Escalate, a startup founded by nonprofit veterans Sienna Daniel and Sean Segal, has developed an app designed to address barriers that prevent low-wage workers from maintaining employment. The application provides employees with on-demand support for common obstacles to workplace attendance, including transportation vouchers, grocery assistance, and childcare payments.
The founders developed the concept after years working in nonprofit training and workforce development, where they repeatedly observed workers losing jobs due to practical challenges rather than capability or willingness to work. Daniel and Segal recognized that while opportunities for employment existed, workers often lacked the immediate resources needed to reach their jobs consistently. They identified absenteeism as a significant cost for employers while simultaneously representing a critical threat to workers’ financial stability.
Escalate began a pilot program in 2025 with support from the state of Maryland, partnering with a McDonald’s franchise operating seven locations in Prince George’s County. During the six-month pilot, employees could request assistance through the app when facing emergencies. Transportation support took the form of Uber vouchers, while food insecurity was addressed through grocery gift cards. For childcare challenges, workers received Visa gift cards to pay trusted family members or neighbors, an arrangement the founders found workers preferred over formal backup daycare services.
Franchise operators reported substantial benefits from the program. The fast-food industry estimates that each missed shift costs approximately $300, accounting for lost productivity, abandoned customers, and overtime expenses. The franchise owners noted that customer satisfaction suffered during understaffed periods, as wait times increased and some customers left without completing their orders. Early results from the pilot indicated the app reduced callouts and improved operational efficiency across the locations.
Workers like Ebert Velasquez Ramos, a recent high school graduate in his first job, credited the service with enabling consistent attendance despite lacking personal transportation options.
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