Relief Care is built so Care Seekers can book care without sending money directly to a stranger.
Payments follow a controlled flow: pay upfront, service is delivered, then funds are released.
The Payment Flow at a Glance
- Booking: A Care Seeker books a shift and pays through Relief Care.
- Holding: Relief Care holds the funds securely while the shift is pending.
- Release: After the shift is completed (and confirmed), Relief Care releases the payout to the Care
Giver.
What happens when you pay
When a Care Seeker submits payment, Relief Care processes the transaction through secure payment
rails and records the booking terms (time, rate, fees, cancellation rules). We hold the payment for the
booking so the shift can’t be “worked first, paid later” with no record.
If a payment method fails or is reversed, the booking may be paused or canceled because the platform
cannot guarantee funds.
When funds are released to the Care Giver
Funds are released only after the shift is completed and completion is confirmed in the platform. The
Care Giver does not get paid simply because a booking exists; the work must be verified.
Cancellations, No-Shows, and Changes
Payment protection relies on keeping all changes inside the platform.
- Care Seeker cancels before the shift: Refund or partial charge depends on the cancellation
window and the specific booking rules. - Care Giver cancels: The Care Seeker should not pay anything off-platform. You should rebook
through Relief Care. - No-show or early departure: Report it immediately in-app with timestamps.
- Changes to scope: If you change the time, rate, or scope, do it in the booking flow so the
payment record matches what actually happened.
Disputes and Chargebacks
If something goes wrong, use the platform’s reporting/support path first so Relief Care can review the
booking record (messages, shift details, confirmations).
Do not file a bank chargeback as your first move. Chargebacks can remove the platform’s ability to
resolve the issue cleanly because the funds are pulled into the credit card network’s process.
Outcomes are usually determined by: - Booking terms saved in Relief Care.
- Shift confirmation data and timestamps.
- On-platform messages and change history.
- Documented policy violations (e.g., coercion or impersonation).
Why you should never pay off-platform
Off-platform payments break the platform’s protections entirely. If a Care Seeker pays by cash, e-transfer,
or direct deposit: - There is no controlled release after completion.
- There is no platform record tying payment to performance.
- Disputes become “your word vs. theirs” without a reliable transaction trail.
If a Care Giver asks for off-platform payment, treat it as a risk signal and report it immediately.
