Opolis & the Employment Commons
General
The Employment Commons is a Limited Cooperative Association registered in the State of Colorado. Its purpose is to provide benefits, payroll and shared services for independent workers.
Opolis, Inc. is the elected “Trustee” which provides services (administrative, marketing, technology) to the Commons and its Members. Together we are the Opolis Employment Commons.
The legal name of the cooperative is The Employment Commons, LCA. “The Commons” is a term we use to refer to this entity and is one in the same.
Anyone who self-identifies as an independent worker, freelancer, or self-employed person. We have Members who range from real estate agents to software developers to clergy. Opolis is neutral to the work you do and provides a toolset that almost everyone needs.
Employee Members are individuals who are co-employed by an entity that they control and the Employment Commons. These Members are consistently paid semi-monthly through the platform.
Employee Members are also the only voting Members of the Employment Commons. They may earn a louder voice through WORK Rewards as they consume services and as the community grows.
This class of Member is currently only available to those qualified to work in the United States.
A Coalition Member is someone who contributes value to the Opolis Employment Commons in ways other than being an Employee Member, such as: a referral source, a channel partner, a technology contributor and/or a WORK Rewards staker. They do not hold employment or consume Shared Services from the Commons. They are, however, included as Members in the WORK Rewards program and patronage calculation for potential distribution of profits/dividends should they come available.
It is important to note that Employee Members can also contribute to the Commons in the above ways.
Members pay a 1% Community Fee that is calculated by the total consumption of their services (payroll + benefits). This number will also match the amount provided on their periodic billing statement from Opolis. There are no subscription fees or other hidden fees.
No catch. The next generation of platforms will be owned by its users. We call them “Members”. We’re on the forefront of this movement and believe it is the path to a whole new generation of value creation for workers.
About Opolis
The Opolis Employment Commons’ vision is to provide a more equitable approach to employment versus the traditional corporate structure. Employee Members can access benefits and services without constraints or hindering their flexibility and productivity.
At scale, the Opolis Employment Commons becomes a global public utility infrastructure for employment, servicing Employee Members all over the world. Realizing this will reduce employment frictions and costs while eliminating the need for third parties to facilitate job marketplaces, outsource employer risks, administer benefits, host data and more.
The Opolis Employment Commons is the base layer which will power the future of work.
The Opolis Employment Commons holds a firm ethos toward supporting individuals in the quest for ownership as it relates to their employment and benefits decision-making. As a cooperative, Members are the owners and ultimately decide what’s good for the community.
The Opolis Employment Commons exists to provide its Members with permanent ownership of their employment. With this goal in mind, it’s important to build sustainability of benevolence and economics into the formula.
Sustainable Benevolence
It’s well known that over time corporations can become at odds with their customers, employees and suppliers. Unfortunately, the ‘game design’ is structured to create this outcome. On the contrary, the Opolis Employment Commons combines a unique legal framework with emerging technologies and well-designed incentives to create a sustainably benevolent platform cooperative in service of its Members’ best interests.
Sustainable Economics
It is impossible to do anything for free long-term. Many foundations and nonprofits depend on contributions from third parties to have the economic resources they need to sustain operations year after year. Operators of these entities often spend a majority of their time with donors and contributors because if they don’t, the organization will wither on the vine.
On the contrary, the Opolis Employment Commons doesn’t believe in depending on outside parties to determine the future of its Members. As a result, there is a 1% Community Fee charged to all Employee Members based on their gross consumption of services (payroll + benefits) each payroll cycle. At scale, this is a substantial amount of money that will only be used for: 1) enhancement of services/features for Members or 2) distributed to Members in the form of dividends should they become available.
Technology and Privacy
We will never, ever share your personal information with a third party unless required for legal compliance.
As a matter of employment compliance, Opolis requires certain personal information in order to provide benefits, estimate/remit taxes on your behalf, etc. We use Fernet encryption suite to store sensitive data securely. Fernet internally uses 128-bit AES symmetric encryption in a CBC mode with PKCS7 padding and HMAC using SHA256 for authentication. Read more here: Employment Commons Privacy Policy.
Much of the Opolis technology today is similar to what you’d experience in a traditional payroll company or Professional Employer Organization (PEO). However, Opolis invests in a “Member-centered” experience by employing next-generation technologies like blockchain-based identity, member-owned data, digital currency payroll options, streaming payroll and more. These technologies serve to underpin the Sustainability Values that the Opolis Commons has adopted.
