• by Teresa Buyikian , January 24, 2024

Who knew there was a burrito season? Apparently there is for Chipotle, and it takes place yearly from March until May, when the chain is at its busiest.

As Chipotle needs to hire 19,000 additional employees to gear up for the increase in business, the company has announced new benefit perks targeted at potential Gen Z hires, which account for more than 73% of the chain’s employees.

The added benefits, which prioritize financial and mental health and include an Employee Assistance Program, also apply to Chipotle’s more than 110,000 employees across the country.

A primary benefit is enabling employees’ access to banking through Cred.ai, which, according to the release, “features 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.”

Another is giving employees the tools to both simultaneously pay off their student loans and save for retirement by utilizing SoFi's Student Loan Verification (SLV) 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 company says.

Employees also now have access to the SoFi at Work Dashboard, a financial well-being education platform that includes an assessment of an employee's current financial outlook and provides tools for improvement.

"Empowering our talent is embedded in our company's culture," says Ilene Eskenazi, Chipotle’s chief human resources officer. "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."

In mental health, with the Employee Assistance Program, SupportLinc, powered by CuraLinc Healthcare, “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.”