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Mercor supports various types of contracts tailored to the project’s structure and the management of compensation. Below, an overview of the contract types presently in use is provided.

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Hourly contracts

Hourly contracts are the most common format at Mercor. You are paid weekly based on the hours you work, which are tracked using Insightful.

Time Tracking with Insightful

All work activities, including tasks, meetings, and required training sessions, must be diligently recorded using the desktop Insightful application.

Weekly Payouts

Payments are calculated based on hours logged from Saturday (IST) through Friday (IST) and are processed the following Wednesday.

Weekly Cap

Each contract specifies a maximum number of hours per week. This limit must be approved and, if necessary, adjusted by the Project Team.

Pay per Hour

Your hourly rate is displayed in your offer and onboarding dashboard. Compensation is provided irrespective of the quality of work; however, substandard output may influence eligibility for future opportunities.
Always initiate your timer at the commencement of project-related tasks and terminate it during breaks or upon completion of the session.

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How it works

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1. Receive an Hourly Offer

Upon being selected for a project, you will receive an offer via your dashboard that details your hourly rate, cap, and payout schedule. It is imperative that you complete the onboarding procedures (ToW, CIIAA, Tax form, Insightful setup) prior to commencing time logging.
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2. Track Time with Insightful

Mercor mandates that all work activities be documented via the Insightful desktop application. It is required to initiate the timer at the commencement of project-related tasks and to cease it upon pausing or completing the work.
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3. Get Paid Weekly

All hours logged from Saturday 00:00 IST to Friday 23:59 IST are locked, verified, and paid the following Wednesday. First payouts are subject to a 7-day hold by Stripe.
Your hours shall be recorded by the end of each week (Friday, 11:59 PM IST). Hours not captured through Insightful will not be eligible for remuneration.

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Deliverable-based contracts (DBC)

Deliverable-Based Contracts are used when you are paid upon completing specific work items (not by the hour). These contracts are typically used in projects involving Rubrics.

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What is a deliverable-based contract?

A Deliverable-Based Contract (DBC) constitutes a contractual agreement wherein compensation is provided based on the completion of specific tasks, rather than on an hourly basis.

This arrangement is most suitable for particular kinds of work, such as assessments or rubrics, where the scope of work is explicitly defined and evaluated according to deliverables. Unlike hourly contracts, DBCs have no weekly hours. Most DBCs do not require time tracking through Insightful, but each contract sets whether it does.

Key Advantages

  • Time tracking only if your contract requires Insightful
  • Fixed payment for the contract
  • Simple contract checklist
  • Clear start and completion expectations

Important to Know

• Payment is only issued upon successful completion
• You must complete all assigned deliverables
• There is no minimum hourly guarantee

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How the DBC works

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1. You receive the DBC offer

The offer is displayed on your dashboard and will be designated as “Deliverable-based” within the contract type.
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2. Complete onboarding checklist

Sign ToW, CIIAA, and submit the necessary tax forms. Additionally, set up payments and complete all listed setup steps.
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3. Begin your deliverables

You will find assigned assessments or tasks in the Deliverables section inside your contract. Open it from the Contracts tab on Home.
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4. Submit your work

Once all deliverables are submitted, your contract card shows Submitted, and later Ended once everything is approved and closed out.
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5. Get paid

Payment is incorporated into the next payout cycle and is displayed in your Earnings tab under the designation ‘Deliverable Contract.‘

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Where are DBCs used?

You may be eligible to receive a DBC if you are invited to participate in specific evaluation programs, such as:
  • Prompt Academy Fellowship
  • Rubric Academy Fellowship
These listings encompass explicit tasks and expectations and are generally issued subsequent to a preceding project or trial.

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Contract completion & payments

When all your deliverables are submitted and approved:
  • The contract will update to Submitted, then later Ended
  • You’ll receive an email confirming completion
  • Payment will enter the next payout cycle
  • You’ll see a payment record under your Earnings page labeled “Contract (Deliverable).”
While DBC payments are currently processed manually, the average payout time is within 3 business days once completed.

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Contract updates during a project

Projects evolve, and sometimes the way a project pays changes with it. A project may move from hourly pay to task-based pay, or from task-based pay back to hourly. When that happens, your contract is updated so it always reflects how the project actually works. This section explains the process and what is guaranteed throughout.
This applies to pay-structure changes within your current project. It is different from a Deliverable-Based Contract (DBC), which is a separate contract type described above.

