General
A Shifter is any person who has been approved to work an hourly shift posted by a client business on the shiftNOW platform.
A Client Account (Client) represents a customer's business on the shiftNOW platform that is in need of shifters to fill the hourly shift positions posted. A client interacts with the shiftNOW platform via the web application: app.shiftnow.com. A client can have one or several locations and each location can have one or several shifts.
A Location is a physical location of a place of business that is associated with a client. A client can have 1 or several locations. A shift is related to a specific location.
Yes. A Shifter uses our mobile app to browse and apply for shifts. You can install the shiftNOW app on your Apple or Android mobile device.
Use the mobile app to quickly create your Shifter profile includes establishing minimum personal information and providing the necessary information to receive payments and informational reports through the Stripe Payment Platform.
shiftNOW currently operates in the following markets. Stay tuned as we continue to expand and make hourly opportunities available in more states.
South Carolina
- Beaufort
- Bluffton
- Charleston
- Columbia
- Florence
- Georgetown
- Greenville
- Hilton Head Island
- Murrells Inlet
- Myrtle Beach
- Spartanburg
Georgia
- Atlanta
- Savannah
Tennessee
- Memphis
- Nashville
Yes. Once you’ve downloaded the app, you’ll need to complete your profile. Upon completing your profile, you'll undergo our vetting process which is conducted by a member of the shiftNOW recruitment team. Once you become a verified Shifter, you can begin applying for shifts.
If your profile is approved, you’ll receive a text notification. You can also click the Profile bottom menu item and look for a Verified status and a blue check mark underneath your name. Once you are verified, you can apply for a shift.
We want you enjoying the freedom that comes with choosing where and when you work. Our platform is designed to reward reliable, hard working, individuals with a great attitude. The better you perform, the more opportunities you will have to pick up shifts and earn money that works for your schedule.
Tips for success:
- Provide a professional profile photo and video.
- Review the shift details carefully.
- Note the dress requirements and dress accordingly.
- Show up for your shift a few minutes early.
- Do great work with a great attitude.
- Don’t quit in the middle of a shift.
- Don’t cancel your shift before it starts.
Yes. When you are accepted for a shift, you are able to call the business up to 2 hours before the scheduled shift start time and up to 1 hour after the scheduled shift end time.
To call a business through the mobile app, follow the steps below:
- Go to the 'My Shifts' page
- Select the 'My Schedule' button
- Select your shift
- Click the blue phone icon located at the top of the shift posting
- You will be asked if you'd like to call the respective business. Confirm your selection and the system will automatically dial out to the business
To delete your shiftNOW account, please contact support@shiftnow.com with your request.
Applying to Shifts
Once your Shifter profile is verified, you can apply for shifts within the mobile app. Simply select an available shift, view the shift details, and click the 'Apply Now' button.
Business names are hidden until you are accepted for a shift or marked as a backup. Names will become visible after you complete a shift with the business.
Please note that any cancellation made more than 24 hours before the shift's scheduled start time will not incur a penalty. Shifts canceled less than 24 hours before the shift's start time will result in suspension of access to your shiftNOW account and a decrease in your Reliability Score.
When you are selected to fill an open shift, your application status will update to 'Accepted'.
If you have not been accepted for a shift but do not withdraw your application, your application status will display as ‘Pending’. Should the originally accepted Shifter become unavailable, the client will see that you have applied and are still available to work the shift.
You will be notified via text once your application has been accepted for a shift. Within the mobile app, your application status on the shift will appear as 'Accepted' and will reflect on the 'My Shifts' page as 'Accepted'.
If you have been accepted for a shift that begins in less than 1 hour, you will be automatically confirmed for this shift and will not be prompted to confirm whether you are still able to work.
Yes. You may withdraw an application from a posted shift. You may also reapply for this shift if you are available to work it.
Businesses have the ability to select backup Shifters for shifts. In the event that the originally accepted Shifter cancels, backup Shifters will be notified that the shift is open. The first backup to confirm will be accepted to work the shift.
A shift will remain open until the designated start time in order to allow for additional applications and for the client to continue selecting backups.
When reviewing shift applicants, businesses on the shiftNOW platform will take into consideration:
- Shifter Rating
- Shifter Reliability Score
- Profile Video
- Work Experience
We encourage you to provide as much detail as possible about your hospitality experience so businesses can understand why you might be a good fit for their shift. Your profile should include details such as:
- Certifications (TIPS, ServSafe)
- Hospitality businesses you've worked for in the past
- Positions you've held in the past
- Number of years of experience
A boosted shift means that the business location is offering a bonus payment in addition to the Shift Amount. This allows businesses who need help urgently to attract more applicants to their shift.
