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  1. Can you request increase/decrease in hours?
This page covers frequently asked questions related to your project at Mercor. If you’re stuck, this is a good place to start before reaching out to support.

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Troubleshooting Tips

Offer not showing up

Please navigate to the ‘Offers’ tab, refresh the page, and re-login. If it does not work, please contact support with the listing link.

Insightful not syncing

Please wait a few hours following the onboarding process. If the issue persists, kindly send the application version, operating system details, and a screenshot.

Stripe indicates "Paid," but no funds are available

Bank delays typically range from 3 to 7 business days. The initial payout processed through Stripe is subject to a mandatory hold of seven days.

Need to retake AI Interview

Navigate to the Home section, then proceed to the Interviews tab, followed by the ellipsis menu, and select ‘Retake Interview’ (Subject to limit).

Increase my weekly cap

Please consult your Project Point of Contact (POC). Support is unable to accommodate this modification.

Slack or tool invite missing

Verify the contractor’s inbox; request the point of contact to resend the information if it remains missing after 24 hours.

Accidentally declined offer

Please contact Support immediately and provide the listing link along with your email address.

Offboarded unexpectedly

Please contact Email Support to provide the project name, your last working day, and details of any prior communication.

Wrong Stripe country

Utilize the ‘Reset Stripe’ option on the Offer page and reconfigure it accordingly.

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1. Project Onboarding

Log in to work.mercor.com, navigate to the Contracts tab, and select your respective offer. The onboarding document will be attached, encompassing project information, tools, and your point of contact details.
Occasionally, projects may require several days to complete. Please allow up to 7 days for processing. Should there be no updates or communication within this period, kindly contact [email protected] for further assistance.
Your designated Project Point of Contact will facilitate your onboarding process and address any inquiries you may have. Please reach out to them via the email provided in your onboarding document, or through Slack if you have already been added to the platform.
You may initiate the process once your background check has been successfully cleared, which typically takes 1 to 2 weeks. Subsequently, the project team will provide guidance on the subsequent steps.
Onboarding calls are critical and provide essential project context. Missing an onboarding session may impact your ability to proceed with the project. In cases of unavoidable circumstances, you should escalate promptly by reaching out via the designated project support channel on Slack or emailing [email protected] to check whether a recording is available or if an alternate session can be arranged. Availability of follow-up options depends on the project and is not guaranteed.
For any onboarding-related questions, reach out via the designated project support channel on Slack or email [email protected]. The team will help clarify next steps or route your questions to the appropriate owners.
Yes. Pre-onboarding questions can be shared via email at [email protected] so the project team can review and respond. Please note that projects are often time-sensitive, and responses to pre-onboarding queries may take 1–2 business days. To avoid delays or missing onboarding sessions, it’s generally recommended to join the onboarding as scheduled and raise any remaining questions during or after onboarding whenever possible.
Access to required project tools is typically granted after onboarding. The timing and specific tools will be communicated through official channels, typically via email and/or Slack announcements.
First, review your onboarding documents to confirm the tools you should have access to and any setup steps required. If you’re still unable to access the required project tools, contact the project team via the designated project support channel on Slack or email [email protected]. Please include screenshots or error messages, as these are required to help the team investigate and resolve the issue efficiently.
If you’re unable to start work because required tools or platforms are not yet accessible, first review your onboarding documentation to confirm the expected setup and timelines. If the required access is still missing, escalate by contacting the project team via the designated project support channel on Slack or by emailing [email protected], and include details of the missing access, along with screenshots or error messages where applicable.

