Questions and answers
The things people ask most about GotWork, answered in plain words.
What is GotWork?
GotWork is a free website where people in Ontario post gigs and find gigs. A gig is a task someone needs a hand with, like mowing a lawn, moving furniture or help with a school assignment. GotWork helps people find each other. That is its whole role.
Is GotWork free?
Yes. Posting a gig, finding a gig and messaging are all free. GotWork takes no fee and shows no ads.
How does pay work?
GotWork does not handle, hold or send any payments. The two of you agree on the pay in your conversation, before the work starts, and you pay each other directly.
Who can use GotWork?
Anyone 18 or older in Ontario, Canada. It works the same in Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, London, Sudbury, Thunder Bay and everywhere in between.
How do I sign in?
With your email address. GotWork emails you a link and a code. Open the link, or type the code, and you are signed in. There is no password.
Why do I have to show ID?
Everyone who posts a gig or sends a message confirms who they are, once, with a government photo ID and a selfie. It means the name you see belongs to a real person. The check is run by Didit, an identity check company. GotWork keeps only the result, never your photos or a copy of your ID.
Which ID can I use?
A driver's licence, a passport, an Ontario Photo Card or a permanent resident card. A health card can't be used. The first and last name on your ID must match the name on your GotWork profile.
What do other people see about me?
Your first name and the first letter of your last name, your general area, and the Verified mark. They never see your email address, your full last name or your postal code.
What kinds of gigs can I post or find?
Almost anything one person can help another with: yard work, moving, cleaning, errands, tutoring, writing, help with a computer, and more. A gig can be in person or virtual, which means done online or by phone.
How does GotWork decide which gigs to show me?
You tell GotWork what you can help with and how far you will travel. Home then shows the gigs that match your skills and are close enough, with the best fit first. You can always search every open gig too.
Will GotWork email me?
GotWork emails your sign-in link when you ask for it. It also sends one short email when someone messages you, unless you turn that off. Emails about new gigs that fit you are off until you turn them on. You can change both under Me, then Emails.
Can I add photos to a gig?
Yes, up to 4. Only people signed in to GotWork can see them. Before a photo is sent, it is made smaller and details stored inside it, such as where it was taken, are removed. Leave out faces, house numbers and anything that shows where you live.
What does "gigs completed" mean?
When a gig is filled, the person who posted it says who did it, and each of them is asked whether it went well. Neither sees the other's answer. When both say yes, it counts as one completed gig for each of them. The same two people count at most once a week.
How long does a gig stay up?
A gig stays open for 30 days. You can edit it, close it or mark it as filled at any time, and open it again later. For a task that comes up again, Post it again starts a new gig with the same details.
Is it safe to meet someone from GotWork?
Everyone who posts or messages has passed an identity check, but GotWork does not check skills, licences or backgrounds. Agree on pay before the work starts, tell someone you trust where you will be, and never pay to get a gig. If something feels wrong, stop, and report it.
How do I report a problem or block someone?
Every gig and every conversation has a Report link. GotWork looks at each report and acts if it breaks the rules. You can also block a person, so you no longer see each other and cannot message each other. They are not told.
Is GotWork an employer or an agency?
No. GotWork is not an employer, an agency or a party to any agreement between people who meet here. It does not supervise gigs or promise that a gig will be done, paid for or safe.
How do I delete my account?
Sign in, open Me, and choose Delete my account at the bottom. Your profile, gigs and conversations are removed, and GotWork asks Didit to delete its record of your identity check.
How do I reach GotWork?
Write to help@gotwork.ca.
Ready to start?
GotWork is free. You sign in with your email, and there is no password to remember.