Interaction and Dispute Resolution Policy

Introduction

This Interaction and Dispute Resolution Policy governs the relationship between Users (Clients and Contractors) on the Selfwork Platform, defines payment procedures, and establishes the framework for resolving disputes that may arise during the course of service delivery.

1. Limited Facilitator Relationship

Selfwork GmbH (the "Platform") functions solely as a technical intermediary that facilitates connections between Users (Clients and Contractors) and third-party licensed payment processing service providers (the "Payment Processors"). The Platform does not act as a payment agent, escrow service, trustee, or financial institution in any transaction. All payment processing, fund holding, and disbursement are exclusively managed by the Payment Processors in accordance with their regulatory obligations. The Platform's role is limited to providing the technical infrastructure that enables Users to interact with the Payment Processors' payment processing services. The Platform has no access to or control over funds held by the Payment Processors and derives no ownership interest in such funds.

The Platform does not enter into, become a party to, or otherwise interfere with the contractual relationship formed directly between Clients and Contractors. It does not assume any responsibility for the quality, legality, or timeliness of services rendered. Furthermore, the Platform does not function as an escrow service, trustee, or licensed financial institution. All funds are processed and held by the Payment Processors (or their banking partners) in segregated client money or payment hold accounts (which may include escrow-like arrangements) in accordance with their regulatory obligations. The Platform shall not have access to or control over such funds at any time. The seven (7)-day period referred to herein is the standard payment hold period established by the relevant Payment Processor, during which time the parties may resolve any disputes. Upon expiration of this period, the Payment Processor shall automatically process the disbursement according to its standard procedures.

The Platform neither directly receives, processes, nor stores any user funds. Accordingly, the Platform's role in payment handling is that of a technical intermediary, and it derives no ownership or interest in the funds transferred between Users.

2. Legal and Financial Relationship of Platform Users

Each transaction initiated through the Platform results in the automatic generation of a Standardized Service Agreement, which governs the scope of services, expected timelines, deliverables, and agreed-upon remuneration. This agreement is binding solely between the Client and the Contractor. The Platform acts solely as a technical intermediary facilitating the connection between the Client and the Contractor and does not become a party to this agreement.

To supplement the contractual relationship between the parties, the Platform automatically generates an auxiliary document — a Statement Invoice — which is made available to the Client through the Platform interface. This document contains information regarding the nature, scope, and description of the services rendered or work performed. The Platform does not act as a financial institution or payment processor in relation to this invoice.

Upon completion of payment processing by the Payment Processor, including the final allocation of funds as per the payment terms, the Contractor may access their account with the Payment Processor (where applicable) to view the payment status and initiate payouts through the Payment Processor's interface. The Platform provides a dashboard that displays the transaction status as reported by the Payment Processor but does not control, hold, or manage any funds. All payment processing activities, including fund holding, allocation, and release, are exclusively managed by the Payment Processors in accordance with their regulatory obligations.

Simultaneously, the Client will receive an automatic notification confirming the completion of the payment process as reported by the Payment Processor. The Platform does not independently verify or confirm the completion of the transaction but relays status information as provided by the Payment Processor.

Platform's Non-Involvement

The Platform is not a party to the agreement between the users and does not assume responsibility for any financial or legal obligations related to the transaction. Specifically, the Platform:

• Does not act as a payment processor, escrow service, or financial institution;
• Does not control, hold, or manage any user funds;
• Does not participate in the payment processing, settlement, or disbursement of funds;
• Does not verify employment classification or tax status;
• Does not issue compliance-related documents such as IRS Forms 1099, W-8BEN or other tax papers;
• Does not assume liability for any false statements, misrepresentations, or breaches of contract made by any user.

Contractors are solely responsible for obtaining any necessary business licenses or tax registrations required in their jurisdiction. All payment processing activities are subject to the applicable Payment Processors' terms of service and applicable regulatory frameworks. The Platform's role is strictly limited to providing the technical infrastructure that facilitates connections between Users and the Payment Processors' payment processing services.

3. Tax Compliance and User Obligations

As outlined in the Terms of Use, all users of the Platform bear full and independent responsibility for compliance with applicable tax laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions.

Contractors are solely responsible for reporting income received through the Platform to local tax authorities, including the payment of any value-added tax (VAT), self-employment tax, or other applicable obligations. Clients are responsible for conducting due diligence regarding the classification of Contractors as independent service providers or employees under applicable employment laws.

The Platform does not provide tax advice and does not withhold or remit taxes on behalf of any user. Users are strongly advised to retain copies of all invoices, receipts, and payment confirmations for their own accounting and audit purposes.