Membership
General
Chat with our Membership Stewards. Whether you want to handle onboarding by yourself, or want someone to walk you through it step-by-step, they’re there to support you. Email them at [email protected].
Yes. In order to realize any employment benefits you must become an Employee Member of the Opolis Employment Commons. All Employee Members must purchase one (1) share of the Opolis Employment Commons’ common stock for $20.
There are no hidden setup fees or costs when it comes to becoming a Member. The only upfront cost is $20 to purchase one (1) share of the Opolis Employment Commons' common stock. After becoming a Member the only fee is the 1% community fee on payroll & benefit consumption.
The Opolis Employment Commons is available in all 50 states.
Currently, Employee Membership is limited to individuals who are qualified to work in the United States.
Those residing outside of the United States, and those not able to be or interested in being Employee Members, may become Coalition Members.
Shared Services
General
Shared Services is used to explain the services Opolis provides. These are typically tasks that are invisible when you’re working for a company as a W2 employee. These include:
- Payroll Deductions - Opolis automatically deducts your elected tax/insurance/benefits payments and ensures they are handled correctly for tax compliance purposes.
- Tax Compliance - Opolis ensures you’re paying your personal income taxes correctly throughout the year. Note that Opolis does not complete your yearly personal or business LLC/Corporate taxes at this time. However, in your Member Dashboard, you have access to all required data for completion of your various returns. Opolis partners with Darien Advisors for discounted tax services for Employee Members.
- Benefits Premiums & Tax Remittance - Opolis remits benefits (various carriers) and tax payments (state and federal governments) on your behalf.
- Set it and forget it - Consistency will help you plan better. Once funds hit your personal account(s), the money is yours to spend however you choose, just like the simplicity of being a corporate W2 employee!
Contact our Support Stewards at [email protected] with any HR or employment related questions.
Payroll
Currently, Opolis processes payroll semi-monthly on the 1st and 3rd Fridays. Eleven (11) days prior to pay day, Opolis invoices your business for the upcoming payroll cycle, including wages, employer benefits and taxes. Nine (9) days prior to pay day, Opolis Employment Commons debits the amount of the invoice from your business bank account.
Under Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requirements, you are expected to pay yourself at least the minimum wage in your state of residence. Because Opolis does not participate in timekeeping for your labor, we currently follow the standards set forth by each state for “non-hourly exempt employees”.
You can execute a bonus payment anytime throughout the year from the Opolis Member Dashboard. When set, your bonus will be paid in the pay cycle immediately following the current pay cycle.
Both regular wages and bonuses are treated as expenses, which lower net income for your business entity. Consider speaking with a tax professional to discuss the best way to structure your payroll and bonuses within each calendar year. Opolis recommends Darien Advisors to help with tax structures and compliance.
You sure can. We understand that it’s common for freelancers and independent workers to receive large periodic payments upon completing a contract (i.e. every few months).
You can still use Opolis as long as you maintain funds in your Funding account to consistently fund a periodic payroll qualified under FLSA minimums.
- Opolis defaults all payroll funding and paycheck payments to U.S. Dollars, however, you also have the option to assign digital currency wallets as:
- Your Funding Account from where you fund your periodic payroll
- Your Paycheck Account where your wages will be deposited.
- A percentage of your income each pay period can be paid to a digital currency wallet in any amount over the FLSA minimum wage requirement in your state of residency.
- Opolis can currently, subject to change, process payments in: DAI, ETH, BTC, USDC and USDT.
- Opolis will send the IRS the documentation needed to prove your payroll (including digital currencies) was processed in a compliant manner. Once your paycheck is received by your Paycheck Account(s), you are free to spend it without fear of being improperly double taxed at a later date when you spend your digital currencies.
- Note that capital gains or losses will still apply to any future transactions. When you convert or spend your payroll appropriated digital assets in the future, you must track the market price at the time of the transaction against the payroll basis at which you received them. Opolis does not have the ability to do this for you and recommends you speak with a tax professional if you need assistance in tracking your future digital currency transactions.
- If any digital currency exchange fees apply, Opolis will state this in your monthly invoice. Currently, Opolis does not charge any exchange fees.
The best way to think about this is to think about yourself and your business as separate “entities”. Your business has its own EIN (Employer Identification Number) just like you have a SSN (Social Security Number). Your business entity, via the EIN number it holds, becomes your legal employer. You use your SSN to become an employee of the entity, just like you would any other employer.
In order to become an employee who is qualified to partake in group employment benefits, you must be classified as a W2 employee. There is no way around this while being compliant with healthcare insurance underwriting guidelines. Don’t worry, the savings are more than worth it in 90%+ of situations!