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Why a contract may be updated

The pay structure of a contract follows how the work is organized, and clients sometimes reorganize a project mid-flight:

Hourly to Task-Based

The project moves to defined tasks, each with its own rate. You are paid per completed task instead of per tracked hour.

Task-Based to Hourly

The project moves to continuous, time-based work. You are paid for tracked hours at the hourly rate stated in your contract amendment.

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How to respond to a contract amendment

A pay-structure change (or any other change to your contract’s terms) reaches you as a contract amendment.
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You're notified

You get an email about the amendment, and it also appears on the Amendments tab of your Home page (next to Contracts and Offers), with a deadline to respond by.
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Review the proposed terms

Open the amendment from the email or the Amendments tab and compare your current terms against the proposed ones.
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Accept or reject before the deadline

Select Accept to apply the new terms, or Reject to decline. If you do not respond by the deadline, the amendment expires with the same outcome as rejecting it.
Accepting an amendment applies the new terms — for some amendments, this ends your current contract and starts a new one on the amended terms, effective from the acceptance date. Completed work is never repriced under the old terms. If you reject an amendment (or miss the deadline), what happens next depends on the amendment: your current terms may stay in place, the contract may be paused, or it may end — the amendment and its email tell you which applies. Even when your terms stay in place, your project team may still choose to end the contract separately.

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What is always guaranteed

  1. You hear about it first. A pay-structure change is announced by the project team through official channels, typically email and/or Slack, before it takes effect. It never happens silently.
  2. You always get to review it first. The new terms arrive as an amendment on your Amendments tab (and by email), where you review them and choose to accept or reject before they take effect.
  3. Completed work is never repriced. Hours logged under hourly terms are paid at your hourly rate. Tasks delivered under task-based terms are paid at their task rates. A contract amendment never applies retroactively to work you already did.
  4. The change follows the project, not the person. Pay-structure updates apply to the project as a whole. They are about how pay is calculated, not about individual performance.

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What stays the same under both structures

  • Time tracking. If your project uses Insightful, keep it running as usual under both pay structures. On task-based projects it does not set or reduce your task pay.
  • Payout schedule and methods. Weekly cycles, Stripe or Wise, and payout timelines are unchanged by the contract structure.
  • Support. The same project channels and support paths apply.
When you get a contract amendment, review it on your Amendments tab before the deadline. If anything is unclear, reach out through your project channel or support before you respond. Questions are easier to resolve early.

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FAQ

Missing the deadline has the same outcome as rejecting it. Depending on the amendment, your current terms stay in place, the contract is paused, or it ends — the amendment and the email about it say which applies. See Contract Updates During a Project.
Yes. Insightful is the exclusive authorized method for time tracking. Always initiate and terminate the timer when engaging in project tasks.
Missed time cannot be incorporated retrospectively unless an authorized exception is granted by the Project Team. It is essential to verify that the timer remains active at all times.
No, unless your project lead has stated otherwise. They are responsible for overseeing your working hours.
Yes. Please make sure each Project Lead knows your availability.
Mercor conducts a weekly review of all time logs to ensure they accurately reflect productive work.Common reasons for deductions include:• Insightful screenshots showing no activity or unrelated tasks
• Timer left running while idle or inactive
• Logging time outside of the assigned project scope
• Use of AI tools or automation in tasks where prohibited
• Suspected duplicate tracking across multiple projectsYou may file a dispute if you believe the removal was made in error.
Most DBCs are projected to be completed within seven days; however, some cases may entail more stringent deadlines. It is imperative to review your contractual checklist consistently. Please be advised that the contract may be rendered void without further notice should the customer alter their plans. 
Open your contract from the Contracts tab on Home, then look at its Deliverables section. Each item will include specific instructions, deadlines (if applicable), and submission details.
No — DBCs are remunerated solely upon the submission and approval of all designated deliverables.
Payments are reflected in your Earnings tab under the designation “Contracts (deliverable).” Please allow 3 to 7 business days for the funds to be credited once the status is marked “Paid.”
No. DBCs are typically offered to experts based on prior contracts or performance evaluations, rather than being associated with a single application.
Whether you need Insightful on a deliverable-based contract depends on the contract. Most deliverable contracts don’t use Insightful, but it’s set per contract and is on by default. If your offer shows a Complete Insightful setup step, you’ll need to do it.

Signing Your Offer

Learn about the offer checklist, background checks, and setup steps.

Getting Started on Projects

How to access your project tools and begin work.

Payments & Earnings

Understand payment cycles, timelines, and policies.