America's luckiest workers are teens, as employers pour on perks and higher pay, the New York Times reports.
Why it matters: In the face of a nationwide hospitality and restaurant worker shortage, more teenagers from 16 to 19 are working now than before the pandemic erupted, per Bureau of Labor statistics cited by the Times.
- Workers at Kennywood theme park outside Pittsburgh "are receiving season park passes for themselves and three family members — a bonus worth around $300," per the Times. Kennywood's starting wage is $13, up from $9 last year.
- Applebee’s has offered an 'Apps for Apps' deal to give interviewed applicants a free appetizer voucher.
- Restaurants and gas stations across the U.S. are offering workers signing bonuses.
- Lifeguards are getting raises, and some age requirements are dropping from 16 to 15.
Reality check: Data show that white teens are doing better than Black or Hispanic teens, possibly because of transportation disparities:
- "[W]hile places like Cape Cod and suburban neighborhoods begin to boom, some urban centers with public transit remain short on foot traffic."