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2. Contracts & Offers

Please log out of work.mercor.com and then log back in. If the issue persists, kindly capture a screenshot of the error and email it to the designated support address.
A contract may be automatically revoked before onboarding if background verification fails, the project’s requirements or scope change, or there is a duplicate or conflicting assignment. Once onboarding begins, contracts are not automatically revoked.
Mercor has a strict policy for offer expiration windows. Please make sure to accept your offer within the given deadline, as expired offers cannot be reactivated once the deadline has passed.
Please contact your Project Point of Contact (POC). They will verify the offboarding procedures with you.
Offboarding decisions are determined by the project team or SPLs and are conclusive. Support cannot overturn these decisions; however, you may request contextual information through your Point of Contact (POC).
Yes, provided that your total combined hours do not exceed 80 per week. Please coordinate with each Project Point of Contact and refrain from adjusting hours independently.
Pay rates are determined based on the role, project requirements, budget, and evaluation outcomes. Pay rates are fixed for the duration of a project and cannot be reviewed or adjusted mid-project.
Pay rates are determined by factors such as role requirements, experience level, task complexity, evaluation outcomes, and available budget. Because these factors can vary across projects and timelines, offered rates may differ from those on other projects or prior engagements.
No. Pay rates are fixed once an assignment begins and are not reconsidered during the project. If you need clarification on how your pay rate was determined, you may contact the project team via the designated project support channel on Slack or email [email protected].
No. Contract extensions are not allowed. Offers and contracts have fixed validity periods, and once they expire, they cannot be extended under any circumstances.
No. Requests to extend a contract are not supported, even before the contract end date. Contracts must be accepted and completed within the original timeframe provided.
No. Expired contracts cannot be reactivated. Once a contract expires, the engagement is considered closed. In such cases, talent/expert must apply again to new opportunities available on the Mercor platform.
No. Pay rates are determined based on role scope, project requirements, evaluation outcomes, and available budget. Once work begins, pay rates are fixed for the duration of the project and are not open to renegotiation, unless explicitly stated otherwise in official project communications.
Pay rates are not subject to review or renegotiation. If you have questions about how your pay rate was determined, you may contact the project team via the designated project support channel on Slack or email [email protected] for clarification.

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3. Work Trials & Assessments

Yes. If it appears in your Offers tab and you received an email from Mercor, it is valid. Please accept it before it expires.
The duration is fourteen days from the date of acceptance, with the option to complete the task in segments. The majority of individuals complete it within a total of three to five hours.
The review and payment process shall be completed within a period of one to two weeks. No direct feedback will be provided.

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4. Project Status, Timeline & Access

No — if a project is paused, all participants are paused. You will be notified when work resumes.
Please log in to work.mercor.com, navigate to Profile, then Account, and select ‘Reset Password’ under Mercor Email. Subsequently, check your personal inbox for the setup link.
Your project status (for example, active, paused, or completed) is determined by client and project requirements. Any updates or changes in status will be communicated through official channels, typically via email and/or Slack announcements.
No. Contributors are not automatically moved to a new project after one concludes. Once a project ends, contributors are encouraged to explore and apply for new opportunities through the platform.
Project timelines vary based on client needs, workload availability, and overall project performance. Some projects are short-term with defined end dates, while others may continue for an extended period depending on demand.
Whenever possible, the project team will share advance notice when a project is approaching completion. However, timelines may change with limited notice due to evolving client requirements outside Mercor’s control.
Project transitions are not automatic. Once a project ends, you’ll need to apply for new opportunities directly through the Mercor platform. Selection for another project depends on role requirements, availability, and eligibility. Any relevant updates or next steps will be communicated, if applicable, through official channels, typically via email and/or Slack announcements.
In most cases, all contributor contracts end on the same date. Any additional time to wrap up work will only be provided if explicitly communicated through official channels, typically via email and/or Slack announcements.
A project may be temporarily paused due to changes in workload availability, client requirements, or internal planning. When a project is paused:
  • Work on the project is halted and no new tasks are assigned.
  • Your weekly hour cap is set to 0 hours during the pause.
  • You remain part of the project pool — paused does not mean removed.
  • You should submit all hours worked before the pause and keep your payment information up to date to ensure pending payouts are processed without delay.
Mercor will notify you via email and Slack if the project resumes or when new opportunities become available
No. Pauses are determined at the project and client level, not by individual contributor requests. Individual escalation to resume a paused project is not accommodated. Work is halted for everyone until the project team or client decides to resume. Mercor will notify you via email and Slack if the project resumes or if new work opportunities become available.
The duration of a project pause can vary widely depending on client needs and workload availability; there is no set timeline. During a pause, work is halted and your weekly hour cap is set to 0 hours. You should monitor your email and Slack channels for updates from the project team when a clearer timeline is available or if the project resumes.
No action is typically required from you during a project pause. Work is halted and no new hours can be logged, and your weekly hour cap is set to 0 hours. You should:
  • Submit any outstanding hours before the pause takes effect.
  • Keep your payment information up to date so pending payouts are processed without delay.
  • Monitor your email and Slack channels for updates from the project team.
A paused project does not mean you have been removed; you’ll be notified if the project resumes or if new opportunities are available
If you haven’t received your Insightful invitation email:
  1. Check your inbox and spam/junk folders for a message from Insightful, sent to the email address associated with your Mercor profile (the same one used for your contract).
  2. If you still can’t find the invite, attempt to download and install Insightful manually athttps://app.insightful.io/ and log in using your Mercor email; in some cases, your account may already be active without the specific invite email.
  3. If the invitation is still missing or you cannot access your account after trying the above, contact the project team via the designated project support channel on Slack or email [email protected] so they can verify and resend the invitation if needed.
Proper Insightful access is required to track time and be eligible for payout.
You must only start tracking time in Insightful after all onboarding steps are fully completed and your assigned project appears in the Insightful app. This means:
  • Your Insightful setup has been completed and you have accepted the project invitation.
  • You can see your assigned project and tasks in Insightful.
  • You have received confirmation that your setup and project assignment are ready.
Starting work before this setup is fully done will not count as logged hours and will not be eligible for payout, because Mercor cannot validate productive time outside of the approved tracking process.This ensures accurate, verifiable time logging and protects both you and the client under Mercor’s time-tracking policies.
Tasks may take some time to appear in Insightful depending on project configuration and setup timelines. You should not begin work until your assigned project and tasks are visible in Insightful. If tasks are still not visible after onboarding and setup completion, contact the project team via the designated project support channel on Slack or email [email protected] so the issue can be reviewed and resolved.
No. You must not begin working or logging hours until Insightful access is confirmed and you have been explicitly instructed to start by the project team. Any work completed without Insightful tracking is not eligible for payout, as Mercor cannot verify untracked work.
Movement between projects or participation in multiple projects is not automatic and is permitted only if explicitly approved based on project requirements, availability, and platform policies. Such requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. If you would like to request a transfer or ask about working on multiple projects, raise the request via the designated project support channel on Slack or email [email protected].
Yes. Pay rates, weekly hour caps, and work expectations may change after a project transfer based on the new project’s scope and policies. Any updates will be communicated before work begins on the new project. Transfers are voluntary, and you may opt out if you do not wish to accept the updated terms. Adjustments to contract terms are not open to negotiation.
All logged and approved hours from your previous project remain associated with that project and are not affected by the transfer. Once the new project is active, any new hours you log will be reflected under the new contract, and you should only begin logging time after the new assignment is officially confirmed.

