The company had previously only offered those benefits to salaried employees.

>> Read more trending stories

“It’s an incredible statement by our leadership about how much we want to invest in the best people we have and to keep them with us,” JD Cummings, Chipotle recruitment strategy manager, told Nation’s Restaurant News.

Cummings added that the move should help Chipotle recruit more of its target demographic for new employees: college and high school students.

“If you can’t compete at the bottom in the terms of entry-level wage, what incentive can you build into that process — what path can you create — that’s going to hold your people?” William Espey, Chipotle brand voice lead, told Nation’s.

Chipotle joins other major corporations, including Starbucks and Chrysler, in announcing recent expansions of or additions to tuition reimbursement programs.

According to Chipotle, about 95 percent of its managers are promoted from within the company.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Ultralong 84-month loans make new cars look budget-friendly. The real price shows up in interest and negative equity. (David Guralnick/The Detroit News/TNS)

Credit: TNS

Featured

Waymo autonomous vehicles operate across 65 square miles inside I-285 and have been involved in six incidents with Atlanta Public School buses since May. Waymo issued a recall because of their cars briefly stopping or slowing down before continuing forward while a bus was stopped and flashing its lights. (Courtesy of Atlanta Public Schools)

Credit: Courtesy of Atlanta Public Schools