Morning Brew - 🎒 Back to school

Time-saving tools and products we’re really into rn.

Ditch the stinky jars of cooking oil and pick up FryAway, a powder hardener that magically solidifies oil for easy disposal.

Got a long layover? Spend less time waiting around at the airport and more time vacationing with Dayuse, where you can book hotel stays, pool time, and even spa visits for time blocks throughout the day.

Introverts deserve to party, too. Break out of your shell at your next large gathering with some tips—like mentally preparing yourself to socialize and taking breaks from the group—from this Vox article.

A head start on your hustle.

If you’ve recently considered furthering your education, the prospect of taking on massive student loans may have made you hesitate. And while the Biden administration’s announcement to cancel up to $10,000 to $20,000 in federal student loan debt offers some reprieve, you might not be ready for another financial commitment. But there may be assistance from an unlikely source: your job! According to Statista Research Center, 47% of employers offered undergraduate and graduate tuition assistance to staff in 2020, and 8% offered loan repayment assistance. To learn more about how to maximize employee education benefits, Sidekick caught up with Michael Riordan, CEO of BenefitEd, and Deniece Maston, HR knowledge advisor at the Society for Human Resources Management’s Knowledge Center.

Before you register for classes, though, ask your HR leader about the education benefits your company may offer, Riordan suggested. Popular benefits offered include tuition reimbursement, employer-assisted student loan repayment programs, or even loan reimbursement. Find out what the requirements are to qualify for each program and whether or not there are any conditions. Then, research programs accordingly.

“Tuition reimbursement [can be used] to go back to school to get your bachelor’s degree or to achieve a master’s degree. Additional education [helps you] level up and be more qualified for jobs,” Riordan said. “And an employer’s student loan benefit [can] help you pay down debt more quickly, pay less overall interest, and move on with your financial goals.”

Once you figure out what’s available, follow these tips to maximize the benefits:

• If you qualify for student loan assistance, use it on private loans. Private loans may be exempt from programs such as government student loan relief programs and emergency forbearance programs implemented during the pandemic. “If you can take care of the private loan with the highest interest rate by using your employee benefit, that can create a snowball effect to help you take care of all of your student loan debt,” Riordan said. Make a spreadsheet and start crunching numbers.
• Maximize tuition reimbursement over a longer time period. Under the CARES Act, employers can contribute up to $5,250 per employee per year in reimbursement benefits tax-free, Maston said. While some employers may offer more, note that there may be tax implications beyond that figure. The temporary program has also been extended until 2025, so you could take a serious slice out of your student debt if this benefit is offered by your employer.
• Think outside the box. Education benefits don’t always have to be used to earn a degree, either. “Not everybody goes back to undergraduate or graduate school. Some people do things like professional development courses or get certifications [that are in] high demand,” Maston said. So as long as you can show the value of continuing education for your job, your manager might sign off on non-traditional (and more affordable) forms of education for professional development.
• If possible, combine your benefits. Some employers offer multiple education options. See if you can use one to help pay off your undergrad student loan debt and another to get to grad school (or a professional certification program).

Regardless of how you choose to further your education, Riordan and Maston agreed that learning additional skills helps increase your value as an employee.—SS

Tech tips and tricks.

There are few heartbreaks as painful as when your phone gives you a “Storage Full” message just as you’re about to capture that once-in-a-lifetime moment. So if you don’t want to be frantically deleting a million pics during a graduation ceremony, read on.

Here’s how to optimize your storage using the smart features on Google Pixel and iPhone. If you have a Google Pixel phone, turn on Smart Storage to automatically free up space when it’s almost full. Go to Settings > Storage and tap on Free up space. Then tap the Menu icon and go to Settings again. Now turn on Smart Storage.

There’s a similar feature for the iPhone, too. Save photos and videos to iCloud by going to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos. Turn on iCloud Photos and click Optimize iPhone Storage to make room for new photos on your device. Happy snapping!—SS

Burning questions of our time.

As salary transparency spreads from quiet whispers in break rooms to an amplified discussion on the national stage, some have duly noted that one demographic is still missing: the C-suite. A recent LinkedIn survey, in fact, found that most senior leaders don’t want to disclose their salaries to anyone—even their friends and families. While some execs claim they want to avoid disrupting the employer-employee status quo by sharing pay information, critics argue that that’s exactly why it’s necessary.

Should senior leadership be expected (and willing) to reveal their salaries? Or should they continue to tightly guard just how much they’re making? Share your thoughts by Replying to this email!—MW

And now, your thoughts on unionization:

“As a top performer, if my workplace were to ever unionize I would skedaddle from there quicker than a 60-inch TV in Walmart on a Black Friday. The management you cited is right. Unions do weaken individual negotiating power. However, let’s be honest with ourselves. Anyone able to prove their value and consistently negotiate a 15%–25% raise on a yearly basis should probably reevaluate his/her value (on the rise) and switch jobs to something more deserving of his/her labor—which would surely be something more challenging and create more opportunity for growth.”—Kevin

“People who are anti-union seem to forget what unions have done for the country historically—[given us] weekends, an end to (publically accepted) child labor, etc.—and they ignore the support [that] unions give to workers to this day. If a company does have great employer-employee relations, it may not need a union because there’s...transparency and open communication. But if that transparency and communication are lacking, a union is an excellent way to push for that. Unions also help with a sense of unity and community across companies and/or industries [as] a support system that should be available, especially if people feel they’re overworked and undervalued.”—Hannah

Your punch list for when you punch out.

Read: Tennis legend Serena Williams announced her plans to retire evolve late last month to the dismay of fans everywhere. Learn more about her decision to leave the court and her plans for the future in this deep dive Time profile.

Watch: Are you finished watching The Bear but want more Jeremy Allen White? Check out the breakout star’s recent GQ video feature, where he reveals his top 10 life essentials.

Follow: Calling all foodies! For the scoop on virtual events, fun facts, and profiles all centered on food, give the Museum of Food and Drink a follow.

On the horizon: Morning Brew’s upcoming Strategy for Creators course launches October 17 and features experienced entrepreneurs, founders, and creators who’ll share exactly how to create for your audience and build your brand online. Secure your spot ASAP.