4. Client Acknowledgment of Service Completion

The Client hereby acknowledges and agrees that the acceptance of services rendered or work performed by a Contractor shall be confirmed exclusively through the Platform interface by clicking the "Confirm" or "Approve" button or its equivalent functionality. Such confirmation shall constitute conclusive evidence that the services have been duly completed to the Client's satisfaction and that no claims, objections, or disputes remain outstanding with respect to the scope, quality, or timeliness of the Contractor's performance.

This confirmation shall serve as the final basis for the release and disbursement of funds to the Contractor and constitutes a waiver by the Client of any further rights to dispute, withhold, or reverse payment for the services confirmed.

5. Payment Procedures, Settlement Mechanism, and Risk Allocation

Client initiates the payments to Contractors through the Platform.

All payments initiated by the Client in favor of a Contractor through the Platform are subject to a temporary hold mechanism provided by the Payment Processor or our other payment partners (collectively, the "Payment Partners"). Funds shall remain blocked until the occurrence of the earliest of the following events:

• The Client formally confirms receipt and acceptance of the services; or
• A period of seven (7) calendar days has elapsed from the date on which the payment was initiated by the Client through the Platform interface, without the initiation of any dispute.

Payment Hold Period

All payments initiated by the Client in favor of a Contractor through the Platform are processed via the Payment Partners, which shall hold funds in a payment hold status (for example, in segregated client money or escrow-like accounts) for the duration of the payment hold period.

Funds shall remain in a payment hold status for the duration of the payment hold period determined by the Payment Partners, currently set at seven (7) calendar days from payment initiation, unless released earlier through mutual agreement of the parties as processed through the Payment Partners.

During the Hold Period

During this period:

1. The Payment Partner shall maintain the funds in a segregated client money / payment hold account in accordance with its/their regulatory obligations;
2. Selfwork Platform shall have no authority to access, control, or release the funds;
3. Once the Client approves the Contractor's services or work (by clicking the "Approve" button), the relevant Payment Partner releases the funds in the payment hold account and transfers them to the Contractor, minus the Selfwork Platform fee, in accordance with the allocation instructions provided by the Platform;
4. This Client approval and transfer of funds can be completed before the end of the hold period;
5. The hold period shall serve as the timeframe during which disputes may be initiated through the relevant Payment Partner's (if available) or card schemes' dispute resolution process.

Upon expiration of the hold period without dispute initiation, the Payment Partner shall automatically process the disbursement according to the allocation instructions provided by Selfwork Platform: (i) the Platform Fee to Selfwork Platform; and (ii) the Contractor Payment to the Contractor.

Platform Liability Limitations

The Platform shall not be liable for any losses or damages arising out of or in connection with:

• Fraudulent conduct by users, chargebacks initiated by Clients, or canceled transactions;
• Fees, delays, or errors related to currency conversion or the performance of third-party payment processors;
• Fines, penalties, or sanctions imposed on users by regulatory authorities resulting from such users' own non-compliance with applicable laws or regulations;
• Users' failure to meet the deadlines for filing claims specified in this document.

Users acknowledge that the Platform cannot recover funds once released to a Contractor, including in cases of subsequent fraud allegations.

6. Dispute Resolution Policy

6.1 Dispute Grounds

Claims by Client against Contractor:

The Client has the right to initiate a dispute in the following cases:

• Non-conformity of the work results or service with the specification or description of the service;
• Discovery of material defects, deficiencies, or errors in the performed work/rendered service that prevent its use for the intended purpose;
• Systematic failure by the Contractor to provide interim reports, work status updates, or responses to the Client's inquiries;
• Performance of the work/rendering of the service by third parties without the prior written consent of the Client;
• Failure to perform the work by the agreed deadline or lack of response from the Contractor;
• Failure to provide the result of the work/service (e.g., final files, artifacts, access to download results);
• Disclosure by the Contractor of the Client's confidential information;
• Failure by the Contractor to transfer to the Client the exclusive rights to the work results;
• Infringement of copyright or related rights (plagiarism, forgeries, use of others' works without proper authorization);
• Public statements, actions, or omissions by the Contractor that cause harm to the Client's reputation or brand;
• Negligence and/or material breaches of the agreement terms by the Contractor;
• Threats, blackmail, and extortion by the Contractor;
• Discovery that the Contractor provided knowingly false information about qualifications, experience, or resources;
• Unauthorized disclosure, use, and/or dissemination of the Client's personal data by the Contractor;
• Suspicion of fraud.

