WiseCrowd Terms of Use

Introduction and overview of the Service

WiseCrowd Limited (WiseCrowd, us, we, our) is a limited company registered in the United Kingdom. Its company number is 09714895.

The Service which WiseCrowd provides using the Site is to enable organisations (Clients) to publish their requirements (Jobs) for freelance governance, risk and compliance consultants (Freelancers), and for Freelancers to apply for, negotiate and agree temporary Jobs with Clients (Engagements), and then record timesheets and invoice Clients in relation to those Engagements. WiseCrowd acts solely to provide the Service and is not a party to Engagements.

Freelancers and Clients will both have profiles containing their details on the Service (Profiles).

These terms and conditions (Terms of Use) apply to any and all use of the Service by Freelancers and Clients (together Members, you). They also incorporate our website terms of access (Website Terms), our privacy policy, and our cookie policy. Defined terms used within our Terms of Use, privacy policy, cookie policy or Website Terms apply equally to each and every document.

1. The role of WiseCrowd

1.1. WiseCrowd acts solely to provide the Service to Members. We are not a party to any agreement, including any Engagement, between Members.

1.2. While we do authenticate each Member’s account before it is registered to use the Service, we do not make any representation, warranty, or undertaking as to the quality of any such Member, or their ability to perform their obligations for any Job. You must perform your own due diligence on any Member with whom you enter into an agreement and all Engagements are entered into by Members exclusively at their own risk.

2. The Service

2.1. The Service is accessible to Members using the Site, as described in our Website Terms.

2.2. We provide the Site and the Service “as is” and “as available”, and make no representation, warranty, or undertaking as to its availability, security, or functionality. We may at any time depreciate, alter or cease to provide the Service in our absolute discretion.

2.3. We make no representation, warranty, or undertaking that the Service will be free from any viruses, trojan horses, or other harmful code or security threat, and Members must ensure that any device through which they access the Site and Service are protected against such threats.

3. Use of the Service

3.1. Members must use the Service in accordance with all processes and policies applicable to the Service from time to time as may be provided or operated by us on the Site.

3.2. All use of the Service must be in accordance with our Website Terms.

3.3. The Service must be used in good faith by Freelancers seeking Jobs with Clients and by Clients seeking Freelancers for Jobs. No Member shall attempt to circumvent the Service or Our Fees and, where this is found to have occurred, we are entitled to any fee payable to us pursuant to clause 6.

4. Representations and warranties

4.1. All Members represent and warrant to us that all information which they post on the Service (including, but not limited to, information about Jobs or a Freelancer’s skills and experience), is up-to-date, truthful and accurate.

4.2. Clients represent and warrant that:

4.2.1. they shall conduct all due diligence required by all relevant statutes, regulations, and policies (including but not limited to those policies in place within their organisation or business, and any applicable professional body) into any Freelancer they hire for a Job;

4.2.2. the Job will take place as described in the advertisement of the Job; and

4.2.3. they have the means to pay the Freelancer the value of the Job as advertised.

4.3. When applying for a Job, Freelancers represent and warrant that they are:

4.3.1. available to perform the Job; and

4.3.2. capable, both legally and in respect of their skills and experience, of performing the Job to a satisfactory standard, and in line with any requirements made known to them by the Client.

4.4. Clients and Freelancers represent and warrant that they will comply with all applicable law and regulation to their relationship and their use of the Service.

5. The Engagement

5.1. Subject to these Terms of Use and the documents and policies which it refers to,
Members are free to negotiate the terms of Engagements between them. WiseCrowd will not be involved in negotiating Engagements except as described at clause 5.4 below.

5.2. WiseCrowd shall not be a party to, or have rights or obligations under, any Engagement.

5.3. All Engagements shall be deemed to contain certain terms set out at Annex 1 to these Terms (the Mandatory Terms). Where any Mandatory Term conflicts with any clause (the Conflicting Clause) of the Engagement, the relevant Mandatory Term shall replace the Conflicting Clause in its entirety.

5.4. All Engagements must be for a specified length of not more than one year. Where the Freelancer and Client intend to work together for longer than this period, they must renew the Engagement annually.