Boosted shifts will appear at the top of the shift board with a badge indicating that it’s boosted.
Shifter Invites
When you’re invited to a shift, you’ll receive a push and SMS notification. Within the app, you can navigate to the shift board and select the Accept Invite button. If you are unable to work the shift, you will also have the option to select the Decline button.
Yes. If the shift has not yet been accepted by an invited Shifter, you will be able to apply for the shift in a traditional manner.
Yes. After a Shifter has been accepted - either through an invite or the traditional manner - the client is free to select backups.
No. Not accepting a shift invite will not have any impact on your Shifter Reliability % or rating.
Payments & Fees
shiftNOW integrates with Stripe, a payment software platform for the internet. Stripe brings together everything that’s required to build websites and apps that accept payments and send payouts globally.
Stripe’s security tools and best practices ensure that your sensitive information is safely stored and encrypted. Learn more about the safeguards Stripe puts in place to protect your information.
When you are selected to fill an open shift, your application status will update to 'Accepted'.
Unfortunately, shiftNOW has no control over Stripe's user interface or how it validates email addresses. If your browser auto-filled the email address, try removing and retyping the email address. See “Not receiving email sent from Stripe” within the Stripe documentation for help and support.
See the FAQ topic “How do I provide a supported debit card for Instant Payout?”
Businesses have up to 48 hours to payout a Shifter following the successful completion of a shift.
If the business has not paid out a Shifter within 48 hours of the shift ending, shiftNOW will trigger an auto-payout to the Shifter's Stripe wallet.
A few things need to happen before your money lands in your bank account.
- The client needs to confirm you successfully worked the shift by clicking the Payout shifter button.
- The money will be transferred to your wallet within the shiftNOW mobile app. The amount is reflected in your wallet balance.
- To transfer the balance to your bank account, click the Payout button in the mobile app
Once a Shifter selects the Payout option within their wallet, your earnings will transfer to your connected account in about two business days. shifters must setup their wallet within the mobile app to provide their payment account information prior to receiving payment.
As a Shifter, you have the option to select Instant Payout within your wallet after your shift. The money from your wallet balance will be transferred to your bank within 30 minutes. The Instant Payout fee is 3% of the balance. Keep in mind that you'll need to connect a supported debit card to your wallet.
At the end of each shift, if a client has not paid out a Shifter, shiftNOW will send a payout reminder to the client. In the event that a client has not paid out a Shifter after 48 hours, shiftNOW will personally reach out to the client.
If you feel your payment is missing or incorrect, please reach out to us at support@shiftnow.com.
If you feel that your shift payment is inaccurate, please file a dispute through the shiftNOW mobile app.
To do so, head to your Shifter wallet. From there, you will see a list of your previously worked shifts. Select the question mark in the upper right-hand corner of the shift you'd like to dispute, then click Dispute Shift. You'll then be able to note the hours you worked before the dispute gets sent to the client for review.
Please note that you may only dispute a shift within 72 hours of payment.
Before you can take advantage of Instant Payout, you’ll need to add a debit card to your shiftNOW wallet via your Stripe account. Your debit card must support Instant Payouts. You can check which banks support Instant Payouts.
If Instant Payout is currently not available, try the following:
- Within the mobile app, click the Profile bottom menu item.
- Select the My Wallet section within your profile.
- Click the Earning Details button. This will take you to your Stripe dashboard where you can manage your bank details.
- Within Stripe, click the person icon to view your account. Scroll down until you see the Payout details section and click the shiftNOW option.
- Edit your payout accounts to include a bank card that supports Instant Payout.
- Click Done when you have completed editing your payout accounts.
There are currently no administrative fees deducted. However, shiftNOW does reserve the right to charge an admin fee in the future. In the advent shiftNOW charges an admin fee, it will be retained by the shiftNOW for future administrative cost recovery. See “Can I get paid faster?”
However, as a Shifter you may optionally select the Instant Payout option to receive your money within 30 minutes with a 3% fee.
Please note that shiftNOW can not help resolve any payment issues once money has been cashed out of your Shifter wallet. For assistance with payment issues after wallet cash out, please visit support.stripe.com.
Referral Program
To refer a friend, your account must be in good standing meaning that your profile is not currently suspended or in suspension review. As a reminder, late cancellations and not showing up to your shift will cause your account to go into suspension review.
