TranscribeMe ( Cloudwork )

The platform meets all required thresholds. There was evidence that there is a structured and efficient payment process that ensures that workers get paid on time and for all completed work.

The platform meets all required thresholds. The platform has clear and available contracts and policies.

The platform meets all required thresholds, including not imposing non-compete clauses on workers, and ensuring that workers can refuse tasks without any consequences for their standing or reputation on the platform. 

The platform meets all required thresholds. There is evidence that has clear and accessible communication channels, as well as an available appeal processes for when workers want to dispute management decisions.

There was evidence that the platform has systems in place to ensure that workers are paid on time for all the work they complete. This includes systems to guard against unfair rejection of work by clients, and other instances of non-payment.

On TranscribeMe, the worker pool is segmented into different workflows, thereby limiting competition between workers in each workflow.

The platform has implemented policies and processes to mitigate task specific health and safety risks. TranscribeMe has a clause in their client terms and conditions which prohibits the uploading of harmful, abusive or harassing content. In dialogue with Fairwork, TranscribeMe has furthermore introduced clear penalties (file deletion and/or account termination) in the case of violation. The platform has adequate data privacy and security measures in place.

Workers on TranscribeMe can access the reasonably comprehensible Terms of Service (ToS) in English at any time via the website. Moreover, the platform, following dialogue with Fairwork, introduced a four-week notification period before any changes to the terms and conditions come into effect. For this threshold, the platform was also able to evidence that any changes to the terms and conditions do not reverse existing accrued benefits and reasonable expectations on which workers have relied.

We were able to verify that TranscribeMe met all our criteria including not imposing non-compete clauses on workers, and ensuring that workers can refuse tasks without any consequences for their standing or reputation on the platform. In addition, following dialogue with Fairwork, the platform introduced additional measures to encourage clients to provide translators and transcribers with information in the order process about how the final transcription or the translated/transcribed document will be used.

There is evidence that workers on this platform can easily communicate with a human representative of the platform. Workers receive an explanation for all punitive actions including reductions in their rating/platform standing, non-payment, work rejections, penalties, account blocks, deactivation and any other disciplinary actions. Explanations for punitive actions and work rejections include information on how they can be appealed. The process for workers to appeal punitive actions and work rejections is non-arduous, documented in the contract, and available to workers who no longer have access to the platform.

TranscribeMe has anti-discrimination clauses in their terms and conditions stating that neither clients nor the platform shall discriminate against workers on the ground of criteria such as gender, race, religion or sexual orientation. For this platform, we were also able to verify that information is made available to workers about how work is allocated, including where algorithms are used – which promotes fairness and reduces the possibility of discrimination.

There are systems to promote on time payments and to mitigate unfair rejections of work

Client terms prohibit uploading of harmful or offensive content and there is a documented process for workers to report such content. There is a comprehensive privacy policy

There are mechanisms to control new labour supply and promote job availability to mitigate against unpaid search time

Clear terms and conditions are available, and do not require workers to waive rights to reasonable legal recourse against the platform

The contract is consistent with the worker’s terms of engagement on the platform and clients are required to inform workers about the purpose of the job

There is an appeals process for disciplinary actions outlined in the Terms of Service

There is an anti-discrimination policy in the Terms and Conditions