5.5. Except in the circumstances described in clauses 6.5 or 6.6, all contracts for Freelancers to provide services to Clients must be agreed using the Service as Engagements, and all renewals, extensions and variations to Engagements must be submitted and agreed as new Engagements using the Service.

6. Payment

6.1. Amounts payable by Clients pursuant to Engagements for the performance of Jobs are Freelancer Fees. Clients must pay to us using the Site and Service all Freelancer Fees plus an additional 10% (Our Fees), plus VAT on both the Freelancer Fees and Our Fees.

6.2. All timesheets required by the Client to calculate Freelancer Fees must be submitted using the Service by the relevant Freelancer on the last working day of each week during the Engagement. All such timesheets submitted by a Freelancer must be reviewed and approved by the relevant Client within 5 working days of being submitted, subject to the Client disputing the timesheets and having notified the Freelancer and us of its concerns. On a weekly or monthly basis (as specified in the relevant Engagement) the Freelancer must use the Service to manually request payment of all invoices which are automatically generated by the Service in respect of timesheets that have been approved by the Client.

6.3. The Client will pay to us the Freelancer Fees plus Our Fees plus VAT in accordance with clause 6.1 within 5 working days of payment being requested in respect of an invoice by a Freelancer in accordance with clause 6.2, unless we expressly agree otherwise in writing or if the Client has already sufficient credit on account. On receipt of such payment by a Client or on the Client having sufficient credit, we will:

6.3.1. be immediately entitled fully, both legally and beneficially, to Our Fees; and

6.3.2. transfer the Freelancer Fees to the relevant Freelancer using the option nominated by the Freelancer on the Service (PayPal or bank account).

6.4. If timesheets or invoices for an Engagement are submitted by a Freelancer to a Client otherwise than using the Service, both the Freelancer and Client must notify us immediately and send to us the relevant timesheets and invoices. We are entitled to the value of Our Fees on Freelancer Fees recorded or invoiced otherwise than using the Service. Where we hold money in relation to such an Engagement and the relevant Client account is in credit, such amounts will be deducted from monies held by us.

6.5. Where a Client finds or is introduced to a Freelancer using the Service, regardless of whether an Engagement is entered into with the Freelancer, the Client must immediately pay to us a single fee of 20% plus VAT of the annual salary of the Freelancer if the Freelancer becomes an employee of the Client, a group company or a connected person.

6.6. The Client must pay to us 20% plus VAT of fees paid to a Freelancer in the first year after a Client, a group company or a connected person:

6.6.1. contracts with a Freelancer for services following the end of an Engagement without using the Service; or

6.6.2. contracts with a Freelancer, without any prior Engagement, where the Client finds or is introduced to the Freelancer using the Service.

6.7. The Client must immediately notify us at Contact Us of relevant circumstances and fees payable pursuant to clauses 6.5 or 6.6.

6.8. We are entitled to deduct fees payable pursuant to clauses 6.6 or 6.7 where the relevant Client account is in credit.

6.9. Nothing in this clause 6 creates an obligation by us to pay Freelancer Fees or any other amount to Freelancers unless we have received from a Client the necessary and relevant monies for such payments.

7. Member reviews

7.1. After completion of a Job, the Freelancer may rate the Client and the Client may rate the Freelancer on a star rating scale and by providing written comments. Ratings and comments will be displayed on Members’ Profiles.

7.2. We do not moderate or check the comments or ratings described in clause 7.1. However, Members may complain about comments or ratings to us, and we may delete comments or ratings from Profiles at our absolute discretion.

8. Employment

8.1. The relationship of the Freelancer to the Client will be that of independent contractor and nothing in the Service or these Terms of Use shall render him an employee, worker, agent or partner of the Client or WiseCrowd and the Freelancer shall not hold himself out as such.

