ORLANDO, Fla. – Payroll debit cards are becoming increasingly popular. Usually the plastic cards are used to rack up debt but that is not the case now-a-days.
Businesses like Darden Restaurants are giving their employees an option on how they'd like to be paid. Officials said 48 percent of their workers prefer to be paid on a debit card, 50 percent still opt for direct deposit and 2 percent a traditional check.
Rich Jeffers, a Darden spokesperson, says they had a few incentives for their company to move to debit cards.
For managers, the cards eliminate two hours of paperwork each pay period. Also workers don't have to come into restaurant to pick up their pay.
There is concern about employees incurring fees, but as long as you use the debit payroll card at one of the 40,000 Allpoint ATM's nationwide or places that accept Visa, employees will not be charged a fee.
According to Jeffers, a lot of people don't have bank accounts, especially the younger generation, so they too find this as a convenience.
Smokey Bones Bar and Fire Grill and Tony Roma's also use this payment method with their employees and find it to be successful.