Client Terms of Service

1. About these terms

These terms govern use of StartUpJobs.co.nz (“the Platform”) by hiring businesses (“Clients”). By creating a client account you agree to these terms, our Privacy Policy and the Fair Play Agreement, which forms part of these terms. Talent members are covered by separate Talent Terms of Service.

2. Accounts and approval

The directory is private. We review and approve every client account before granting access, and may decline or revoke access at our discretion. You must provide accurate information about your organisation and keep your credentials secure. You are responsible for all activity under your account.

3. Fees and payment

Talent set their own rates. The Platform adds a platform fee to talent fees as follows:

• Pay as you go: 12% of talent fees. Requires a valid payment card on file; billed weekly as timesheets are approved.
• Invoiced: 15% of talent fees, invoiced with 14-day payment terms.
• Step-down: from month 13 of a continuous engagement, the platform fee reduces to 9% (pay as you go) or 12% (invoiced).

A “continuous engagement” means the same client–talent pairing with no gap in engagement exceeding 30 days. All fees exclude GST. If a payment on the pay-as-you-go tier fails and is not remedied promptly, we may pause work on the engagement until payment is resolved.

4. Engagement structure

StartUpJobs contracts as principal: you contract with the Platform, and the Platform subcontracts the talent member. A single contract for services is generated digitally at the start of each engagement — you will never need to draft one. Your approval of a timesheet constitutes acceptance of those hours for billing.

5. Direct engagement (conversion) fee

If you — or any related entity, associated person, or successor company — engage a platform-introduced talent member directly, in any capacity (contractor, fixed-term or permanent), the following one-off conversion fee applies:

• Within 6 months of introduction: 20% of estimated first-year direct fees, capped at $15,000 + GST.
• 6–12 months from introduction: 10% of estimated first-year direct fees, capped at $7,500 + GST.
• After 12 months of continuous platform billing: no fee. You are free to engage them directly.

“Introduced” means a talent member whose profile you viewed, shortlisted or engaged via the Platform. This fee is a liquidated conversion fee representing a genuine pre-estimate of the value of the Platform’s introduction and verification work — it is not a restraint of trade, and it does not restrict the talent member in any way. The same numbers are published in plain English on our pricing page.

6. Verification and references

The “Verified” badge indicates we have completed identity and work-history checks to a standard we consider reasonable; it is not a guarantee of performance or suitability for any particular engagement. Reference content is provided by third parties in confidence and may only be used for evaluating talent for genuine engagement opportunities.

7. Acceptable use

• Do not scrape, harvest or bulk-export directory data.
• Do not contact talent members for purposes unrelated to genuine engagement opportunities.
• Do not misrepresent your identity, role or organisation.
• Do not attempt to circumvent access controls or interfere with the Platform’s operation.
• Do not approach talent members outside the Platform to avoid engaging through StartUpJobs — see section 5 and the Fair Play Agreement.

8. Liability

The Platform is provided “as is”. Engagements are delivered by independent talent members; while we verify backgrounds and manage contracting and billing, we do not supervise the work itself. To the maximum extent permitted by law, we exclude all warranties and limit our total liability to you to the platform fees you paid us in the three months preceding the claim. Nothing in these terms limits rights that cannot be excluded under New Zealand law.

9. Changes

We may update these terms from time to time. Material changes — including any change to fees — will be notified via the Platform or by email before they take effect for existing engagements.

10. Governing law and contact

These terms are governed by New Zealand law and disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the New Zealand courts. Questions: hello@startupjobs.co.nz.