Day labor and same-day pay jobs in Knoxville, TN
Work today, get paid today. We’re a family-owned staffing agency on Chapman Highway in South Knoxville. Honestly, we love putting good people to work, and we’d love to put you to work too.
Quick answers
- Walk in: 4408 Chapman Hwy, Knoxville, TN 37920. Monday through Friday, 6:30am to 6:30pm.
- Bring: Two forms of ID that satisfy federal I-9 requirements (more on that below).
- Pay: Daily on most jobs. Work today, get paid today.
- Status: W-2. We’re your employer of record. We handle payroll, taxes, and workers’ comp.
- How fast: Many people get on a job within a day or two of walking in.
- What we do: Construction, warehouse, hospitality, event, and manufacturing labor across East Tennessee.
How to start working with us today
The fastest way is to walk into our office. We’re at 4408 Chapman Hwy in South Knoxville, right on the strip. Come in any weekday between 6:30am and 6:30pm. Earlier is better if you want to get out on a job that same day.
Tell us at the front desk that you’re looking for work. We’ll sit down with you, get your paperwork started, and ask a few questions about what kind of work you’ve done. We’re not looking for fancy resumes. We’re looking for people who show up, work hard, and want to get paid for their time.
If we have an open job that fits, we’ll get you dispatched. If not, we’ll put you in our active pool, and most folks hear from us within a day or two.
If walking in isn’t an option today, you can start the application online and we’ll call you back.
What to bring on your first day
Federal law requires us to verify that you’re authorized to work in the United States. That means we need to see two forms of ID on the I-9 list. The most common combinations are:
- One List A document on its own: a U.S. passport, a permanent resident card (green card), or an employment authorization card.
- One List B + one List C document together: a state-issued driver’s license or state ID (List B) paired with a Social Security card or a certified U.S. birth certificate (List C).
If you’re not sure what you have, bring whatever ID you do have and we’ll work through it with you. If you’re missing something important like a Social Security card, we’ll point you to where you can get a replacement, often the same week.
Honestly, the paperwork is the only slow part. Once you’re cleared on I-9, getting dispatched is the easy part.
The kinds of work we put people on
We send crews across Knoxville, Maryville, Alcoa, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg. The work changes by day and by season, but here’s what we’re typically dispatching:
Construction labor
Concrete crews, carpenter helpers, demolition and cleanup crews, drywall and trim helpers, framing helpers, and general construction labor. Good fit if you’re comfortable outdoors, on your feet, and around tools. See construction staffing in Knoxville for the full picture.
Warehouse, picker, packer, forklift
Pallet loading and unloading, picker/packer roles, inventory work, and certified forklift operators for warehouses in Knoxville and Maryville/Alcoa. Climate-controlled most of the year. See warehouse staffing in Knoxville.
Hospitality and hotels
Housekeepers, room attendants, banquet servers, bartenders, line cooks, and dishwashers for Knoxville hotels and the Pigeon Forge / Gatlinburg cabin and resort corridor. Steady work spring through fall, plus Winterfest. See hospitality staffing in Knoxville.
Event staffing
Setup and teardown, ticket scanners, ushers, parking attendants, and event-day labor for festivals, weddings, sports, and corporate events across East Tennessee. Most event work is evenings and weekends. See event staffing in Knoxville.
Manufacturing and assembly
Assembly line workers, machine operators, and material handlers for Blount County plants. Three shifts available. See manufacturing staffing in Maryville and Alcoa.
General labor and cleanup
Site cleanup, move-outs, loading and unloading, landscaping helpers, and one-day projects. This is often where new folks start.
How daily pay actually works
On most jobs, you work today and get paid today. When your shift ends, you come back to our office on Chapman Highway, we close out your time, and you get your check the same day. That’s how it’s worked here for years and that’s how we want to keep it. Honestly, we know our people often need to get paid for the work they did, when they did it.
A few honest notes:
- Not every job is same-day pay. Some longer-term or project-based jobs are on a weekly schedule. We’ll tell you up front.
- We’re a W-2 employer. That means we carry your taxes, workers’ comp, and unemployment. You’ll see standard withholdings on your check just like any other job.
- We don’t do 1099 day labor. The protections you get from being W-2 are worth it for everyone.
Why we do this
Labor Exchange was started in South Knoxville by Bill Peterson around 2012. After Bill passed, his wife Kelly took it over. In her own words: “I had never run a business but was challenged by the opportunity to see what I could do with it. I have found, after taking the business over from my husband, that I love putting people to work. I have the best job in the world, honestly.”
That’s the spirit of this place. Everyone who works through Labor Exchange is family to us. We’re not the biggest staffing agency in town, and we’re not trying to be. We’re trying to be the one where you actually want to come back tomorrow.
Worker FAQs
Do you really pay the same day I work?
On most jobs, yes. You finish your shift, come back to the office on Chapman Highway, and we close you out and write your check that day. Some longer-term jobs are on weekly pay; we’ll tell you which when we dispatch you.
What do I need to bring to apply?
Two forms of ID that meet federal I-9 requirements. A driver’s license plus a Social Security card is the most common pairing. If you don’t have something, come in anyway and we’ll help you figure out next steps.
Do I need experience?
Not for most general labor and warehouse jobs. Construction, forklift, and machine operator roles need some experience or a certification. Tell us honestly what you’ve done and we’ll dispatch you to the right fit.
What if I have a felony on my record?
Talk to us. We don’t turn people away at the door. Some of our customer job sites have their own background-check rules and we have to honor those, but plenty of our jobs are open. Come in and we’ll talk through what fits.
Are you a temp agency or do you hire directly?
We’re a staffing agency. You’re our W-2 employee, and we send you out to work at our customers’ job sites. We carry your taxes and workers’ comp. Some of our jobs are temp-to-hire, which means the customer can hire you on full-time if it’s a great fit.
What is the pay rate?
Rates vary by job. Most general labor is around the going Knoxville rate for that work. Skilled roles like forklift, concrete, or machine operator pay more. We’ll tell you the rate when we dispatch you, before you accept the job.
What if I don’t have a car?
Many of our regular jobs are accessible by KAT bus from South Knoxville. We try to dispatch local-first when transportation is tight. Talk to our dispatcher about what works.
How fast can I start working?
Most folks who walk in and clear paperwork are on a job within a day or two. If you walk in early enough in the morning, sometimes the same day.