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5. Hours & Payments

Weekly hour limits are set based on project needs, client requirements, and the expert’s time availability. Requests to increase, decrease, or temporarily adjust weekly hours can be discussed with the project owners by reaching out to [email protected] or checking the project Slack channel. Please note, approval of such requests is subject to project policies.
• Work trials: Compensation scheduled to be received within 1 to 2 weeks following submission.• Active projects: Payments are processed each Wednesday through Stripe or Wise. Funds generally arrive within 3 to 7 business days.
Certainly — provided that you remain within the 80-hour limit and are in alignment with all Points of Contact (POCs).
No. You may only work up to your assigned weekly hour cap. Working additional hours is not permitted unless you receive explicit approval in advance from your project POC. Any hours worked beyond the approved weekly cap will not be paid.
Most projects allow flexible scheduling. Fixed daily working hours are not typically required unless explicitly communicated by the project team.
No. Weekly hour caps are cumulative. Hours may be distributed across the week as needed, provided the project’s approved weekly hour limit is not exceeded.
To request additional hours, contact the designated project support channel on Slack or email [email protected]. Please include the number of additional hours you’re requesting. Approval is subject to project capacity and client requirements, and is not guaranteed.
If you reach your weekly hour cap and work is still available, contact the project team promptly via the designated project support channel on Slack or email [email protected] to check whether an increase can be approved. Do not continue working unless explicit approval is granted.
If you notice a discrepancy between your tracked hours in Insightful and what’s reflected on your earnings page or payments, follow these steps:
  1. Confirm Insightful was running correctly:
    Ensure the timer was started when you began working and stopped during breaks or after completing tasks — leaving the timer running while idle or on unrelated work can cause mismatches.
  2. Understand how hours are reviewed:
    Mercor conducts a weekly review of logged time to verify that hours accurately reflect productive work. Some hours may be automatically deducted or removed before payout if they appear to show:
    • No activity or unrelated tasks in Insightful screenshots
    • Timer left running while idle
    • Time logged outside the project scope
    • Duplicate tracking across contracts
    • Potential use of automation or AI where prohibited
  3. Notification & dispute process:
    If hours are removed, you will receive an email before payout stating how many hours were deducted and why. If you believe this was an error, you may dispute the removal by replying to that email with context and supporting evidence. Dispute decisions are reviewed and final.
  4. Contact support if needed:
    If the discrepancy is not explained by Insightful activity or deduction notifications, reach out with relevant details and screenshots via the designated project support Slack channel or email [email protected] for further investigation.
If Insightful is not tracking time as expected or you’re experiencing technical issues, first confirm that the tool is installed, running, and configured correctly. If the issue persists, report it via the designated project support channel on Slack or email [email protected], and include screenshots or screen recordings, which are required for investigation.Do not continue working without Insightful tracking your time. Hours worked without proper time tracking are not eligible for payout, as Mercor has no way to verify productive work that is not logged in Insightful.
Logged hour corrections may be possible in limited cases, depending on the project’s time-tracking policy and verification process. Any requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and adjustments are not guaranteed. If a correction is permitted, the next steps will be communicated through official channels, typically via email and/or the designated project support channel on Slack.
Payments are calculated based on verified hours recorded in the approved time-tracking tool. If there are discrepancies between tracked and reported hours, they must be reviewed and resolved before any payment adjustments can be made to ensure accuracy and compliance with project policies.
Bonuses, if applicable, are project-specific and not available upon request. When offered, a bonus is paid after eligibility is verified and is typically issued as a one-time payment, separate from regular payouts. Bonus payment timelines vary by project.
First, confirm that you met the bonus eligibility criteria, as bonuses are project-specific and paid only when explicitly offered. Next, check your earnings page and ensure you’ve waited through the applicable bonus payout timeline, which follows Mercor’s payment policies and may differ from regular weekly payouts. If the bonus is still not reflected after the eligible payout window, contact [email protected] to confirm eligibility and payment status.

