A deli has sparked outrage online after a hiring sign for one of the eatery's Florida stores went viral.

The manager of Jason's Deli in Melbourne, Florida, put out a public job ad on a blackboard that didn't go down well - not only due to the wages offered, but also because it expects applicants to be prepared to "outperform" the owner for a minimum of $15.

First off on the sign, a minimum wage is offered for a so-called "mediocre person".

Someone who is applying for the role as their first job can expect $9 an hour.

For just a dollar more an hour, the deli expects an "efficient" person with "some experience". And for another extra dollar per hour, the candidate must be a "reliable multi-tasker".

[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/HaitianDvorce/status/1426928809928970245]]

For $12 an hour, the applicant must perform "better than most", "bring zero drama" and "work like two people".

When a worker is considered "supervisory material", they can expect to earn $13 an hour.

For $14 an hour, one must "never be late, care like the owner does, bring positivity to the environment."

And finally, for as little as $15 an hour, employees must "outshine" and "outperform" the owner.

Needless to say, the sign attracted a great deal of criticism, with one person writing: "If you do more work than the boss, why would they pay you $15/hr instead of giving you the [boss'] salary?"

[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/blkmsk/status/1426934173873360897]]

Another chimed in: "Anyone who would work there after seeing that doesn’t have much self-respect. If the owner doesn’t want to pay more then maybe they shouldn’t own a small business and go get a job themselves."

[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/DebbyClues/status/1429041352692621312]]

However, not everyone was so critical of the job ad, with one person suggesting: "I think everyone is losing sight of the fact that not all positions are meant to provide a head of household wage."

They continued: "If you would like to make a career out of working for a deli, you have bigger problems than your hourly wage. Some jobs are just a step on the ladder."

[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/LtheHeard/status/1426968756044054529]]

Following the backlash, Jason's Deli posted a statement on Facebook, acknowledging the "inappropriateness" of the sign:

"The manager of our Melbourne, FL, location recently posted a sign intended to attract prospective applicants through the potential for upward movement through our Career Path.

"The sign communicated that message in an inappropriate manner that does not accurately reflect the hiring practices of Jason's Deli.

"We reached out to the manager and he recognized the sign’s inappropriateness and immediately removed it. We regret any misunderstanding that sign may have caused.

"Jason’s Deli values our employees. To maintain the high level of service that they provide — and that our customers expect — we hire highly motivated people by offering competitive and fair wages.

"We have taken this incident as a learning opportunity and have reached out to all of our managers to ensure that they are responding appropriately to the challenges of hiring in the current environment."

What do you think of the hiring sign? Let us know in the comments!

Featured image credit: Lori Martin / Alamy

Deli posts sign saying employees must 'outperform' the owner for $15 an hour