Via the Onboarding Wizard or Member Dashboard, you will designate and approve payroll amount to be drawn from your Funding Account and Opolis will: 1) draft that amount via an ACH (Automated Clearing House) electronic funds transfer, or you will remit to us from a designated digital currency wallet. After tax and benefit amounts have been withheld, your paycheck will be deposited into your designated Paycheck Account(s) on the first and third Friday of each month.
Unfortunately, no. If you cease to have a periodic paycheck that meets compliance requirements for W2 employee status, employment with the Commons must be terminated. You may set your wages to the minimum required by your state of residence under FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act) guidelines. Generally speaking, the minimum required for Employee Members to pay themselves is the FLSA minimum exempt wages for your state PLUS any benefits elected and employer (your entity) paid taxes. Review this sheet for minimum exempt wages by state.
The Fair Labor Standards Act requires that at least the minimum wage in your state of residence be paid via a “legal tender” instrument. Legal tender is defined as cash (USD) or check or wire transfer/ACH. Any amount above the state required minimums may be taken in digital currency. Currently, subject to change, you may elect Bitcoin, Ethereum, DAI, USDC and/or USDT for amounts above the FLSA required “legal tender” minimums.
Amounts you receive from your business clients would be considered business income, not payroll. You are not required to pay yourself the entire amount your business receives as revenue in the form of a paycheck.
For example, if you invoice XYZ Company for $10,000, this money is billed by your business entity using your company’s EIN and deposited into a business bank account if you’re following Opolis’ best practice recommendations. If your payroll set with your Membership is $5,000/month, only $5,000 will be drafted from your Funding Account by Opolis when payroll is processed.
Benefits
With Membership, you have access to all types of insurance you would expect in a traditional employment benefits package:
Optional Insurances
You have the choice to configure certain insurances to suit your needs. You also have the ability to decline these benefit offerings.
Group Medical + Vision Insurance
- Membership gives you access to high-quality group health insurance (Cigna PPO Network) which covers you as “in network” in all U.S. states and 200 foreign countries and territories. A summary of plan options and rates can be found in the Benefits section of this website. Complete plan details are available in the full Opolis Benefits Guide.
- Provider Network: Cigna PPO Network
- Cost: Varies by plan selected. A summary of plan costs can be found in the Benefits section of this website or you may reference the full Opolis Benefits Guide for details.
- How to Register: Opolis will help you set this up during Membership onboarding, arrange automatic payments, and ensure state/federal compliance.
Dental Insurance
- Membership offers you group dental insurance that covers you in all U.S. states. A summary of dental insurance options are available in the Features section of the website or you can review full Dental Insurance plan details in the full Opolis Benefits Guide.
- Provider Network: Principal PPO Network
- Cost: Varies by plan selected. Reference the full Opolis Benefits Guide for complete details.
- How to Register: Opolis will help you set this up during onboarding, arrange automatic payments, and ensure state/federal compliance.
Term-Life Insurance (Enhanced)
- Basic Term-Life Insurance coverage is mandatory for all Members to hold due to underwriting guidelines of our carrier. In the future, this requirement will become optional after we reach a larger population. If you wish to elect enhanced coverage, please contact our Support Stewards for options and pricing.
Included Insurances
These insurances are mandatory for all Members due to the nature of employment compliance requirements or procurement underwriting with our providers.
Unemployment Insurance - State & Federal
- As a co-employed W2 employee of the Opolis Employment Commons, you will now pay into, and have access to, unemployment insurance; a coverage that is generally not available to independent workers.
- Unemployment insurance temporarily replaces a portion of your wages while you look for work, for up to 26 weeks in most states. Additional time extensions and coverage levels may become available during recessions and other financially disruptive events such as the 2020 Coronavirus outbreak. You’ll pay into this system each pay period until you reach certain state-based threshold caps.
- Each state has specific eligibility requirements, but you’re typically able to receive unemployment benefits if you meet these conditions: 1) have lost a job through no fault of his or her own, 2) be “able to work, available to work, and actively seeking work” and 3) have earned at least a certain amount of money during a “base period” prior to becoming unemployed.
- Cost: Rates vary by state. (i.e. California deducts 3.5% of gross wages capped at the first $7000 of earnings, or $245/year).
