Terms of Service

1. What Stead Is

Stead is a shift marketplace that connects businesses looking to fill short-term shifts with workers looking for those shifts. We are the platform — not an employer, staffing agency, or labor contractor.

By creating an account, you agree to these Terms. If you don't agree, don't use the platform.

2. How Matching Works

Stead uses mutual matching. Here's what that means in practice:

• Businesses post shifts with clear details: role, date, time, location, pay rate, and requirements.
• Workers browse open shifts and express interest in the ones they want.
• Businesses review interested workers and accept one (or more, depending on slots).
• The worker then confirms their spot. Only after both sides say yes is the shift considered confirmed.

No party is forced into a shift. Every confirmed shift represents a mutual agreement between the business and the worker.

3. Payment Terms

Stead charges a platform fee on completed shifts. Workers are never charged fees. Here's how it works:

• Businesses pay a 10% platform fee on completed shifts. This is charged after the worker completes the shift.
• Workers are not charged any fees. They receive the full posted pay rate for completed shifts.
• Permanent hire extension fee: When a business extends a permanent or long-term hire offer to a worker found through Stead, a one-time $300 fee applies. This is paid by the business — workers pay no hire fee.
• Stead handles the payment logistics so businesses and workers don't have to arrange payment directly.

4. Ratings and Verified Record

Stead maintains a verified performance record for workers based on completed shifts. This record is visible to businesses when reviewing interested workers.

• Ratings and records are based on actual shift data — show-up rate, completed shifts, and business feedback.
• Businesses may rate workers after a shift is completed. Workers may rate businesses.
• Ratings must be honest and based on real experience. False or retaliatory reviews violate these Terms and may result in account suspension.

5. Hiring Fees

When a business extends a permanent hire offer to a worker found through Stead, the business pays a one-time $300 hiring fee. This fee applies when a shift worker is hired on a permanent or long-term basis through the platform — it is not a fee for posting or filling individual shifts.

The hiring fee is charged at the time the offer is accepted. No surprise charges. The fee will be clearly displayed before any hiring commitment is made.

6. Your Responsibilities

As a business, you agree to:

• Post accurate shift details, including honest pay rates and realistic requirements.
• Review workers fairly, without discrimination based on protected characteristics.
• Pay workers the posted rate for completed shifts.
• Not use Stead to post shifts you have no intention of filling.

As a worker, you agree to:

• Only express interest in shifts you genuinely intend to work if selected.
• Confirm your spot only when you're committed to showing up.
• Show up on time, ready to work.
• Not create fake profiles or misrepresent your experience or qualifications.

7. Prohibited Conduct

The following are not allowed on Stead:

• Discrimination based on race, gender, age, religion, national origin, disability, or any other protected class.
• Harassment, threats, or abusive behavior toward any other user.
• Creating multiple accounts to game the platform or inflate ratings.
• Using the platform for any purpose other than legitimate shift work.
• Scraping, reverse engineering, or attempting to access the platform outside of normal use.

We reserve the right to suspend or permanently ban accounts that violate these rules.

8. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. When we do, we'll update the date at the top of this page. Continued use of Stead after changes are posted means you accept the updated Terms.

9. Contact

Questions about these Terms? Email us at stead@polsia.app. We're real people and we'll respond.