Last updated: 2025 (Draft — not yet legally reviewed)

1. Who We Are

Student Gig Hub ("we," "us," "our") is a platform that connects Indiana high school students with local businesses for short-term, flexible gig work. We are a platform — we facilitate connections but are not an employer of students or a staffing agency.

2. Who Can Use This Platform

• Students: Must be currently enrolled high school students at a Michiana area high school. Students under 18 require parent or guardian consent to create an account.
• Businesses: Must be a legally operating business or organization in Indiana. All businesses must agree to our safety guidelines before posting gigs.

3. Parent Consent (Required for Students Under 18)

By allowing your child to create an account, you (the parent or guardian) agree that:

• You have reviewed and approved your child's registration and understand the nature of gig work on this platform.
• You will be notified of gig activity and can revoke consent at any time by contacting us.
• You understand that gig work involves your child traveling to business locations and performing physical tasks.
• You agree to the safety guidelines and understand the limitations of our platform's supervision.

4. Payments, Fees & Escrow

• Student accounts are always free. Students never pay anything to use StudentGigHub.
• How charges work: Posting a gig and browsing applicants is free — no payment is required until a business actually hires someone. When a business hires a specific applicant, a hold is placed on the business's card for the full charge (student pay, processing, and our service fee combined) — this reserves the funds but does not charge the card yet. The charge is finalized only once the gig is marked complete.
• Our service fee is 10% of the job's pay, with a $5 minimum per gig — that's StudentGigHub's cut. On top of that, Stripe (our payment processor) charges standard processing fees. Businesses on a Founding Member subscription get a set number of gigs per month with StudentGigHub's 10% fee waived (but processing still applies, since that's a third-party cost we can't absorb).
• Students always receive exactly what's listed. The pay rate shown on a gig listing is always the final, after-fee number — there is no second deduction between what's listed and what lands in the student's account.
• Escrow: A hold is placed on the business's card at the moment they hire a student — this reserves the funds without charging the card. The charge is only finalized (captured) once the gig is marked complete and confirmed by the student (or auto-confirmed after 48 hours). If a business cancels a gig before it's hired or before it's completed, no charge is ever made.
• Refunds: If a business cancels before hiring a student, or cancels after hiring but before the gig is completed, no charge occurs — there's nothing to refund. If a gig is disputed after completion and found to be unsafe or not as described, a refund may be issued; in that case, payment processing fees already incurred are not recoverable. Ratings and reviews may still be left by either party regardless of the outcome.
• Payouts to minors: Because students under 18 cannot independently receive payouts from our payment processor, a parent or guardian sets up a free payout account during the parent consent process. The student's gig pay is paid out through that account — there is no cost to the parent and no extra fee for this.
• Taxes — we want to be upfront about this: Gig pay is generally taxable income, regardless of the amount. As a practical matter, self-employment tax (which covers Social Security and Medicare) applies once a student's net earnings reach $400 in a year — this applies at any age. Separately, our payment processor is only required to automatically issue a tax form (a 1099-K) once a student's total payments exceed both $20,000 and more than 200 gigs in a calendar year — most students won't cross that. Not receiving a form doesn't mean the income isn't taxable; it just means no automatic paperwork gets generated below that level. We're not tax advisors — please talk to a tax professional about your specific situation.
• Disputes must be reported within 48 hours of job completion.

5. Safety Rules

• Businesses must comply with all Indiana labor laws regarding minor workers.
• Students must review our safety guidelines before their first gig.
• Student check-in/check-out is required for every gig.
• Businesses are prohibited from requiring students to perform dangerous tasks, work in unsafe conditions, or work beyond agreed hours.
• Any safety incident must be reported to us immediately at support@studentgighub.com.

6. Code of Conduct

• Students must be honest, punctual, and professional.
• Theft, dishonesty, or misconduct will result in permanent account removal and may be reported to authorities.
• Businesses must treat students respectfully and pay agreed rates on time.
• Neither party may attempt to conduct business outside the platform to avoid fees.

7. Limitation of Liability

Student Gig Hub is a platform that facilitates connections. We are not responsible for the actions of students or businesses on the platform. We strongly encourage both parties to follow all safety guidelines. In no event shall Student Gig Hub be liable for damages exceeding the amount paid through our platform in the relevant transaction.

