They may not be $1,400 coronavirus stimulus checks, but for many high school and college students, a free iPhone may be the next best thing.

It appears that one McDonald’s franchise in Altamont, Illinois, had this in mind when it came up with a plan to entice new workers by saying that it will give away the popular phone after six months of employment.

Not surprisingly, the tactic has gone viral on Twitter after a passerby put up a photo on the social media site.

That particular McDonald’s location has wages that start at $13 an hour, but it appears to be struggling to find workers. Earlier this month, the fast-food company announced that it would boost hourly wages by an average of 10 percent for more than thirty-six thousand employees at its restaurants.

“These increases, which have already begun, will be rolled out over the next several months and include shifting the entry level range for crew to at least $11-$17 an hour, and the starting range for shift managers to at least $15-$20 an hour based on restaurant location,” McDonald’s said in a press release.

Currently, two dozen states have announced that they would end their participation in federal enhanced jobless benefits, as governors in these states are contending that the enhanced $300 weekly unemployment checks are keeping people out of the workforce.

Despite this, President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan will continue to offer the aid till early September.

Some states like Arizona, Montana, and New Hampshire are even offering financial incentives to those who eventually accept a job. For example, Arizona’s Back to Work program is giving a one-time $1,000 payment to unemployment benefit recipients who accept part-time work and $2,000 to full-timers.

“In Arizona, we’re going to use federal money to encourage people to work instead of paying people not to work,” Gov. Doug Ducey recently told reporters.

Moreover, New Hampshire’s Summer Stipend Program is offering $500 or $1,000 bonuses to new workers, while Oklahoma and Montana are giving $1,200 checks to those who sign on for full-time employment.

“Every small business owner and the workers that are currently working, they need more people,” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp recently said.

“It is hurting our productivity not only in Georgia, but across the country,” he added. 

However, White House officials and some notable economists are contending that stagnant wages and lack of child care options are the chief reasons behind many Americans not reentering the workforce.

“We recognize that the labor supply has been affected by the pandemic,” White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre recently said.

“(There’s) little evidence though that enhanced unemployment benefits are currently affecting Americans’ willingness to work,” she added.

Ethen Kim Lieser is a Minneapolis-based Science and Tech Editor who has held posts at Google, The Korea Herald, Lincoln Journal Star, AsianWeek, and Arirang TV. Follow or contact him on LinkedIn.