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My Availability

How do I add my availability?

You can add your work availability by going to My Availability in your pet sitter account in Precise Petcare (see steps below). Here, you can fill out and submit a form indicating when you’re “Available” and/or “Not Available” to work.

PLEASE NOTE: We do provide monetary rewards for those who choose to set their availability and keep it locked for an extended amount of time! See What’s the locked availability challenge to learn more!

To add your work availability, please complete the steps below:

  1. Login to your pet sitter account.
  2. Go to Scheduling > My Availability.
  3. Click on the New Availability Entry button Screen Shot 2022 08 25 at 11.21.30 AM.
  4. Fill out the form titled “Add New Availability Entry.”
    • Type: Available or Not Available
    • Schedule: Single Day, Multiple Days, Ongoing (make sure to fill out Start Date, End Date, and Days accordingly)
      • “Single Day” means it’s availability for one single date.
      • “Multiple Days” means there’s a start date and an end date.
      • “Ongoing” means there’s a start date with NO end date.
    • Except For Screen Shot 2022 08 25 at 11.22.11 AM: These are the dates that you do NOT want included in your availability entry.
    • Length: 24 hour, Block of Time, Overnight
      • “24 hour” means 24 hours.
      • “Block of Time” means there’s a start time and an end time for when you’re available/not available.
      • “Overnight” means our 10pm-7am overnight stay time frame. Do NOT confuse this for “24 hour”. Thus, if you select “Overnight”, you are indicating that you ARE available during the daytime on the selected days in that entry.
    • Notes: We appreciate any and all notes you put in this field; see Availability Entry Best Practices below for more.
  5. Double check that the form is filled out correctly! We don’t want to run into any misunderstandings or miscommunications when assigning work to you!
  6. Click Save.
Screen Shot 2022 08 04 at 3.21.34 PM
Sample Availability Entry Form

How do I update an existing availability entry?

Sometimes, you may have to make updates to your existing availability. Likely, it’s because you forgot you want certain days/times OFF or ON that you didn’t account for when you put in your availability initially. As is often the case, let’s say your availability entry is for “Multiple Days” or “Ongoing” and you just want to update a single day in that set of days, please use the “Except For” feature Screen Shot 2022 08 25 at 11.22.11 AM in the availability entry form. Just simply add any and all dates that you do NOT want to be accounted for in that availability entry form and click Save. Then, add a brand new availability entry uniquely for that day (or days) not accounted for.

To make any availability updates, please complete the steps below:

  1. Login to your pet sitter account.
  2. Go to Scheduling > My Availability.
  3. Locate the availability entry you want to edit and click the down arrow in the upper right corner of the availability entry box.
  4. Click Edit Screen Shot 2022 08 25 at 11.25.42 AM.
  5. Edit the form accordingly.
  6. Double check that the edits are filled out correctly! We don’t want to run into any misunderstandings or miscommunications when assigning work to you!
  7. Click Save.

What’s the locked availability challenge?

As you know, there are NO requirements for number of work hours or assignments to complete on a regular basis. However, we favor unchanging and vast availabilities and provide monetary rewards based on the following:

  • If you submit a locked availability for the next month and devote at least 40 available hours per week, you will earn $50. 💰
  • If you submit a locked availability for the next 2 months and devote at least 40 available hours per week, you will earn $75. 💰
  • If you submit a locked availability for the next 3 months and devote at least 40 available hours per week, you will earn $125. 💰
  • If you submit a locked availability for the next 6 months and devote at least 40 available hours per week, you will earn $250. 💰

If you are locking in your availability for the next however many months on the basis of the rewards system above, please send a message in Slack #availability as well as add a note to the availability entry (see How do I add my availability?) so that way we are clear on your intentions and can track your availability accordingly.

By accepting a locked availability challenge, Hands N Paws reserves the right to assign you on the basis of how far out you are locking your availability for. For example, if you are attempting the 1 month challenge, and we receive a service request from a client (that no one from the team has accepted to their schedule yet), if you happen to have availability to take on that request, we can (and likely will) manually assign it to you.

