Platform Administrator: Independent Contractor (1099) Handbook

1. Welcome

As an OffTorque Platform Administrator, you play a critical role in keeping the marketplace safe, running smoothly, and growing. You are the first line of review for mechanic onboarding, the point of contact for disputes, and the operator of the admin dashboard.

This handbook outlines your responsibilities, access rights, rules of conduct, and the standards expected of every administrator on the platform.

2. Your Status as an Independent Contractor

You are engaged by OffTorque as an independent contractor (1099), not an employee. This means:

• You are self-employed and responsible for your own taxes
• OffTorque will issue a Form 1099-NEC at year-end if earnings exceed $600
• You are not entitled to employee benefits (health insurance, PTO, retirement)
• You set your own schedule within the agreed availability windows
• You supply your own computer and internet connection
• You are responsible for your own business insurance if applicable

3. Role Overview

The OffTorque Platform Administrator is responsible for:

4. Platform Access

4.1 Admin Dashboard

• Access the admin dashboard by signing in at www.offtorque.com with your admin-designated account
• Your account must have role = admin set by the platform owner before access is granted
• Never share your admin login credentials with anyone

4.2 Access Levels

Admin accounts have elevated access including:

• View all mechanic and customer profiles
• Approve, reject, or suspend mechanic accounts
• View all repair requests, job statuses, and payment records
• Create and edit maintenance windows
• View the agent audit log
• Access AI-generated report triage summaries

4.3 What You Cannot Do

• You may not directly modify the production database (Supabase)
• You may not access or view Stripe financial credentials or bank account details
• You may not view raw identity documents, only verification status (Verified/Denied/Pending)
• You may not issue refunds without approval from the platform owner
• You may not grant admin access to other users, only the platform owner can do this
• You may not share any user data (names, emails, addresses, payment info) with third parties

5. Mechanic Onboarding Review Process

When a new mechanic submits their profile for review, you will receive an alert. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Review Profile Completeness

Confirm the mechanic has provided: full name, phone number, service area and radius, at least one service category selected, and (preferred) a profile photo.

Step 2: Check ID Verification Status

• Completed → proceed to Step 3
• Pending → wait; do not approve until the pro completes Stripe Connect onboarding
• Failed / Denied → reject the application; send a polite notice
• Needs Review → escalate to the platform owner

Step 3: Check Background Check Status

Confirm the mechanic has submitted their BCI/FBI background check result. Review for any disqualifying history (see Section 6). If clear → proceed to Step 4. If disqualifying → reject and document the reason in the audit log.

Step 4: Make a Decision

• Approve → set is_verified_mechanic = true in the admin dashboard; mechanic receives an approval email
• Reject → provide a brief reason; mechanic is notified
• Request More Info → contact the mechanic via their registered email through the support address
• Suspend Review → hold the application pending additional information

6. Disqualifying Background Check Results

Do not approve a mechanic with any of the following:

• Felony conviction within the past 7 years
• Any conviction for violent crimes, sexual offenses, or crimes against minors
• Fraud, theft, or financial crime conviction within the past 5 years
• Active warrants or pending criminal charges related to the above
• Identity that does not match the submitted government ID

When in doubt, escalate to the platform owner before making a decision.

7. Dispute Resolution Guidelines

When a customer or mechanic files a report or dispute:

1. Read both sides, review the chat log, job status history, and any submitted evidence
2. Apply the facts, base decisions on what happened, not who submitted the report
3. Be consistent, apply the same standards to all users regardless of their history on the platform
4. Document your decision, log the outcome and reason in the admin dashboard before closing the report
5. Escalate when needed, refund requests, legal threats, or serious safety incidents go to the platform owner

Resolution options: Dismiss (no action required), warn the user (first offense, minor violation), suspend the account (repeat offense or moderate violation), permanently remove the account (serious or criminal violation), or escalate to platform owner.

8. Confidentiality

As an OffTorque administrator you have access to sensitive user information. You are strictly required to:

• Keep all user data confidential at all times
• Never discuss, share, or disclose any user's name, email, address, payment data, or platform activity with any third party
• Never take screenshots of user data for personal use
• Report any suspected data breach or unauthorized access to the platform owner immediately
• This confidentiality obligation continues after your engagement with OffTorque ends

Violation of this confidentiality policy is grounds for immediate termination and may result in legal action.

9. Security Rules

• Use a strong, unique password for your admin account (minimum 12 characters)
• Never log into the admin dashboard on a shared or public computer
• Log out of the admin dashboard when not actively working
• Report any suspicious activity on the platform to the platform owner immediately
• Never click links in emails claiming to be from Supabase, Stripe, or Netlify unless you initiated the action
• Do not install browser extensions that have access to your admin session

10. Communication Standards

• Always be professional, neutral, and respectful
• Do not make promises about features, timelines, or refunds that have not been approved
• Use only the official support email: support@offtorque.com
• Never communicate with users through personal email, phone, or social media
• Keep all platform-related communication in writing for record-keeping

11. Hours & Availability

Admin response time standard: within 24 hours for standard requests, within 4 hours for flagged safety or payment issues. You are not required to be available 24/7 unless expressly agreed with the platform owner. Notify the platform owner in advance of any planned unavailability exceeding 48 hours.

12. Compensation

• Admin services are billed at the agreed hourly or per-task rate
• Submit invoices to support@offtorque.com on the agreed schedule
• OffTorque will issue a Form 1099-NEC at year-end for earnings over $600
• No taxes are withheld, you are responsible for your own tax obligations

13. Termination

OffTorque may terminate this contractor engagement at any time for: violation of any term in this handbook, breach of confidentiality, unauthorized access or modification of platform data, failure to meet response time standards after written notice, or conduct that damages the OffTorque brand or its users.

Upon termination, admin account access will be revoked immediately and all platform credentials must be returned or destroyed.

14. Acknowledgment

By activating your OffTorque administrator account, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to the terms in this handbook and the OffTorque Independent Contractor Agreement.