It is a combination that is likely to be highly appealing to many workers: the option to work from home and to get help paying off their student debt.
Some employers offer both.
“Finding a remote position that also has a benefit around student loan assistance not only gives people the opportunity to work the way they want to, but can ease some of the financial tightness people are feeling right now due to economic circumstances,” said Toni Frana, FlexJobs’ lead career expert.
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Here are 7 companies hiring for remote work that also provide student loan assistance, according to a roundup by FlexJobs. (All but Fidelity had active listings on the job site as of August 7.)
- Peloton
- Weedmaps
- Abbott
- Chegg
- Fidelity
- Carhartt
How student loan aid works as an employee benefit
Student loan assistance programs come in a number of forms, and the benefit’s value can vary widely. So it’s worth digging into the terms before you make it a deciding factor in your job hunt, experts say.
More than three-quarters of people who have student loans or expect to take them out say they’d be more likely to accept a job with a lower salary if they received a student loan assistance benefit, a Fidelity survey recently found. The firm polled recent college graduates and current high school students.
“With very low unemployment rates, employers will be more willing to offer student loan assistance to attract and retain qualified employees,” said higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz. Although, he pointed out, a higher salary allows workers to pay off their debt at a faster pace on their own.
An employer offer for loan assistance may be especially attractive given the Supreme Court’s recent ruling striking down President Joe Biden’s plan to cancel up to $20,000 in federal student debt. Biden said he’s pursuing a different path to try to cancel people’s debts, but the process could be lengthy and will likely be met with the same legal challenges as his first attempt.
Student loan bills are set to resume in October after being on pause for over three years.
SHRM, a group representing human resources professionals, called on Congress and state legislatures in June to establish bigger tax breaks for workplace education benefits.
Meanwhile, more than 95% of people say they want some form of remote work, according to a FlexJobs survey in May.