You can access your unique referral code by clicking "Refer a Friend" within your profile. From here, you can share your code directly with your contacts on your mobile device.
The shiftNOW referral bonus is $20 per referral. Referred and referring Shifters are each paid $20 following the completion of the referred Shifter's first shift.
Yes. A single referral code can be shared with multiple people.
No. All referrals must be for new Shifters. Your referral's account creation date must be after the date on which your referral code was generated.
No. Referral codes remain active indefinitely unless deactivated by shiftNOW.
All referred Shifters must be legal U.S. residents, at least 16 years of age, and cannot be existing app users. A client user is ineligible to be referred.
In order for the referral bonus to be paid out to both parties, the referring Shifter's account must remain in good standing for 24 hours after their referral signs up AND the referred Shifter must complete at least one shift and remain in good standing for 24 hours upon shift completion.
- Download the shiftNOW mobile app
- Complete their Shifter profile
- Become a verified Shifter
- Complete at least one shift through shiftNOW
- Remain in good standing for 24 hours after the completion of their first shift
You are an Independent Contractor
A Shifter is an independent contractor and not an employee of shiftNOW or the client.
Insurance Coverage
While working a shift, Shifters are covered by shiftNOW's Occupational Accident Insurance (OAI) policy. OAI Insurance is automatically deducted from a Shifter's earnings. For more insurance details and instructions on how to file a claim, see OAI Insurance.
Running Late
Within the shiftNOW mobile app, you have the ability to mark yourself as “running late”. When you select “running late”, you will be prompted to provide an estimated time of arrival.
No. Once you have selected your estimated time of arrival, you will not be able to edit it. In the event that your ETA is no longer accurate, please use the phone communications available through the shiftNOW mobile app to contact the business you’re scheduled to work for and provide them with an update.
In the event that you are running late for a shift, please use the “running late” feature to notify the business. If your estimated time of arrival is no longer accurate, please use phone communications to inform the business as you cannot edit your ETA.
When you mark yourself as “running late”, the business you are scheduled to work for will be notified via text. Businesses will also see a “running late” icon displayed on their shift posting within the platform which indicates that their selected Shifter will not be on time.
No. Indicating that you are running late will not affect your Shifter Reliability %.
Indefinite Suspension
You can view your Shifter Reliability % within the shiftNOW mobile app by clicking on your profile. Your score will be displayed under your Completed Shifts count.
Yes. Your account is considered in danger of indefinite suspension once your Shifter Reliability % drops to 70%. In the event this happens, a notice will appear within your mobile app.
No. Once your shiftNOW account is indefinitely suspended, you are unable to rejoin the shiftNOW platform. Our team will not approve any account that has been created for an indefinitely suspended Shifter.
No. Once your account is indefinitely suspended, you cannot share a referral code and will not be eligible for any referral bonuses.
notIf you previously referred a new Shifter and your account gets suspended indefinitely within 24 hours of the Shifter signing up, the referral bonus will no be paid out to either party.
To increase your Shifter Reliability %, be sure to take the following actions when using shiftNOW:
- Only apply for shifts that you know you will be available to work
- When selected for a shift, confirm that you are still available to work when prompted through the mobile app
- Show up on time for your shift and stay for the full shift duration
- Keep a positive attitude throughout the shift and be respectful to everyone around you
- Complete the tasks asked of you by the business
You may dispute an indefinite suspension by emailing support@shiftnow.com. Please include the reason your indefinite suspension should be reconsidered and any supporting documentation for your reasoning.
Cancellations
- Click My Shifts on the bottom menu.
- Select the My Schedule button in the upper right-hand corner.
- Select the shift and open the shift page.
- If you are accepted or confirmed for the shift, click the Cancel Shift button.
When you are selected for a shift, the business that has chosen you relies on you to show up and complete the requested tasks. Please be aware that late canceling or not showing up for your scheduled shift will have a negative impact on your Shifter profile and account usage.
An overview of our no-show and late cancellation policy is included below:
If the shift you have been accepted to is canceled within 24 hours of its start time, you will be paid for the duration of the shift up to a maximum of four hours.
Please note that businesses can deselect a Shifter that they previously accepted for a shift. In this scenario, no shift payout is provided to the deselected Shifter. Shifters may only be deselected if they have not yet confirmed their shift. If you have been accepted and confirmed for your shift, a business cannot deselect your application.
