During peak times like holidays, the busy summer months, or special events, seasonal workers step in to help hospitality businesses thrive. Whether you hire extra hotel staff to support an influx of tourists or bring on additional waitstaff during your restaurant’s busiest months, these seasonal workers are crucial to business success.

Their temporary status can present unique obstacles, including a shortened onboarding window; the need to navigate payroll regulations like final paycheck laws; and challenges around how to offer a fast payments experience to workers who may not have an existing bank account—since seasonal workers may often be underbanked workers or minors. 

Luckily, platforms like Branch can offer valuable solutions to make the process smoother for everyone involved. Here are three key ways Branch can support seasonal workers in the hospitality industry.

1. Streamlining the Onboarding Process 

One of the challenges of hiring seasonal talent is that there is a shorter onboarding period. Whereas you may provide other hires with a longer onboarding process, seasonal hires typically need to hit the ground running. This can leave them feeling inadequately trained or out of the loop—and it can also create friction with the payments process.

Fortunately, one element of onboarding that Branch can help with is ensuring an efficient payroll set-up. With Branch, you can hand out Branch Cards to your staff and start paying them on day one—making it easy for workers to take home their wages right away.

In addition, for employees who are here on a visa, it may take a few weeks to receive their SSN or ITIN numbers, causing additional headaches with onboarding. Branch does not require an SSN number to get started with our Essential account, allowing you a fast and easy way to onboard these workers.

Seasonal workers also, by nature, have higher turnover—and that’s where Branch makes onboarding easier, too. Employees can take their Branch Cards with them for life. This means that if a seasonal worker goes back to school in the fall but wants to come back and work for you the following summer, they’ll still have the same card and can be paid to the same account—no new set-up required.

And when it comes to issuing final paychecks, Branch has you covered, too. 

2. Helping You Comply with Final Paycheck Laws

Whether seasonal staff are finishing their last shift of the year or they decide to quit, getting a temporary worker their final paycheck can be tricky—but it’s crucial to get it right. 

Final paycheck laws vary by state, and they also vary depending on whether an employee quits or is terminated. Regardless, getting their last paycheck to them in a timely manner is crucial.  If you don’t comply with your state-specific laws, you could be subject to penalties or fines. Many major companies have even been sued for failure to comply with final paycheck laws. 

California has particularly strict final paycheck laws: if you terminate an employee—or if they resign with 72 hours notice you must provide their final paycheck immediately, on their final day of work.  If the employee is resigning without notice, you still only have a limited window—72 hours—to provide their final pay. 

If you’re using outdated payment methods like cash or paper checks, this may pose a challenge, requiring you to track down an employee after they’ve left to ensure they receive payment. Having to overnight a check may also be costly and leave you vulnerable to theft. 

What if you could achieve final payment peace of mind instead? Branch allows you to send employees their earnings—including wages, tips, and any other payments—as soon as shifts are complete, meaning you can stay compliant with final paycheck laws and also ensure a seamless payouts experience. Plus, because employees can take their Branch account with them for life, you don’t have to worry about them losing access to their funds. 

3. Making it Easier to Pay Unbanked Workers & Minors 14+ 

In the restaurant industry, many seasonal workers—especially those in entry-level positions—may not have access to traditional banking services. Some might be unbanked, while others may be minors who are working their first job for the summer. You might hire high school students, exchange students, or workers who have limited documentation and have trouble accessing traditional financial services. And when an employee doesn’t have an existing bank account, it can be tricky to start paying them their earnings right away.

Branch offers a solution that eliminates these barriers by providing a card and digital bank account that doesn’t require any existing account. Restaurant owners can pay workers directly to their Branch accounts, which can be accessed immediately. Whether the worker is unbanked or under-documented, they can still receive and manage their earnings securely. They can use their funds for everyday purchases, transfer money to loved ones, or even save for future needs.

This flexibility is especially helpful in restaurant environments where many workers may not have the same access to traditional banking services. By offering a more inclusive method of payment, Branch ensures that all workers, regardless of their financial situation or experience, can be paid fairly and promptly.

Offer Fast, Flexible Payments Year-Round

Managing seasonal workers comes with unique challenges, but they don’t have to derail you during your busiest times. With Branch, restaurants, hotels, amusement parks, and other hospitality businesses can streamline the onboarding process, support compliance with final paycheck laws, and offer inclusive payment solutions to workers without access to traditional banking. 

All of this can lead to smoother operations during your busiest times—allowing you to focus on what matters most: delivering excellent customer service.

Learn more about Branch for hospitality.

FAQs

Have a question about how Branch works? Explore some of the information below, or reach out to us at sales@branchapp.com.

How much does Branch cost?

Branch is free for you and your employees. Workers can access their funds with the Branch App and Card—eliminating overdraft fees, transaction fees, inactivity fees, and minimum account balance requirements.

What kind of payments can you send with Branch?

Branch is a complete payments platform, allowing you to send all types of worker payments, including wages, cashless tips, and mileage reimbursements. You can also send off-cycle payments like bonuses or incentives, which can be a great recruiting tool when needing to quickly hire more seasonal talent.

Is this available for minors and workers with limited documentation?

Yes! Branch can offer accounts to minors 14+ and workers who have limited documentation, so you can support more of your seasonal workforce. Not having a prior banking history should not be a barrier to getting fast, flexible pay.

Where can Branch Cards be used?

Your employees can use Branch Cards just as they would any other debit card, to make purchases both in-store and online. They can also connect their accounts to Apple Pay or Google Wallet in order to enable contactless spending.

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