- How to Register: Upon completion of your Membership onboarding and first payroll cycle, you will automatically have amounts for Unemployment Insurance deducted from your paycheck based on the compliance guidelines of your state of residence.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
- As a co-employed W2 employee of the Opolis Employment Commons, and as a matter of employment compliance, you’ll be required to be covered by workers’ compensation insurance, a coverage independent contractors can access but many do not have. If you get hurt on the job, this mechanism will pay for medical expenses and rehabilitation costs. If you are forced to miss work due to the injury, workers’ comp can also provide partial lost wages.
- Cost: Varies by State and the type/risk of the work you do (i.e. ~0.50% of gross wages for most office roles like accounting, software development or marketing).
- How to Register: Upon completion of your Membership onboarding and completion of your first payroll cycle, you will automatically have amounts for Workers’ Compensation Insurance deducted from your paycheck based on the compliance guidelines in your state of residence.
Disability Insurance (Short & Long Term)
- Your ability to work is one of your most valuable assets. If you can’t work for an extended period of time because of illness or injury, this insurance will pay a portion of your income. This coverage is mandatory for all Members due to underwriting guidelines with our carrier.
- Short-term Disability Insurance: Replaces 60% of your base salary up to $1,500/week and can pay out for several months. Note: Pregnancy qualifies as a short-term disability (for the person carrying baby only).
- Long-term Disability Insurance: Replaces 60% of your base salary up to $5000 per month for 5 years or until the disability subsides.
- Cost: Varies based on income and age for both short and long-term. Review the full Opolis Benefits Guide for complete details.
- How to Register: Opolis will help you set this up during onboarding, arrange automatic payments, and ensure state/federal compliance.
Term-Life Insurance (Basic)
- Term-Life Insurance through a group plan is more cost effective than many alternatives you can access on your own. You also aren’t required to do a physical to get Term-Life Insurance up to a certain level. Premiums for the first $50,000 can be deductible as a business expense and are deducted pre-tax before your paycheck is distributed.
- Cost: Varies by coverage level selected. Review the full Opolis Benefits Guide for details.
- How to Register: Opolis will help you set this up during onboarding, arrange automatic payments, and ensure state/federal compliance. You can register for basic insurance in the standard onboarding process. If you would like additional coverage, reach out to the Support Stewards for enhanced options.
Yes, many of the employment benefits available to Members of the Opolis Employment Commons are opt-in. You can find complete details in the full Opolis Benefits Guide.
All benefits start on the first day of the first full month of employment through the Opolis Employment Commons.
For example, If you wish to have health/benefits coverage on the 1st day of February, you must complete the onboarding wizard no later than 5 business days before the end of January.
Based on our current Membership size, our life insurance provider requires that all Members elect basic life insurance. Over time as we grow, this will likely become an optional feature. The good news is that it is very cost effective.
When you start benefits for a benefits cycle they will remain active at the selected benefit level through the end of that cycle. Except for qualified life events such as divorce, death of a spouse or child, it is not possible to stop or change your elected benefits plan within a calendar year until the next enrollment period.
Should you ever choose to cancel your Employment Commons Membership, you must provide written notice at least 5 business days before the end of the current month in order to suspend payment of benefits for the upcoming month. If Opolis is unable to cancel your benefits due to insufficient notice, you are responsible for paying the premiums due. If you are unable to pay your invoice for any reason for the coming month, Opolis will deduct the premiums from your Membership Stake and your benefits will remain active through the end of the period for which they are paid.
Accounting & Taxes
As an Employee Member of the Employment Commons, Opolis will handle the payroll accounting and regulatory compliance as it relates to your employment. This includes the withholding and remittance of periodic taxes, reporting, benefits administration and any other employer of record duties required by law in your state of residence.
Not at this time. Opolis will provide you with all the accounting data necessary to book the appropriate journal entries related to your payroll and employment in an accounting system of your choice.
Not at this time. Your personal and business tax returns are your responsibility. For your convenience, we have built a strategic partnership with Darien Advisors which allows you cost-effective access with major discounts to top tax and accounting professionals.
At the end of each calendar year, you will receive two things:
1) A W2 for yourself as an Employee of Employment Commons LCA.
2) The accounting information necessary to book your payroll expenses for your entity.
Please note that Opolis does not track any of your business expenses outside of your employment and payroll expenses. You must do this yourself or with the assistance of a tax/accounting professional. Opolis has built a partnership with Darien Advisors if you need further assistance.
Onboarding
General
- Set up an entity (S-Corp or C-Corp) which comes with an EIN (Employer Identification Number). Sole proprietorships will not work.
- If you already have an entity, make sure you have your formation documents handy, specifically your EIN issuance letter.