A Shifter may appeal a suspension by sending an email to support@shiftnow.com. Follow the instructions below.
- Email Subject: Shifter Suspension Appeal Request
- Within the email, provide the following details:
– Shifter name
– List the reasons why your appeal should be considered.
– Contact phone number
Disputes
After a shift has been paid out, you may dispute your shift payment within the shiftNOW mobile app.
To do so, head to your Shifter wallet. From there, you will see a list of your previously worked shifts.
Select the question mark in the upper right-hand corner of the shift you’d like to dispute then click “Dispute Shift”. You’ll then be able to note the hours you worked before the dispute gets sent to the client for review.
Please note that you may only dispute a shift within 72 hours of payment.
Taxes
As an independent contractor, you are responsible for keeping track of your earnings and accurately reporting them in tax filings. shiftNOW does not provide a breakdown of your total earnings between base pay, tips, pay boosts, etc. If you have any questions about what to report on your taxes, you should consult with a tax professional. shiftNOW cannot provide you with tax advice nor can we verify the accuracy of any publicly available tax guidance online.
Keep in mind: shiftNOW does not automatically withhold taxes. We calculate the subtotal of your earnings based on the date the earnings were deposited. The subtotal is not based on the date you completed the shift.If you earned $600 or more in a given tax year on the shiftNOW platform, you’ll receive a 1099 form via our partner Stripe. Click here to visit the Stripe Support article.
1099 forms are federal income tax information forms used to report earnings and proceeds other than wages, salaries and tips (which are reported on the federal W-2 form). The forms are filed with the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and, if required, state tax departments.
The only tax form that eligible Shifters will receive is the 1099, and this is ONLY for shifters who earn $600 USD or more on the platform in a given tax year. Shifters who earn less will NOT receive a 1099 form.
If you earned less than 600 USD over the course of the year, you might not receive a 1099 form and one won’t be generated for you unless you meet a threshold in your state. If your state has a filing threshold lower than 600 USD, you might receive a 1099 form.
You can check your state’s requirements here: View 1099 state requirements.
No. Payments to Shifters do not include withholdings for taxes. As an independent contractor, Shifters are responsible for paying their own taxes separate and apart from the fees deducted by shiftNOW.
Stripe Express is a new way to engage with shiftNOW and Stripe. Stripe Express allows you to track your earnings, manage tax forms, update your business/personal information, and get direct support from Stripe from a web-based portal and app.
If you’d like to download the Stripe Express app, you can do so here from:
- iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/stripe-express/id1560214813
- Android: Not available
You don’t need to download an app. You can use either the web-based portal or the Stripe Express app to access your account and tax information. https://connect.stripe.com/express_login
If you earn $600 or more, you will receive an email invitation by end of the year (the subject of the email is “Action required to receive your shiftNOW 2023 tax form”) from Stripe to set up a Stripe Express account.
Stripe enables e-delivery of tax forms through Stripe Express. shifters will have a connected account in Stripe. Shifters can use the Tax Center on Stripe Express to manage their tax forms, update their tax information, and manager their tax form delivery preferences.
If a Shifter opted in to e-delivery of their tax form, Stripe will send an email notification about the availability of your 1099 tax form to the email associated with your Stripe Express account.
Yes. After the Shifter logs in to their Stripe Express account, they will be able to consent to e-delivery of their 1099 tax forms. If the Shifter does not consent to e-delivery, they will not be able to view or download their 1099 tax forms in the Stripe Express Tax forms page. If they opted in to e-delivery, their 1099 tax form will be delivered electronically near the end of January.
Yes. Eligible Shifters will receive a Stripe invite by the end of 2023 via email to confirm their account information. Please lookout for an email with the subject line “Action required to receive your shiftNOW 2023 tax form”.
If you received a Stripe email asking you to confirm your TIN (Tax Identification Number) in order to keep your account active, please use the unique link sent to you. This information is not to create a Stripe account, this information is used to ensure we have the correct TIN number for every shifter on the platform. This email was only sent to certain shifters so if you did not receive one, that means we have your information and no action is needed.
If you earned enough to need a 1099 form for the year, you should have received an email from Stripe by mid January, 2023. Emails were sent out in phases to shifters starting in November. If you can’t find an email from Stripe, it’s possible that:
- The email may be in your spam/junk mail folder. Please search your inbox for an email titled “Action required to receive your shiftNOW 2023 tax form”
- shiftNOW does not have your most current email address on file. Update the email associated with your Stripe Express account.
