Yellowstone National Park employee lives in dorms for $96 a month

Zoe De La Paz, a 26-year-old former mechanical designer from Chicago, has transitioned from a $75,000 annual salary to working as a seasonal seamstress within Yellowstone National Park.

Working for Xanterra Parks & Resorts, De La Paz earns $19.25 per hour. Her role involves maintaining employee uniforms, which includes repairing zippers, buttons, and hems. During peak tourist periods, she has reported repairing as many as 40 pairs of pants in a single day.

As part of her employment, De La Paz resides in an employee dormitory in Mammoth Village. Her monthly housing cost is $96, a deduction taken directly from her paycheck, which covers her bed, utilities, and Wi-Fi. The housing arrangement involves shared dorm rooms, bathrooms, and laundry facilities.