Instawork Terminology

Terminology

Definition

Professionals

Also known as "Pros," these are the individuals who use the Instawork app to find and work shifts. They can be classified as either W-2 employees of an Instawork subsidiary or 1099 independent contractors.

Partners

These are the businesses or companies that use the Instawork platform to post shifts and find professionals to fill their staffing needs.

Shift

This refers to a single work assignment that a Professional books through the Instawork app. Each shift includes details such as the company, schedule, pay rate, location, and specific requirements for the job.

Clock-in

This is the action a Professional takes at the beginning of their shift to record their start time. This is typically done through the Instawork app and is often geofenced, meaning the Pro must be at the physical shift location to clock in. For some shifts, a supervisor or Onsite Captain may handle the clock-in process.

Clock-out

This is the action a Professional takes at the end of their shift to record their end time. This is also typically done through the app. The recorded clock-in and clock-out times are used to calculate the Pro's payment.

Top Pro

This is a program that recognizes high-performing and reliable Professionals on the Instawork platform. Pros earn points for each shift worked and can achieve different status levels (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum), which may grant them early access to shifts and other bonuses.

Instapay

This is a payment feature that allows eligible Professionals to receive their earnings almost immediately after clocking out of a shift, rather than waiting for the weekly pay cycle. A 5% fee applies to each Instapay transaction.

Instawork Hiring

This is a product that allows Instawork's partners to post permanent job openings. It enables Pros to apply for these full-time positions directly through the platform, similar to a job board.

Temp-to-hire

This is a feature where a Partner can hire a Professional for a permanent position after the Professional has worked temporary shifts for them.

W-2

This refers to a work classification where a Professional is considered an employee of an Instawork subsidiary (like Advantage Workforce Services). For W-2 shifts, taxes are automatically deducted from their paychecks.

1099

This refers to a work classification where a Professional is an independent contractor. For 1099 shifts, taxes are not deducted from their earnings, and the Professional is responsible for managing their own taxes.

I-9

This is a document required for W-2 professionals to verify their identity and authorization to work in the United States.

Market

This refers to the specific city or geographical region where Instawork operates and offers shifts.

Onsite Captain

Onsite Captains are other Instawork Professionals during a shift (typical a large shift group with many Pros) whose main function for those shifts are to ensure all Professionals are clocked in and clocked out of the shift(s).

Partner POC

This is the designated person at a Partner's business who can be contacted for shift-related questions or issues. When no Account Manager is assigned, the "Company User" listed in Django or the CS Partner Dashboard is considered the default POC.