- The email address associated with your Stripe Express account is incorrect, missing, or unable to receive mail. Update your profile within your Stripe Express account with your most current email address.
- As a last resort, reach out to support@shiftnow.com to update your email.
- shiftNOW has chosen to postal deliver forms to you. If you have not received an email from Stripe or a 1099 in the mail, please reach out to shiftNOW at support@shiftnow.com to get a copy of your tax forms.
Please note that if you earned enough to need a 1099 form in 2023 and do not receive an email from Stripe by early January, you will be mailed a paper copy of your 1099 tax form.
If you would like to receive a paper copy of your 1099 form, send an email to support@shiftnow.com for assistance.
Within the email body provide your name, mobile phone number tied to your shiftnow account, and your stripe email address.
A shiftNOW representative will contact you to validate your shiftNOW account. We’ll ask to verify recent shifts that you have completed along with other validating questions to ensure there is no fraud.
If you earned enough to need a 1099 form for the year, you should have received an email from Stripe by mid January, 2023. Emails were sent out in phases to shifters starting in November. If you can’t find an email from Stripe, it’s possible that:
- By early January 2024: Stripe will email you instructions on how to set up a Stripe Express account. You’ll need to create an account and agree to e-delivery (i.e., agree to receive your 1099 tax form electronically via Stripe Express) to download your 1099 tax form.
- Around the third week of January: Confirm your tax information (e.g., name, address, and SSN or EIN) is correct via Stripe Express.
- By January 31:
– Your 1099 tax form will be available to download via Stripe Express.
– Your 1099 tax form will be mailed to you, if you don’t receive an email from Stripe or don’t consent to e-delivery. Please allow up to 10 business days for mail delivery. - shiftNOW will file your 1099 tax form with the IRS and relevant state tax authorities.
In January, we strongly suggest that you ensure all of your tax filing details and delivery preferences are up to date in Stripe Express. Your name, address and Taxpayer Identification Number (Social Security Number /Employer Identification Number) are of primary importance.
Open the email from Stripe and click on the “Get started” button, which will prompt you to create a Stripe Express account. After you create an account, you’ll be able to review your tax information (e.g., name, address, and SSN or EIN) and make any necessary changes via Stripe Express. Please update your information no later than January 6, 2023.
Please note: If you don’t consent to e-delivery by January 6, 2023, we’ll automatically mail your 1099 tax form to the address on file, so it’s critical that your information is current, correct, and complete. You can still update your information via Stripe Express after January 6, 2023 and download your 1099 electronically. However, you will not be mailed a new paper copy of your 1099 tax form.
When you are setting up your account certain information will be locked once a legal entity is verified. You’ll need to contact Stripe Support and they can assist you with editing the below information:
- Date of birth
- Business Type: Individual, company, non-profit or government-entity (US only)
Your SSN, EIN, or ITIN is required to file your 1099 tax form with the IRS and relevant state tax authorities.
We understand you may have concerns about providing your full Social Security Number/Employer Identification Number when first claiming your account, given the sensitivity of this identifier. We take your privacy seriously and have enabled technical solutions to ensure that your personal information is secure.
Stripe’s security tools and best practices ensure that your sensitive information is safely stored and encrypted. Learn more about the safeguards Stripe puts in place to protect your information.
Please make sure to keep your login credentials for Stripe Express secure.
If you create a Stripe Express account and consent to e-delivery, Stripe will email you to let you know when your 1099 tax form is available for download via Stripe Express. If you don’t consent to e-delivery, Stripe will mail you a paper copy of your 1099 tax form instead.
Within Stripe Express, update your account information in the Account tab:
- Under Stripe Express Account, you can update the email address and phone number used to log in to Stripe Express. Please note that only one contact method can be updated at a time.
- Under Language preference, you can choose your preferred language for Stripe Express.
- Under Payout and Professional Details, you can update personal and legal entity information and view your bank account or debit card information for payouts. To update your payout details, please reach out to your platform.
One of the features of Stripe Express is a seamless view of all of your earnings across different platforms. You can see your earnings from other platforms that also use Stripe Express for tax purposes in one place.
If you need to correct the information on your tax form after it’s been delivered, you can reach out to support@shiftnow.com.
We understand the numbers on your form might be a bit confusing. Those numbers might represent your net take home pay, include Stripe fees, or represent total gross volume.
If you’d like to learn more about the particular 1099 form you were issued, please check here: https://stripe.com/docs/connect/tax-reporting