The short answer
Gaffr introduces clients to crew and handles the money. When a client books a crew member, the contract for the work is between the two of them. Gaffr collects the crew member's fee for them, as their agent, and passes all of it on. Gaffr's only income is its Platform Fee, which the client pays. Gaffr doesn't decide how the work is done.
Who's the contract between?
The client and the crew member. Each booking is its own contract between them.
What does Gaffr do?
- Introduces. It sends bookings to crew who match them, as Opportunities. An Opportunity is an offer, not an instruction.
- Checks documents. Right to work, photo ID and insurance, before a crew member can go live. It checks the documents, not how someone works. It rechecks right to work, and can record when an insurance certificate expires.
- Collects the fee. It takes the client's payment and passes the whole Crew Member fee to the crew member. It keeps its Platform Fee.
- Sets the conditions for using the apps. For example, the documents Gaffr asks for before anyone goes live, and the cancellation terms.
It doesn't direct how the work is done.
What's up to the client?
- the task or role, and what's needed on the day
- the site and its rules, and the induction
- which PPE or tickets the work needs, and, if it needs PPE, who provides it
- the most they'll pay an hour
- whether to accept a counter offer above that
What's up to the crew member?
- whether to take an Opportunity; declining is free, and there's no minimum acceptance rate
- their hourly rate; Gaffr doesn't suggest one
- their insurance, beyond the public liability cover Gaffr asks for before anyone goes live
- whether to send a colleague in their place. They can name another crew member whose documents Gaffr has checked. Gaffr checks the colleague's documents but doesn't choose them.
What about health and safety?
Gaffr doesn't run, inspect or control sites. When a client books, Gaffr asks about known hazards, special PPE or qualifications. It passes the answer on to the crew member. HSE's event safety pages explain who's responsible for what.
Is a crew member employed or self-employed?
Gaffr doesn't decide that, and this guide doesn't either. Employment status depends on the facts of how someone works. GOV.UK's guide to employment status, HMRC's CEST tool and Acas explain how it's worked out.
Gaffr doesn't deduct tax or National Insurance from the fee. How tax applies depends on someone's circumstances, including their employment status.
Where's the full version?
The terms and the privacy policy. The crew terms in Gaffr Live are being rewritten to match how the app works today. The terms page lists where they're out of date.