8.2. The Engagement will constitute a contract for the provision of the Services and not a contract of employment. Accordingly the Freelancer shall be fully responsible for and shall indemnify the Client for and in respect of:

8.2.1. any income tax, National Insurance and social security contributions and any other liability, deduction, contribution, assessment or claim arising from or made in connection with the performance of the Job, where the recovery is not prohibited by law. The Freelancer shall further indemnify the Client against all reasonable costs, expenses and any penalty, fine or interest incurred or payable by the Client in connection with or in consequence of any such liability, deduction, contribution, assessment or claim other than where the latter arise out of the Client's negligence or wilful default;

8.2.2. any liability arising from any employment-related claim or any claim based on worker status (including reasonable costs and expenses) brought by the Freelancer against the Client arising out of or in connection with the provision of the Job.

8.3. The Client may at its option satisfy such indemnity (in whole or in part) by way of deduction from any payments due to the Freelancer.

8.4. Members must seek independent financial and tax advice regarding the implications of Engagements.

9. Liability

9.1. Nothing in these terms and conditions will limit our liability for personal injury or death caused by our negligence, for fraud or for any other liability the exclusion or limitation of which is not permitted by applicable law or regulation.

9.2. Our liability to you shall not exceed the greater of £500 or the value of Our Fees that have been paid in connection with the relevant Engagement for any loss or damage suffered by you as a result of:

9.2.1. any breach of these Terms of Use by us; and

9.2.2. negligence or wilful default or fraud by us or our employees.

9.3. Save as provided in clause 9.1, we will not be liable to you for:

9.3.1. unforeseeable, indirect or consequential loss or damage;

9.3.2. loss of profit; or

9.3.3. loss of business.

9.4. Save as provided in clause 9.1, we will not be liable for any loss of data.

9.5. We exclude all liability in connection with any Engagement or agreement between any Client and Freelancer.

10. Indemnities

10.1. You shall indemnify us against all liabilities, costs, expenses, damages and losses (including but not limited to any direct, indirect or consequential losses, loss of profit, loss of reputation and all interest, penalties and legal costs and all other professional costs and expenses) suffered or incurred by us arising out of or in connection with:

10.1.1. any breach of the representations and warranties contained at clause 4 above or elsewhere in the Terms of Use;

10.1.2. your performance or non-performance of your obligations in respect of a Job;

10.1.3. submission of User Content, as defined in the Website Terms, causing any infringement of the copyright, trade mark, design, or any other registered or unregistered right of a Member or a third party; or

10.1.4. any other breach of your obligations under this agreement.

11. Term and termination

11.1. We have the right, at our absolute discretion, to suspend, terminate, or delete your account on the Service, or the Service itself, without notice to you. Where we delete your account, we also have the right to delete any data associated with it.

11.2. These Terms of Use will cease to have effect on:

11.2.1. the deletion or closure of your account on the Service, whether by us at our absolute discretion or by you using the Site; or

11.2.2. if later, at the completion of an ongoing Engagement or its renewal or extension, including finalising all relevant payments in accordance with clause 6.

11.3. Clauses 4, 7, 8.1, 9 and 10 shall survive termination of these Terms of Use, as shall the Website Terms, our privacy policy and our cookie policy.

12. Complaints

12.1. If you have any complaint regarding the Service or our performance of our obligations under these terms, you agree to inform us as soon as is reasonably possible at Contact Us and to spend at least 60 days from the date on which the complaint arises negotiating with us before escalating the issue to legal proceedings or to any professional or regulatory body.

13. General

13.1. These Terms of Use, the Website Terms, our privacy policy and our cookie policy constitute the entire agreement between you and us, and supersede and extinguish all previous agreements, promises, assurances, warranties, representations and understandings between us, whether written or oral.

13.2. A working day includes any day which does not fall on a weekend or an English public or bank holiday.

13.3. We may transfer our rights and obligations under these Terms of Use to another organisation, but this will not affect your rights or our obligations under these Terms of Use. We will always notify you if and/or when this happens.

13.4. You must not transfer your rights or your obligations under these Terms of Use to any other party without our written consent.

13.5. These Terms of Use are between you and us. No other party shall have any rights to enforce any of its terms, whether under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 or otherwise.

13.6. Each of the clauses of these Terms of Use operates separately. If any court or relevant authority decides that any of them are unlawful or unenforceable, the remaining paragraphs will remain in full force and effect.