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6. Absences & Availability

Yes — provided that your project remains active. If it has been paused or concluded, please wait for further updates or new listings.
Please inform your Project Point of Contact (POC) in advance through Slack or email.
Any planned time off or periods of unavailability should be communicated in advance via the designated project support channel on Slack or by emailing [email protected] so the project team can plan accordingly.
Short-term unavailability, when communicated in advance, does not usually affect an active contract. However, extended or repeated periods of unavailability may impact task assignments or continued participation on the project, depending on project requirements and timelines.
Approval is not always required, as experts may work within their own schedules. However, it is strongly recommended to share planned unavailability in advance so project timelines and task allocation are not impacted. Some projects may still require advance approval depending on their structure and deadlines. Any availability updates should be communicated via the designated project support channel on Slack or by emailing [email protected].
During periods of unavailability, tasks may be paused, reassigned, or rescheduled based on project needs. You should only log hours for time actively worked and in accordance with project and time-tracking guidelines. Hours must not be logged during periods when you are unavailable or not actively working.

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7. Communication, NDA Compliance & Escalation

Their email address is provided in your onboarding document and the project Slack channel. Please feel free to reach out via email or Slack.
Your Project Point of Contact is the initial point of communication.
Before onboarding, contributors do not have access to the project’s Slack channels. If you have questions at this stage, you may reach out via email to [email protected]. Please note that projects are often time-sensitive, and responses to pre-onboarding queries may take 1–2 business days. To avoid delays that could impact your candidature or cause you to miss onboarding sessions, it’s generally recommended to join the onboarding as scheduled and raise any remaining questions during or after onboarding whenever possible.
Completed project work may be included on a resume only in a high-level and generalized manner. Focus on the skills used, type of work performed, and overall scope or impact, without referencing client names, datasets, internal tools, prompts, metrics, or any proprietary details. Any information that could reveal confidential or client-specific data must be excluded to remain compliant with NDA obligations.
Yes — you may share your project experience on LinkedIn at a high level and in compliance with Mercor’s Social Media and Internet Use Policies: https://talent.docs.mercor.com/policies/social-media MercorYou can:Indicate you served as a contractor for Mercor (e.g., title with “[Contract]” and “contract” as employment type).Share high-level, non-confidential descriptions of your work.You should NOT:List a client as your employer or imply full-time employment.Share screenshots, detailed examples, or confidential content that could compromise project or client confidentiality.
Delays in responses can occasionally occur due to time zone differences, workload volume, or ongoing client discussions. If you haven’t received a response within a reasonable timeframe, follow up by reaching out via the designated project support channel on Slack or emailing [email protected]. This ensures your query is visible to the broader team and can be reviewed and routed appropriately.
Mercor provides an optional Weekly Contractor Survey that appears on your dashboard and is also sent via email each Wednesday. This survey includes a section for project feedback, where you can share your experience with the project and project team. Responses to these questions are used to help improve project management and will never negatively impact your current engagements or future opportunities. This survey is the official channel for structured feedback — there is no designated separate email for general project feedback outside this form.
Completion badges or recognitions are finalized once either of the following occurs:
  • The project itself officially ends, or
  • Your individual contract for the project has ended.
Badges are awarded after work is fully completed and the engagement is formally closed out, including any final quality checks or submissions. This distinction matters because some contributors may finish and exit before the overall project is completed.