8. School Liability Disclaimer

StudentGigHub is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by any school, school district, or educational institution. No school or educational institution shall be held responsible or liable for the actions, conduct, postings, or agreements made by students, businesses, or any other users of this platform. Any gigs arranged through StudentGigHub are entered into solely between the student and the business, and do not involve or obligate any school or educational institution in any way.

Students who use this platform do so independently and of their own accord. Schools are not responsible for verifying the legitimacy of gig postings, the conduct of businesses, or the outcome of any arrangement made through StudentGigHub.

9. Contact

Questions about these terms? Contact us at contact@studentgighub.com

For Students

• Always confirm the pay rate with the business before starting any gig. Never begin work without agreeing on payment first.
• Always be on time. If you cannot make it, notify the business as soon as possible.
• Never enter areas of a business or home that you have not been specifically directed to.
• If something feels unsafe or wrong, leave immediately and contact us at support@studentgighub.com.
• Do not share personal information such as your home address or personal social media with clients.
• Be professional — no phones during work unless it is an emergency.
• Only take on tasks that were listed in the original gig posting. If a business asks you to do something outside the agreed job, you have the right to decline.

For Businesses

• Hiring a student places a hold on your card through StudentGigHub — you're not charged until the gig is confirmed complete. There's no separate cash payment to arrange on top of that.
• Agree on the pay rate clearly with the student before the gig begins — no surprises.
• All tasks must match exactly what was posted in the gig listing. No changing the job after a student has accepted.
• A responsible adult must be present at all times during any gig, especially home or private location gigs.
• You must comply with all Indiana labor laws for minors including restrictions on hours and types of work for students under 18.
• Do not require students to use personal vehicles, handle dangerous equipment, or work past agreed hours.
• Provide a safe and welcoming work environment. Harassment or discrimination of any kind will result in immediate and permanent removal from the platform.

Payments, Escrow & Payouts

• Payment runs through StudentGigHub, not hand-to-hand cash. When a business hires a student, a hold is placed on the business's card — this reserves the funds without charging them. The charge is only finalized once the gig is confirmed complete.
• The pay rate shown on a gig listing is the exact, final amount the student will receive — it has already had all fees and processing accounted for. There's nothing extra taken out after that.
• Once a business marks a gig complete, the student confirms (or disputes) it. If the student doesn't respond within 48 hours, it auto-completes and the charge is finalized then.
• If a business cancels before hiring, or after hiring but before the gig is completed, no charge is ever made — there's nothing to refund. If a gig is disputed after completion and found to be unsafe or not as described, a refund may be issued.
• Businesses may not lower the pay rate after a student has accepted the gig, and the agreed pay rate must be clearly stated in the gig posting before any student applies.
• For students under 18: A parent or guardian sets up a free payout account (one time, about 2 minutes) during the parent consent process. Your gig pay flows through that account automatically — there's no cost to your parent and nothing extra for you to set up.
• Taxes: Gig pay is taxable income. As a practical guide, self-employment tax generally applies once you've earned $400 or more in a year, at any age. You likely won't automatically receive a tax form (a 1099-K) unless you earn over $20,000 and complete more than 200 gigs in a year — but earning less than that doesn't mean it isn't taxable, it just means no form gets sent automatically. We're not tax advisors; talk to a parent or a tax professional if you have questions about your specific situation.
• If a payment doesn't go through as expected, report it to us immediately and we will investigate.

Pricing & Payouts — Quick FAQ

• Do students ever pay a fee? No. Student accounts and gig payouts are always free.
• Why does the listed pay rate look lower than what the business is charged? It doesn't work that way — the number on the listing is what you actually get. The business's total payment is calculated to cover that number plus processing and our fee, not the other way around.
• What happens if a gig is disputed? The payment stays held until we review it. If it's found to be a no-show or an unsafe/misrepresented gig, the business gets a full refund. Either party can still leave a rating.
• What's the parent payout account? Because payment processors don't allow minors to hold payout accounts independently, your parent sets one up (free, ~2 minutes) during the consent process. It only receives your gig pay — nothing else runs through it.

Reporting Violations

If you experience a safety issue, payment dispute, or any violation of these guidelines contact us immediately:

• Email: support@studentgighub.com — include "SAFETY" in the subject line
• In an emergency, always call 911 first.