- Review the full Opolis Benefits Guide and come to a decision on the benefits elections (healthcare, dental, retirement, etc.) that suit your needs.
- Once you’re ready, you can head directly to our Membership Onboarding Wizard.
- At any time, you can contact our Membership Stewards at [email protected] who can help you all along the way.
- Set it and forget it. Once you are set up, maintenance is minimal if you don’t change anything.
An Employee Membership Stake, a.k.a. Employee Membership Deposit, is an amount of money that represents the cost of one (1) month of benefits premiums (healthcare, dental, etc.) based on your elections at onboarding.
Due to the way insurances work and when they are paid, Opolis requires this deposit in the case of unforeseen circumstances which prevent your ability to fund your payroll in any given pay cycle. In these situations, your stake will prevent your benefits from lapsing.
Your Membership Stake will only be utilized to pay for your benefits should this occur. In any case of termination of your Membership, unused funds will be returned to you.
You will stake your Membership via the onboarding wizard as the final step. Once you select the benefits that you wish to have, the wizard will automatically calculate the amount you need to stake (a.k.a. Membership deposit). Once your banking information has been verified, that amount will be withdrawn from your Funding Account. Check out the Banking Section of this FAQ for more info on Funding Accounts.
You may also stake via digital currency. Please reach out to our [email protected] should you prefer this method over the default banking method described above.
If you haven't set a password and have exclusively been using Magic Link to login, you can now log into your member dashboard, go to Member Info, and then in the Change Password section at the bottom of that page, set and confirm a new password.
If you have forgotten your password, on the login page, please click Reset Password and then follow the steps that will be emailed to you.
Entity Setup
Yes. In fact, legally speaking, it is your entity/corporation that becomes the Member of the cooperative. This is done to be in compliance with employment and payroll compliance standards. As the sole employee of your entity/corporation, we classify you as the Employee Member.
Our Membership Success Stewards can guide you through the process of setting up an entity/corporation through our strategic partnership with Cloud Peak. If you'd like to do it on your own, we recommend one of the major platforms for setting up your entity or corporation:
Our Membership Stewards can help guide you through the process. Chat with one at [email protected]
Only Corporations (S-Corp or C-Corp) are legally allowed to pay business owners as W2 employees. An LLC may elect S-Corp status for taxation purposes by filing IRS Form 2553.
It is common to register an entity in another state. Contact your legal advisor for advice on what best suits your specific situation. Alternatively, contact our Membership Stewards at [email protected] to answer further questions.
Yes, you sure can. As long as it has an EIN number and is either a C-Corp, S-Corp or LLC (elected S-Corp at the federal level). You may want to consult a legal professional to determine the best path forward based on your individual circumstances. Our Membership Stewards cannot give legal advice but can share with you examples of how other Members commonly structure themselves.
Banking
Your Funding Account is the bank account or digital currency wallet used to fund your gross periodic payroll on behalf of your business entity.
Your Paycheck Account is the bank account or digital currency wallet you use to receive your periodic paycheck as an employee.
Per employment and banking guidelines, we need to verify the bank account where your money is coming from. Generally speaking it takes 1-2 business days to verify your banking information. You can elect up to $10,000 per pay cycle without further account verification. If you wish to process more than $10,000 per pay cycle, please contact [email protected].
If you have submitted your banking information and you have not received confirmation of verification success within 5 business days, there is most likely a problem. Most commonly the banking information was entered incorrectly and needs to be resubmitted.
You can change bank accounts in your dashboard anytime, however, for security reasons and banking protocols outside of our control, we require up to 5 business days to verify any changes. Furthermore, all account changes are processed in the payment cycle immediately following the current cycle. Contact [email protected] if you need to make an account change more urgently than the pay period following the current period.
You may receive your paycheck to a bank account, a digital currency wallet, or split between multiple accounts and/or types of accounts. All United States-based bank accounts are accepted as long as they allow ACH transfers.
Employee Members desiring to have some of their paycheck delivered to them via digital currencies may do so as long as the minimum wage standards under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) are met. Payroll above the FLSA minimums may be self-elected in the Member dashboard. Digital currencies currently available, although subject to change, include Bitcoin, Ethereum, DAI, USDC and USDT.
Opolis partners with ACH (automated clearing house) partner Dwolla (a licensed money transmitter) to ensure that automated payments are securely from your Funding Account. For delivery of your paycheck to your Paycheck Account(s), we use Wells Fargo Bank. Opolis supports all questions related to ACH transfers. Please do not attempt to contact Dwolla or Wells Fargo as they cannot help you directly. If you’re having issues, please reach out to the Support Stewards.
