SAVE Forbearance is ending—affected borrowers must switch plans soon. Explore alternatives now. EDCAP’s services are available only to New York State residents.

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Employer Resource Hub

Help Your Employees Navigate Student Loans—At No Cost

New Yorkers across every sector are feeling the strain of student loans—confusing rules, servicer errors, default notices, and shifting policies have created real stress at work.

Payments are due now, credit harm from missed payments is already happening, and federal collections are expected to resume this year. Employers can make a meaningful difference by connecting staff to trusted, expert help before issues escalate.

EDCAP (the Education Debt Consumer Assistance Program) offers free, confidential, unbiased student loan counseling for your employees. We’re a trusted program of the Community Service Society, funded by New York State and overseen by the NYS Department of Financial Services. We are not a lender or servicer, and we don’t sell products. Our only goal is to help New Yorkers successfully manage their student loan debt—no scams, bots, or AI.

Why Employer Support Matters

The Big Picture:

  • 43 million Americans carry federal student debt
  • Financial stress impacts morale, focus, and turnover
  • Many borrowers are unaware of protections or options to prevent or exit default

The Business Case—Helping employees avoid or exit default:

  • Reduces the chance your payroll staff must coordinate with federal garnishment agencies
  • Protects your organization from compliance risk
  • Improves employee satisfaction and retention

What EDCAP provides your organization

Our counselors work one‑on‑one with employees to understand their full financial picture and build a plan they can follow. We untangle repayment options and new federal payment caps, explore forgiveness and discharge pathways, correct errors and navigate servicer issues, and design long‑term strategies to avoid or resolve default. If someone is already in default, we help them stop collections and get back into good standing.

You can add EDCAP to your EAP or benefits resource list at no cost, and we’ll support your HR and leadership teams with simple implementation and timely updates.

EDCAP’s Employer Briefing: Supporting Your Workforce Through Student Loan Challenges

Each month, we host a live Zoom briefing designed for employers, HR, and benefits leaders. In a concise, half -hour session, we outline how EDCAP’s free, confidential, and unbiased student loan counseling can support your workforce. We break down the latest federal student loan policy changes, review emerging borrower‑support and benefits trends, and reserve time to address your specific questions.

Upcoming session (Zoom; 30 minutes):

Prefer a private briefing for your HR team? We’re happy to schedule one.

For Your Employees: Workshops & One‑on‑One Counseling

Employees can get help in two ways. First, they can book a free, confidential counseling session to review their loans, identify an affordable repayment plan, and address any problems. Second, you can host a live, expert‑led employee workshop—virtual and scalable up to hundreds of participants—covering repayment choices, steps to prevent credit damage, options if you’re behind or in default, and where to get trusted help. These employee workshops are designed for all staff and are separate from the HR‑focused employer webinar.

Schedule an employee workshop/webinar
Book a counseling appointment
Call Our Helpline: 1‑888‑614‑5004

Ready‑to‑Share Employee Resources

  • Employee Services Flyer (PDF). A one‑page overview of EDCAP’s free, confidential support with simple booking instructions and helpline details.
  • Delinquency & Default Fact Sheet (PDF). A two-page explanation of nonpayment consequences and credit impacts, what collections can look like, employee rights, pathways to recover from default, how to choose an affordable repayment plan, and where to get help.

Practical Employer Guidance

Federal involuntary collections (wage garnishment and Treasury offset) are temporarily delayed as federal repayment reforms roll out; however, repayment obligations remain, and once the delay lifts, garnishment authority of up to 15% of disposable pay can restart. Be prepared to respond quickly to any new orders and communicate support resources to affected staff.

Public and nonprofit employers can help employees pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness by promptly certifying employment. The PSLF Help Tool supports fully electronic forms and signatures, which reduces friction for HR and speeds reviews. Be sure to inform your employees of internal PSLF employment certification protocols. Highlight your status as a PSLF‑qualifying employer in recruiting and onboarding.

Under SECURE 2.0, employers may match “qualified student loan payments” in 401(k), 403(b), governmental 457(b), and SIMPLE IRA plans for plan years beginning after Dec. 31, 2023. IRS Notice 2024‑63 explains eligibility, employee certification, nondiscrimination testing, and timing, and can be relied upon now. 

Section 127 of the Internal Revenue Code allows employers to provide tax‑free educational assistance (up to $5,250 annually), including student loan repayment. In 2025, Congress made the student‑loan component permanent and indexed the cap for inflation beginning after 2026, enabling long‑term program design without sunset risk. 

The NYS “Get On Your Feet” Loan Forgiveness Program covers up to 24 months of an eligible recent graduate’s income‑driven repayment amount, subject to residency, income, and plan requirements; it’s open year‑round and worth including in onboarding for early‑career hires. 

NYS has other sector specific student loan repayment assistance programs–feel free to share with your staff.

How We Work with Employers

We start by giving you a clear, human channel for employee questions and issues—no phone trees, and no upselling. We can prepare plain‑language intranet copy and email templates, lead live virtual workshops for staff and managers, and brief HR on general policy updates and benefit options. We stay laser‑focused on facts and practical next steps, and we coordinate with you to track demand and common issues (no identifying data shared without your permission).

HR conversation guide (use as-is)
Open with empathy and confidentiality. Acknowledge that rules have shifted and that it’s normal to need a second set of eyes. Point to trusted sources, including studentaid.gov, and EDCAP for one‑on‑one help. Encourage early action to avoid missed payments and credit harm. If someone is already behind, reassure them that recovery is possible and connect them to free and trusted support, like EDCAP. If your organization is public or nonprofit, remind employees to use the PSLF Help Tool and send you the electronic certification request.

Open with empathy and confidentiality. Acknowledge that rules have shifted and that it’s normal to need a second set of eyes. Point to trusted sources, including studentaid.gov, and EDCAP for one‑on‑one help. Encourage early action to avoid missed payments and credit harm. If someone is already behind, reassure them that recovery is possible and connect them to free and trusted support, like EDCAP. If your organization is public or nonprofit, remind employees to use the PSLF Help Tool and send you the electronic certification request.

Employers may receive wage‑withholding or garnishment orders related to an employee’s federal student loan. These orders are generally processed in the same manner as other legally authorized wage‑withholding requests. Employers should review any garnishment document they receive, follow the instructions provided, and apply the relevant federal and state requirements that govern wage withholding. 

Communication with employees should remain factual, neutral, and supportive, and employment decisions should not be based on the presence of a garnishment. Employees who have questions about their rights, repayment options, or how a garnishment works can be directed to official federal resources or trusted nonprofit counseling services such as EDCAP, rather than receiving individualized legal or financial advice from their employer.

Contact EDCAP

Email/Request support: edcap@cssny.org
Helpline: 1‑888‑614‑5004
Appointments: edcapny.org/contact-us

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