This is the nature of the ongoing cycle of poverty and low income living. These people will work hard, often more than one job, all of their lives and (with some exceptions) will always be poor and living paycheck to paycheck. These companies are taking advantage of people who they know are (1) grateful to have a job and (2) are not very competitive in the overall job market.
Also, unfortunately, there are people who do not know that their company's way of providing wages is detrimental. There are people who would think a debit card, gas card, Walmart card, or something of that nature sounds like a good idea. These people often haven't looked at their wage details and their companies know these are people who are just battling to find ANY job. To use a popular culture reference, those who are familiar with the movie Cadillac Records about Chess Records. Those poor Black artists were thrilled to get those new Cadillacs as compensation. Then along came Howlin' Wolf who refused to take the Cadillac. He took his MONEY, stayed in old truck, and was able to use his money however he chose. He and Muddy Waters had a rift for reasons including that. Waters ended up poor and Wolf was like "I told ya so...I can give you some money if you need it."

Of course, some of this is accurate and much of it is Hollywood but the point remains the same.