Question on Payday: Paper or Plastic?
For the 10% of the nation’s households who don’t have bank accounts, a prepaid card released by Visa USA and four major banks can replace the traditional paycheck. According to Visa’s product manager, employers can “deposit” employee checks onto the cards and employees, in turn, can use the card to withdraw cash at ATM’s, pay for purchases at stores and pay certain bills. The card is expected to reduce costs for employers, who save money by not having to produce and distribute paychecks, and may save money for workers, depending on cash checker and banking fees.
See "Question on Payday: Paper or Plastic?", Liz Pulliam Weston, Los Angeles Times, July 24, 2001