13.7. If any clause (or part of a clause) of these Terms of Use is found to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable but would be legal, valid or enforceable if some part of it were to be deleted or modified, such clause (or part of a clause) shall apply with such deletion(s) and/or modification(s) (as the case may be) as may be necessary to make it legal, valid and enforceable.

13.8. If we fail to insist that you perform any of your obligations under these Terms of Use, or if we do not enforce our rights against you, or if we delay in doing so, that will not mean that we have waived our rights against you and will not mean that you do not have to comply with those obligations. If we do waive a default by you, we will only do so in writing, and that will not mean that we will automatically waive any later default by you.

13.9. The rights and remedies provided under the Terms of Use are in addition to, and not exclusive of, any rights or remedies provided by law.

13.10. These Terms of Use and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with it or its subject matter (including non-contractual disputes or claims) shall be exclusively governed by and construed in accordance with English law.

13.11. You irrevocably agree that the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim that arises out of or in connection with these Terms of Use and its subject matter (including non-contractual disputes or claims).

Annex 1 – Mandatory Terms

The below terms and conditions apply to all Engagements, in accordance with clause 5.4 of WiseCrowd’s Terms of Use.

1. Parties

1.1. This agreement has been entered into using the Service provided by WiseCrowd Limited (WiseCrowd). For the avoidance of doubt, WiseCrowd is not a party to this agreement.

1.2. This agreement is between the parties alone, and WiseCrowd holds no obligations, rights, or liability in respect of this agreement.

2. Employment

2.1. The relationship of the Freelancer to the Client will be that of independent contractor and nothing in this agreement shall render him an employee, worker, agent or partner of the Client or WiseCrowd and the Freelancer shall not hold himself out as such. The Freelancer will not be entitled to any pension, bonus, holiday, sickness or other fringe benefits from the Client.

2.2. The agreement will constitute a contract for the provision of the Services and not a contract of employment and accordingly the Freelancer shall be fully responsible for and shall indemnify the Client for and in respect of:

2.2.1. any income tax, National Insurance and social security contributions and any other liability, deduction, contribution, assessment or claim arising from or made in connection with the performance of the Job, where the recovery is not prohibited by law. The Freelancer shall further indemnify the Client against all reasonable costs, expenses and any penalty, fine or interest incurred or payable by the Client in connection with or in consequence of any such liability, deduction, contribution, assessment or claim other than where the latter arise out of the Client's negligence or wilful default;

2.2.2. any liability arising from any employment-related claim or any claim based on worker status (including reasonable costs and expenses) brought by the Freelancer against the Client or WiseCrowd arising out of or in connection with the provision of the Job.

2.3. The Client may at its option satisfy such indemnity (in whole or in part) by way of deduction from any payments due to the Freelancer.

2.4. If, during, on or after termination or expiry, or partial termination or expiry, of the agreement, any contract of employment or engagement of a Freelancer will have effect, or is claimed to have effect, as if originally made between (i) the Client and the Freelancer or (ii) any Replacement Freelancer and the Freelancer by operation of TUPE or otherwise, then the Freelancer will indemnify and keep indemnified the Client and any Replacement Freelancer against all Losses suffered or incurred by the Client and/or any Replacement Freelancer in connection with the employment or engagement (whether deemed or alleged) of the Freelancer or the termination of the employment or engagement (whether deemed or alleged) of any Freelancer, in respect of any period before or after the Relevant Date.

2.5. In this clause 2, unless the context otherwise requires, the following words and phrases have the meanings below.

Losses: all and any losses, costs, fines, penalties, awards, charges, damages, liabilities, expenses (including legal expenses), actions, proceedings, claims or demands;

Relevant Date : the date of a Relevant Transfer from the Freelancer to the Client or any Replacement Freelancer;

Relevant Transfer : a relevant transfer for the purposes of TUPE;

Replacement Freelancer : any person, firm, company or other entity which may, either during, or on or after the termination or partial termination of this Agreement be engaged by the Client to perform the Job or any part of the Job (or activities which formerly comprised part of the Job or any part of such activities);

TUPE: Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 as amended, re-enacted or extended from time to time.