Lastly, in order to complete the locked availability challenge properly and receive your reward, your work record must stay FREE of points/infractions for the duration of the challenge.

Why shouldn’t I accept services to my schedule outside of my availability that’s listed?

If you start accepting services to your schedule and it does NOT align with the availability you have submitted, it can get confusing. For those who do manual scheduling of services, they need full clarity on when team members ARE available and when they are NOT available. If there’s a mismatch between services you’ve accepted vs availability that’s listed, it prevents us from having clarity on how/when we can actually manually assign services to you (should we ever need to). Plus, Precise Petcare notifies us when accepted services and availability entries don’t match up, informing us to move towards keeping things clear and aligned.

Do I have to give a two-week notice for taking time off?

We really appreciate advanced notice for any availability changes; however, you are open to doing whatever works for you! As an independent contractor, you can set your availability for whenever you want and change it at any moment.

What if I need off for a time that I already have accepted visits on schedule?

If you already have accepted assignments on schedule for a time you’re suddenly unavailable for, it would be in your best interest to let the team know in Slack #availability (and hopefully secure alternative help from another available worker). We discourage you from backing out of any and all accepted assignments without trying to find alternative help, as this can affect our client experience and as a result, penalize your position with Hands N Paws. See Record Points for more information.

Why shouldn’t I have more than one availability entry per workday?

You totally can! Just as long as things are clear and easily understood on our end, there shouldn’t be any problems. In the past, we would have team members submit multiple entires for a single workday that overlapped with one another and were conflicting (see example below). The reason why we encourage you to have one availability entry per single workday is so that we avoid any potential misunderstandings.

Screen Shot 2022 08 04 at 3.18.21 PM

The solution to this would be to update the main availability entry (one that was submitted first), and add an Except For date. See How do I update an existing availability entry? for more information!

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(614) 636-6644

The terms of this agreement are as follows: “Client” refers to you, “Company” refers to us (Hands N Paws), “Team Member” refers to the person from our team providing services for your pets, and “Team Members” refers to the Hands N Paws team as a whole.

 

Emergency Veterinary Treatment & Client Responsibility Policy

It is important to inform Hands N Paws of any specific emergency instructions or medical conditions related to Client’s pets. This will help ensure the safety and well-being of pets during emergencies.

In case any of Client’s pets need emergency veterinary treatment, Team Member will contact the designated vet on file and/or a local emergency vet. Team Member will also communicate with Client and/or emergency contacts regarding the situation.

Client gives permission to Team Member to transport the pet(s) to a veterinary clinic and/or make treatment decisions (except for euthanasia), especially if it’s a life-threatening emergency and/or Client cannot be immediately reached. Client is responsible for any veterinary fees incurred. 

Client releases Hands N Paws from any liability for any damage or harm to pets or property that occurs beyond the reasonable control of Team Member during the provision of emergency veterinary care. 

Pet Vaccination, Licensing & Identification Policy

To comply with local laws and ordinances, it is required that all pets have the appropriate vaccinations and licenses before Company begins services. For further information on these requirements, please visit the Ohio State Bar Association’s website at https://www.ohiobar.org/public-resources. Client should also check with his/her veterinarian to determine which vaccinations/shots the pet requires. 

For safety reasons, we encourage all dogs and cats to wear an ID tag or collar that includes name and contact number while Team Member is working with them.

 

Secure Access & Lockbox Policy

To ensure access to Client’s home during scheduled services, Hands N Paws requires that Client purchases a lockbox and places a spare house key(s) inside of it for Team Member to use. Client can purchase the lockbox on Hands N Paws’ website by clicking Buy Your Lockbox. Once it arrives, the lockbox should be programmed with a unique four-digit code. The lockbox should then be placed on the main door handle or in another secure location, and the lockbox code and location information must be entered in the Client’s account on Precise Petcare.

