While I read the article, I have never been involved with an employer that didn't offer direct deposit. In fact, most employers would prefer it.
I used to work for a retailer that paid with the loadable debit cards. It wasn't that huge of a deal - not nearly as much as this girl is making it out to be. If you don't want direct deposit, you get the card. Lots of employers of low-level jobs are going this route, because usually low-level jobs are held by kids who don't have bank accounts. It's almost impossible to cash a check without a bank account, so it was done to (1) save money on paper checks, and (2) make it easier for people to get the money.
Also, with our employees, the money was loaded on the account. You didn't have to use the card. You could use a ComChek, which is what truckers use. Could you imagine trying to get paid from your company in New Hampshire, and you were in Arizona? That's how ComChek came to be. ComCheks are blank checks that can be picked up at truck stops, or even possibly offered by the employer. You take the blank check, call the payroll company, give them the check number and your employee number, and she validates the check for the amount you want it validated for. Then you take it to the cashier at the truck stop and she cashes it for you - usually for a fee of .99 cents.
If she didn't want to use the card, and didn't want to use ComChek, and couldn't do direct deposit, she should have done what I always told my hourly employees - if you have been paid, say, $175 - go to the ATM and take out $160, or even $170 if you can find one that dispenses tens. Then you don't have tons of fees - just the one. If she was only allowed to get pay out in twenties, the remainder of her pay would be left in the account until she got paid again.
It's really not that big of a deal. She only worked for 3 weeks, and got paid. Sounds like she just didn't want to work for McDonald's, not that I blame her.