going away; McDonald's around me have already replaced cashiers with kiosks. Unionizing and requiring $15/hr + full benefits is only going to accelerate McDonald's automation plans. Is the answer to fight for $15/hr or is the answer to go back to school, apply to more jobs, and/or go into a trade? Honest question.

The kiosk is in your pocket. Every fast food place has an app now that you can order with before you even get to the restaurant.

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#350

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Dec 06, 2019, 12:21 AM UTC

ryandrake wrote: post #137

maxaf wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Yang's plan would require that the cashier has to choose between the "UBI" or her existing benefits. I'm neutral on Yang's campaign, but I like the idea of a UBI because administering it will be much cheaper than running existing benefits. Means-testing has a real and very sizeable cost. What will happen to all the guvment workers who will get laid off once existing benefits have been supplanted by the UBI? They wi…

It’s the government: They’ll just move everyone over to the new Department of UBI, with an Administrator of UBI, a Deputy Administrator of UBI, an Assistant To The Deputy Administrator, a team of consultants, inspectors, auditors, inspectors of the auditors, auditors of the inspectors of the auditors, and so on. Nobody will actually lose their job.

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