Alternatively, Client may elect to provide a code for entry via a garage door or electronic keypad and if so, must enter all necessary codes in Precise Petcare. Client is strongly encouraged to purchase a lockbox, however, to ensure that Team Member can access pets at all times during scheduled services, especially in situations where the power goes out or batteries die and Team Member need alternative access to the home.

 

Client Communication & Privacy Policy

All Team Members have access to Clients phone number, but are instructed to only use them when necessary or for urgent purposes during services with pets. Hands N Paws prioritizes the privacy and confidentiality of phone numbers as personal information.

All correspondence between Client and Team Member should be centered around Client’s pets and the services provided. If Client has inquiries regarding scheduling, cancellations, app-related matters, or any company-related concerns, these are to be directed to the Company via the office number: (614) 636-6644. The Company’s client support team is available during office hours, Monday through Friday, 9am-5pm. We are closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal Holidays. The Company will make contact with Client outside of office hours should there be any urgent need for communication.

 

Pet Information Accuracy & Accessibility Policy

In order to provide the best possible service to pets, it is crucial that Client provides Team Member with detailed and up-to-date information regarding their pets. This information should be accurate, complete, and accessible through the Client’s account in Precise Petcare. Team Members can only work on the basis of the information that is available to them through the Client’s account in Precise Petcare. Likewise, Client acknowledges that the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the information they provide directly impacts the quality of the services delivered. Client, therefore, takes full responsibility for any consequences that arise from inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated account information.

 

Flexible Service Arrival Time Policy

Arrival times for services occur within a two-hour period. Team Members are unable to guarantee exact arrival times due to various factors that may affect scheduling and travel times. To accommodate these considerations, we use time blocks rather than specific times. Client will see this in the dropdown menu when Client selects Arrival Time in the request service form within their Client account.

While Team Members understands that Client may have preferences regarding arrival times, it is essential to acknowledge that Team Members cannot guarantee meeting those specific requests. Flexibility is needed in order for Team Members to accommodate for needs of other Clients on schedule.

 

Services & Pricing

For the most up-to-date and detailed descriptions on service offerings, please visit our website at www.myhandsnpaws.com.

 

Service Surcharge Policy

The following service surcharges may apply under certain conditions:

Last Minute Service: A fee of $15 per service will be charged for bookings made with less than 24 hours’ notice.

Holiday Service: A fee of $20 per service will be applied for services provided on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve.

Additional Pets: Base pricing for services includes up to 2 pets. For each additional pet beyond the initial two, an additional fee of $7 per pet will be added.

Out-of-Service Area: If Client location falls outside our designated service area, a fee of $10 per service will be charged. To check if a particular area is within our service range, please visit the respective service page on our website and scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Please note that these surcharges are separate from the base pricing for our services. To learn more about service rates, please visit our website at www.myhandsnpaws.com.

Service Request Approval & Availability Policy

Hands N Paws strives to accommodate as many service requests as possible. However, the approval of service requests is subject to the availability of Team Members. Upon submitting a service request, Client will receive a confirmation or declination email/notification indicating whether Hands N Paws can fulfill the requested work. Sometimes, this may take up to 48 hours.

If a service request is declined, we encourage Client to explore alternative options or contact our dedicated client support team for further assistance. Company is here to help and find the best solution for all pet care needs.

 

Meet N Greet Policy

To ensure a personalized experience for new Clients, Hands N Paws requires virtual Meet N Greets before getting started with pet services. These meetings allow us to connect with Clients and discuss their pet care needs.

All Meet N Greets come at a $25 cost and are about 20-30 minutes in length. For new clients who have their Meet N Greet and then book services with us right afterwards, that $25 will be credited towards their first invoice. For existing clients who have already had their initial Meet N Greet, the event is a flat rate of $25.

Meet N Greets can be scheduled on our website at www.myhandsnpaws.com.

 

Payment & Billing Policy

Payment Method: All services with Hands N Paws are to be paid for using a credit or debit card. All major cards, including Visa, Mastercard, Amex, and Discover are acceptable. Client can securely add and store card information within their Client account. Adding and keeping a valid credit card on file is a requirement for requesting any services with Hands N Paws.

