Understand the weekly timesheet cycle — logged hours, approval window, automatic charge — for hourly resume, interview, or on-job-support contracts.
Set the cap when booking
Hourly engagements require an hour cap to protect your budget. The cap is your maximum — the specialist cannot log more than this many hours total. Total cost will not exceed cap × rate × 1.05 (5% platform fee on top).
Saved card on file
We require a card on file for hourly engagements because each weekly timesheet you approve is charged off-session — no upfront escrow lock-up. You can add or change cards in Settings → Billing at any time.
Work happens on weekly cycles
Engagements run on weekly or biweekly billing cycles (Mon–Sun by default). The specialist logs hours throughout the week (or you log them yourself if the specialist opted into student-logged hours). Each week's hours roll into a single timesheet for that week.
Review and approve each week
When the specialist submits a week for approval, you have 24 hours to act. You'll see hours logged, per-entry descriptions, any attachments, and a notes thread. Click 'Approve & Pay $X.XX' to release the week — your card is charged immediately for the student-total amount and the specialist's share is queued for payout.
Auto-approval safety net
If you don't act within 24 hours, the week auto-approves and your card is charged automatically. To prevent that, dispute the week (flags it for support) or message the specialist in Session Chat to renegotiate before the deadline passes.
Ending the engagement
When the work is done, click End Engagement from the active card. We'll refund any unused hours back to your card automatically, and the engagement moves to Completed with all weekly timesheets, attachments, and notes preserved for reference.