Staffing

Chipotle adds 19K jobs

Photo: Chipotle

January 24, 2024

Chipotle Mexian Grill is looking to hire 19,000 employees for its upcoming "burrito season," the company's busiest time of year running from March to May, according to a company press release. It also announced that it was providing additional financial wellness and mental well-being support for over 110,000 employees through an Employee Assistance Program and enhanced benefits.

"Empowering our talent is embedded in our company's culture," Ilene Eskenazi, chief human resources officer, said in a company press release. "As we push toward our long-term goal of operating 7,000 restaurants in North America, it's crucial that we listen to and adapt to the needs of our team members, so they can grow with us."

Chipotle's benefits will enable eligible employees to:

• Pay off student debt while saving for retirement: Utilizing SoFi's Student Loan Verification service, once an employee becomes eligible for Chipotle's 401(k) plan match, the company will match up to 4% of an employee's salary through contributions to their 401(k) if they make eligible student loan payments. The benefit solution, launched in response to Congress' approval of the Securing a Strong Retirement Act, allows employees who qualify to no longer have to choose between paying off student debt or saving for retirement.
• Build credit through high-tech banking: Chipotle employees will have access to a premium banking experience from Cred.ai featuring a high-tech Visa card that offers security features, faster access to paychecks, and Cred.ai's "Credit Optimizer," which helps build and boost credit scores automatically, even for employees who already have good credit.
• Manage financial wellness: Chipotle's partnership with SoFi will also give employees access to the SoFi at Work Dashboard, a leading financial well-being education platform, which includes an assessment of the current financial outlook, followed by suggestions and tools to improve.
• Access mental health resources: Chipotle's Employee Assistance Program SupportLinc, powered by CuraLinc Healthcare, focuses on mental and emotional well-being. It includes six free sessions with a licensed counselor or mental health coach, as well as access to tools, resources, and community support for legal, financial and family matters.

"Today we have many examples of crew members rising through the ranks and now holding restaurant leadership roles, which are among the proudest accomplishments of this organization," COO Scott Boatwright said in the release. "With 2024's 'burrito season' approaching, there are more career opportunities than ever at Chipotle."

Over 73% of Chipotle's restaurant employees are Gen Z, and these benefits cater to the challenges they are facing, Eskenazi said. It has been widely cited that those born in the late 90s through the early 2000s are experiencing notable financial challenges, including racking up credit card debt faster than previous generations and being nearly twice as likely as the general population to not feel confident managing their money.

Chipotle has over 3,300 restaurants.