Claims by Contractor against Client:

The Contractor has the right to initiate a dispute in the following cases:

• Demand by the Client for modifications and/or corrections that fall outside the scope of the agreed order;
• Systematic introduction by the Client of changes that contradict previously approved requirements;
• Rejection of the work and/or service result, including unmotivated rejection;
• Delay in payment/acceptance of payment for more than 72 hours after the "Completed" status;
• Termination of the agreement after delivery of the work or service results without payment;
• Disclosure by the Client of the Contractor's confidential information;
• Unauthorized disclosure, use, and/or dissemination of the Contractor's personal data by the Client;
• Failure to provide or untimely provision by the Client of materials, information, or approvals critically necessary for the performance;
• Unmotivated refusal by the Client to approve interim stages of work;
• Use by the Client of the work results prior to their full payment and formal acceptance;
• Posting by the Client of knowingly false, inaccurate, or defamatory reviews harming the Contractor's business reputation;
• Demand by the Client to perform actions that violate applicable law.

Claims by Platform against Users:

The Platform has the right to initiate a dispute in the following cases:

• In cases expressly provided for by the Terms of Use;
• Discovery of facts of circumventing the Platform and making payments outside of it;
• Publication and/or dissemination of insults towards Platform users;
• Instances of discrimination, threats, and extortion;
• Manipulation of accounts/reputation;
• Dissemination of spam or prohibited content;
• Suspicion of fraud.

6.2 Dispute Initiation

A dispute may be initiated by the Contractor or the Client at any stage of the order fulfillment, including the Contractor may initiate a dispute within seven (7) days from the order status being "Completed", and the Client - within seven (7) days from the date of the order status being "Paid". The Platform reserves the right to reject a claim if the user has missed the deadline for filing it.

In case a dispute is initiated, a claim must be submitted via the order interface ("Order Help") or by email to info@selfwork.com.

Selfwork Platform shall review the dispute within a period of up to three (3) business days (subject to potential extension), based on the order materials, correspondence, and evidence provided. Upon completion of the arbitration, a decision may be rendered for a full or partial refund, crediting of funds to the user's balance or original payment method, adjustment/withholding of payment, or revision of the order. The final movement of funds is processed via the Payment Partners. The decision is recorded in the system and reflected in the transaction history.

6.3 Mandatory Mediation Through the Platform

In the event a dispute is initiated within the designated timeframe, both the Client and the Contractor shall be required to participate in a mandatory mediation process administered by the Platform.

The Platform shall administer the mediation process, acting to facilitate a resolution between the Users. The Platform will review the nature and substance of the claims and defenses presented by both parties, including but not limited to alleged deficiencies in service delivery, delays, incomplete work, or non-payment.

The Platform shall have the sole discretion to evaluate the evidence, which includes but is not limited to the order materials, correspondence, and documentation provided by both parties. Following this evaluation, the Platform will issue a final and binding Resolution Instruction to the relevant Payment Partner regarding the disposition of the funds held in a payment hold status.

The Platform may deny a party's request for a full refund, partial refund, or release of payment if, in its reasonable judgment, the claims are:

• Unsubstantiated, speculative, or lacking merit; and/or
• Not supported by sufficient documentation or evidence.

The Platform's Resolution Instruction is final for the purpose of directing the Payment Partner to release, refund, or adjust the disputed funds. The Platform does not act as a legal arbitrator or advisor, and its determination is based solely on the evidence provided within the context of the Platform's Terms of Use. The final movement of funds is executed exclusively by the Payment Partners based on this instruction.

6.4 Mediation Timeline and Evidence Requirements

The Platform shall evaluate disputes based on the preponderance of evidence, including documented communication, submitted work product, timestamps, and other platform-generated data. Verbal claims unsupported by written records may be disregarded.

The Platform reserves the right to request any documents, correspondence, or records from either the Client or the Contractor that it deems necessary to evaluate the dispute. Users are contractually obligated to cooperate in good faith and to respond to any such requests promptly.

Each party shall have a maximum of five (5) days from the date of the Platform's request to submit supporting documentation or respond to communications. Failure to respond within this timeframe may result in a decision being made based on the information available.

The Platform will review disputes and render a decision within three (3) business days after receiving (subject to potential extension):

• The Client's completed dispute claim via the Platform interface; and
• All requested supporting documentation from both parties.

Acceptable Evidence

For a dispute to be considered valid, the complaining party must provide at least one (1) of the following:

• Documented communications between Client and Contractor (e.g., Platform message logs, emails, or screenshots with timestamps);
• Proof of work deliverables (e.g., submitted files, links, or platform-generated activity logs);
• Contractual discrepancies (e.g., screenshots of the original Service Agreement vs. delivered work);
• Third-party verification (e.g., independent expert reports, if applicable and pre-approved by the Platform).