Ongoing Services: For services scheduled as ongoing, Client will be automatically charged every Friday for the previous 7 days’ worth of completed, canceled, and in-progress services.

Non-Ongoing Services: For services not scheduled as ongoing, a 50% down-payment will be charged on the day the services are accepted and confirmed. An invoice will be sent immediately. Client has until the date of the last confirmed service to manually pay the remaining balance on the invoice. If manual payment is not made, the remaining total will be automatically charged to the card on file on the date of the last service day on that invoice.

Declined Payments: In the event of a declined auto-charge, Client will be promptly notified. After the first declined charge, Client has a 24-hour grace period to rectify the issue. In the case of a second declined attempt, a late fee of 10% of the invoice total (minimum $10) will be added. Client must be attentive to emails regarding overdue notices.

Payment Terms: Hands N Paws will be paid the agreed-upon amount as discussed, with no exceptions, unless our Cancellation Policy (outlined below) applies and the Client receives a refund in the form of an Account Credit(s). In emergency circumstances, a refund may be issued as transferable credit(s) back to the Client’s card.

Additional Fees: Client may be charged additional fees if Team Members are instructed to, or determine the need to, purchase items for the pet(s) while under the care of Hands N Paws. These items may include pet food or treats, litter or cleaning supplies, transportation to the vet, or emergency expenses for the general care of the pet(s). Hands N Paws and/or Team Member will consult with Client before making any purchases, and will retain and share any receipts as proof of purchase.

 

Service Cancellation/Refund Policy

When Client schedules services with Hands N Paws, the Company has likely turned down other work so as to devote our time to the work requested from said Client.

Client understands and accepts the Company cancellation/refund policy as outlined below:

– 100% refund is issued as Account Credit if cancellation is made at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled service(s).

– 50% refund is issued as Account Credit if cancellation is made at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled service(s).

– NO refund is issued for same-day cancellations/less than 24 hour notice.

PLEASE NOTE: Refunds are NOT transferable. Should Client be eligible to receive an Account Credit (based on terms above), that will be auto-added to his/her account and applied to the very next invoice with us.

 

Service Terms

Hands N Paws agrees to provide the services stated in this contract in a reliable, caring, and trustworthy manner. In consideration of these services and as an express condition thereof, Client expressly waives and relinquishes any and all claims against Hands N Paws arising out of or relating to the provision of services hereunder, except those arising from gross negligence or willful misconduct on part of Hands N Paws.

Client understands and acknowledges that the environment in which they are requesting Hands N Paws to complete services is reasonably sanitary and safe. If it is determined that home conditions are unsanitary and/or unsafe at any point in the working relationship, Company will make it known to Client. Action will be taken accordingly thereafter.

Additionally, Hands N Paws will not terminate during a period of scheduled service unless Hands N Paws determines, at their sole discretion, that a serious danger exists to the health or safety of Team Members or pets. If such concerns preclude Hands N Paws from providing further care for the pets, Client agrees to pay for their pet to be boarded at a boarding facility or taken under the care of another party until Client returns. All attempts will be made to notify Client and/or emergency contacts regarding such situations.

Client understands and acknowledges that he/she is responsible for letting Hands N Paws know of anyone who has access to their home during the duration of services booked. Client releases and holds Hands N Paws harmless of all loss, expense, and damage caused by any third-parties entering Client’s home at that time.

 

Contract Terms

This contract will take effect upon digital signature by Client (clicking “Agree & Submit” below) and will remain in effect until terminated by either party. Client may make online reservations for additional services at any time during the terms of this contract, as subject to Hands N Paws availability. All scheduled services will be governed by all the terms of this contract.

Client acknowledges that by signing below, he/she is providing written approval for the provision of services by Hands N Paws during any service period scheduled by Client and confirmed by Hands N Paws. Upon service confirmation, Hands N Paws will be authorized to enter Client premises and perform services without additional signed contracts and/or written authorizations.