Employee benefits usually mean overtime pay and sick days, but some large companies offer a tuition assistance program to help their workers access affordable higher education. These tuition aid programs for workers seem to be sticking around despite the negative impact of the coronavirus on the economy.

Have you noticed the section of your scholarship search profile called “Employer”? Students who work jobs at companies like Chipotle and Starbucks might be surprised to learn that their employment can help them pay for college. Chipotle’s Education Assistance Program, for example, will cover tuition for employees to work towards an associates or bachelor’s degree at select online universities. Typically, employees had to maintain specific work hours to qualify for tuition assistance, but in response to the pandemic cutting hours at restaurants, Chipotle has relaxed the requirement. To date, more than 8,000 Chipotle employees have taken advantage of this program.

Even as large corporations cut down their hours for safety reasons, signs point to tuition assistance programs remaining open to employees. That’s because they’re relatively low-cost for large companies with a large payoff of a high-skilled workforce. Some are even expanding the reach of their tuition programs, whether into new markets or expanding the number of schools that are their education partners.

If you haven’t already, scroll through the list of companies under the Employer tab in your Scholarships.com profile. You may find your company on the roster – and that your hard work can help you pay for higher education.

Get instantly matched to scholarships that meet your skillset, strengths and unique talents. Our search algorithms match you to scholarships that fit your profile. Access a complete list of college scholarships now by conducting a free college scholarship search at Scholarships.com.