In late June and early July of 2013, thanks largely to a lengthy story in The New York Times, the practice of paying worker wages via a prepaid debit card has come under increased scrutiny. According to the report in the Times – and subsequent coverage in Time Magazine and Businessweek – large employers including Wal-Mart Stores, McDonald’s and Time Warner Cable are eschewing traditional paper paychecks and direct deposit in favor of paying wages on prepaid debit cards.