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8. ID Verification

Identity verification is essential in confirming that all contractors on Mercor are authentic individuals. It prevents the establishment of duplicate or fraudulent accounts, safeguards client information, and facilitates secure access to projects.
If verification fails, unfortunately, you will be unable to proceed with the contract or submit applications for future roles. Due to compliance requirements, re-verification may not be permitted.
Yes. Please select ‘Continue on another device’ to receive a secure mobile link or scan the QR code. No application is required.
Please utilize Google Chrome and verify that your browser has the necessary permissions to access the camera and microphone. If issues persist, consider using an alternative device or contacting support for assistance.
Persona accepts various types of government-issued identification, including passports and national ID cards. The system will provide guidance based on your country.
ID verification briefly confirms your identity during onboarding. The background check is a separate process due to legal reasons related to our clients’ contractual needs.
You will have a single opportunity to submit your documentation for approval. Regrettably, if it is rejected by Verification ID for any reason, a new request will not be permitted, and your registration will not be approved. If you have active offers, they will not be finalized and will either expire or be canceled. 
Only physical identification documents are acceptable. Digital versions stored on any device will not be accepted. Photocopies or images of documents are also not permissible; the original physical document must be presented in hand. 

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9. Task Review and Feedback

Task feedback is shared in accordance with project policy and reviewer availability. Please note that not all tasks receive individual feedback.
Review timelines vary depending on the project and task volume. You will be notified by the project team once the review is completed.
If feedback is available, it will be shared through the task platform or the tool specified by your project team.
First, review the task instructions and confirm that you have access to the required tool. If the issue persists, contact your project team via the designated project support channel on Slack or email [email protected]. Screenshots or a screen recording of the error are required to help the team investigate and resolve the issue quickly.
Resubmission policies vary by project. If you have questions or need clarification, contact the project team via the designated project support channel on Slack or email [email protected]. The team will confirm whether resubmissions are permitted and outline any required next steps.
Quality thresholds are calculated based on project-specific evaluation criteria. This typically considers the total number of reviewed tasks, negative ratings, and approved disputes, using a formula defined by the project team.
Approved disputes are generally excluded from negative quality scoring. This may vary by project policy.

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9. Offboarding & Contract Termination

Yes. If you choose to leave a project while your contract is active, inform the project team via the designated project support channel on Slack or email [email protected]. The team will guide you through the next steps and any required offboarding actions.
Rejoining a project after termination depends on project availability and client approval. Any reinstatement is reviewed on a case-by-case basis and is not guaranteed.
A contract or project assignment may end for a number of valid reasons, including:
  • Project completion — the work has concluded as planned.
  • Changes in project scope, budget, or client requirements — the project evolves in ways that reduce or stop work.
  • Policy violations — actions such as falsifying work, misusing tools, or sharing confidential information can lead to immediate termination of the contract and forfeiture of related payments.
  • Performance offboarding — if work consistently fails to meet project expectations (for example, repeated delays or quality issues), the project team may initiate a corrective process and ultimately end the contract if improvements aren’t observed.
Contracts may also end simply because the project has reached its natural conclusion due to client needs or scheduling.
Contract termination does not automatically disqualify you from future opportunities on Mercor. Consideration for new projects depends on current role requirements, availability, and overall alignment with project needs at the time of application. Contributors are encouraged to regularly explore and apply for relevant opportunities directly through the Mercor platform.
Yes. You will be paid for all approved and verified work completed prior to contract termination, in accordance with the project’s payment and time-tracking policies.
If a project no longer appears after you’ve accepted an offer, it usually means the contract has been revoked or the project has been withdrawn due to changes in project or client requirements. Any relevant updates or confirmations are shared through official communication channels, typically via email.
An offer may be revoked before onboarding begins if circumstances change, such as background verification outcomes, changes in project requirements, capacity constraints, or conflicting assignments. These decisions reflect operational or project needs and are not necessarily related to your individual performance unless explicitly communicated.Mercor Docs
Where possible, general context may be shared regarding an offer revocation. However, detailed explanations may not always be available due to project, operational, or client confidentiality constraints.
No. Revoked offers generally cannot be reinstated. Candidates remain eligible and are encouraged to apply for other opportunities available on the Mercor platform.
Any questions related to a revoked offer should be directed to [email protected] or raised through the support channel specified in official communications.