6.5 Payment Hold Period During Mediation

During the mediation process, Selfwork Platform reserves the right to request that the relevant Payment Partner place a hold on funds due for payment for at least seven (7) days, but in any case until a decision is made on the dispute. This request may be made at any time after the mediation commencement date. This request is not related to the Payment Partner's mediation or arbitration proceedings, which the user may initiate independently in accordance with such Payment Partner's policies (subject to the existence of relevant grounds specified in its policies). The User may apply to the Payment Partner for a mediation procedure, however, the User agrees that in such a case the Platform will not suspend or cancel the dispute resolution procedure and the User will have to wait until the end of the procedure conducted by Selfwork Platform.

6.6 Outcome of Mediation and Final Resolution

Upon conclusion of the mediation process:

• If the Platform determines that the Client's claims are valid and properly substantiated, the Platform shall notify the relevant Payment Partner of the dispute resolution outcome. The Payment Partner shall then process any refund or adjustment as specified in ToU and herein and may be outlined in its policies;
• If the Platform determines that the Client's claims are unsubstantiated or unsupported, the Platform shall notify the relevant Payment Partner of the outcome, and the Payment Partner shall proceed with the disbursement of funds in accordance with its/their standard procedures.

The Platform's authority is limited to notifying the Payment Partner of decisions taken. The Platform shall have no authority to release, withhold, or reverse payments, as all payment processing decisions are exclusively within the authority of the Payment Partners.

6.7 Liability Limitations

The Platform shall not be liable for any losses, damages, or consequential harm resulting from the outcome of the mediation process, including any decision to release or withhold funds. All mediation decisions are administrative in nature and not subject to appeal within the Platform.

6.8 Fines and Sanctions

For violations committed and set out in Section 6.1 (regarding the grounds for claims that the Platform may initiate against users), the Platform has the right to collect or withhold from the user a penalty in the amount of 10% of the completed or paid order amount (where applicable). The Platform reserves the right to withhold or demand payment of the penalty. The Platform will notify the user of the documented violation, the amount of the penalty, and the procedure for its payment or withholding via the Selfwork Portal interface or via email.

6.9 Mediation Outcomes

While the mediation process is ongoing, neither party may initiate litigation or arbitration related to the disputed transaction. Doing so shall be considered a material breach of this Policy.

Upon conclusion of the mediation process, the Platform shall issue a written summary of findings and a final decision, which will be delivered to both parties via the Platform interface or by email. This summary shall serve as the formal conclusion of the internal dispute process.

The parties agree to be bound by the outcome of the Platform's mediation decision and to execute any actions necessary to comply therewith, including but not limited to accepting payment adjustments or releasing funds.

6.10 Judicial Remedies Following Mediation

If the Client does not agree with the decision rendered by the Platform following mediation, the Client may pursue legal remedies exclusively in accordance with the terms of the Service Agreement entered into between the Client and the Contractor. The Platform shall bear no liability for the outcome of such proceedings and shall not be named as a party thereto.

7. Prohibited Activities and Account Suspension

The Platform maintains a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that undermines the integrity or safety of its user ecosystem. Grounds for account suspension or termination include, but are not limited to:

For Contractors:

• Subcontracting tasks without the express written consent of the Client;
• Falsifying credentials, portfolio materials, or representations of service capabilities.

For Clients:

• Initiating unauthorized chargebacks or engaging in fraudulent payment activity;
• Harassing other users or attempting to circumvent the Platform.

Violation of these provisions may result in temporary suspension or permanent termination of a user account.

In cases involving egregious violations, the Platform may notify the relevant Payment Partner(s) and/or payment service providers of the violation, such Payment Partner(s) may take action in accordance with their terms of service, including but not limited to withholding or forfeiting funds. The Platform shall have no authority to directly withhold or forfeit funds.

8. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Platform expressly disclaims all liability for:

• Failures in service delivery, including delays, substandard performance, or non-delivery of services;
• Misclassification of users for employment or tax purposes;
• Risks associated with third-party payment processors, including but not limited to insolvency, fraud, or unauthorized access.

The Platform expressly disclaims all liability for payment processing activities, including but not limited to:

• Any delays, errors, or failures in payment processing;
• Any actions taken by the Payment Partners or other third-party payment processors in connection with payment processing;
• Any disputes or chargebacks related to payments;
• Any regulatory or compliance issues related to payment processing.

All payment processing is subject to the applicable third-party payment processors' and Payment Partners' terms of service, and the Platform shall have no responsibility for the actions or omissions of such third-party providers in relation to payment processing.

9. Modifications, Governing Law, and Jurisdiction

This Policy may be updated or amended at any time. Users will be notified of material changes via email or prominent notice within the Platform interface. Continued use of the Platform following such updates constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.

This Policy shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Switzerland. Any disputes arising under or in connection with this Policy shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts of Zurich, Switzerland.