Business Best Practices
Opolis strongly recommends you hold professional liability insurance in order to protect yourself and your business. Each carrier varies, but professional liability insurance typically covers accidents such as: injuring a client, property damage, advertising copyright infringement, medical payments, and more.
We also suggest you purchase a policy that includes “Errors and Omissions”, which covers claims against you for offering poor advice or unintentional mistakes. Whether a person suing you has just cause or not, consider that defending yourself can result in court costs of $70,000+ per incident. Carrying professional liability insurance coverage is important for any business professional.
Most Members carry a policy with a minimum coverage of $1,000,000 per incident and $1,000,000 per year. This is termed ‘basic coverage’ can be accessed for $25-100/month for most professionals.
Cost: Varies by carrier and plan selected, but is available in many cases in the $25-100/month range.
How to Register: Professional Liability Insurance is not available through Opolis at this time. There are many providers for this insurance and it’s easy to find. Read here for some suggestions. Alternatively, search online for “Professional Liability Insurance” and select a provider that you trust. Be sure to select coverage with at least $1,000,000 per incident and $1,000,000 as best practice.
The following insurances are paid for through your company and booked as pre-tax business expenses. This means you aren’t paying for them from a personal account with post-tax dollars. Be sure to check with a tax professional if you have specific questions regarding your particular tax situation:
- Group Health, Vision & Dental Insurance
- Unemployment Insurance
- Workers’ Compensation Insurance
- Term-Life Insurance
- General Liability Insurance
Opolis requests, and strongly recommends, that you provide two accounts in conjunction with your Membership:
- Funding Account - gross wages/taxes/benefits/etc. will be funded from this account. These funds must come from a single account. These accounts are most commonly Business Bank Accounts and are tied to your entity’s EIN.
- Paycheck Account - net pay will be dispersed to this account (multiple accounts are acceptable, as well as digital currency wallets in many cases). These accounts are personal accounts and are tied to you personally or via Social Security Number.
Having separate accounts is best practice and creates clean accounting records, avoids comingling of funds and gives you peace of mind that what reaches your personal account is available to spend. If you don’t wish to set up a business bank account, we suggest at minimum to provide two separate personal accounts to keep records straight.
Note that legally you can operate with a single account, but we don’t recommend doing that under any circumstances.
Co-employment is a technical term used to describe a relational dynamic between a corporation and its employees to an outsourcing partner who accepts the “Employer of Record” (EOR) designation required by employment law.
The Opolis Employment Commons is designed to help freelancers become “companies of one” with full control over their employment-related decisions.
If you have a small company with employees, consider helping each of your employees become Members of the Employment Commons who work ‘with’ you rather than ‘for’ you. Benefits costs can easily be built into hourly bill rates. They will even feel empowered and more like partners versus employees.
In many cases, there are ways to continue to enjoy the benefits of productive resources without having to take on the cost and risk of employment. You can agree to deliverables with your workers via Independent Contractor Agreements (ICAs) and/or Statement of Work Agreements (SOW) which typically hold legally binding obligations for both parties. If you need sample agreements to review with your legal counsel, please reach out to [email protected].
WORK Rewards
WORK Rewards is a program designed to incentivize individuals to:
- Become Employee Members and consume services
- Refer new Employee Members
- Stake tokens as a sign of support for the Opolis Employment Commons while earning more rewards
Please review this simple guide to understanding WORK Rewards.
Cooperatives often use the term Patronage to determine how much of the profits or dividends each of its Members has earned should there be a distribution.
In terms of the Employment Commons, Patronage is calculated as part of the WORK Rewards program for those in the community participating in:
- Employee Member consumption of Payroll & Employment services.
- Referral partners who refer consuming Employee Members.
- Individuals who stake their existing WORK Rewards as a signal of Community Support.
It is important to understand that although WORK Rewards may be distributed to all contributors, including those who are non-Members, only those who are formally Members of the Opolis Employment Commons will receive profit distributions/dividends should they become available.
Payroll Mining is the mechanism used to calculate Member Patronage as growth thresholds are reached. Each time a key threshold is surpassed in total payroll volume from the total Members, WORK Rewards are distributed to stakeholders based on various activities that have been performed since the last threshold was reached. The core activities for which tokens are distributed include: payroll consumption, referred Member consumption, staking and technology contribution.
Check out our simplified guide to WORK rewards here or visit our WORK rewards page.
You can see your WORK Rewards in your Member dashboard.