Payable time calculation
This article explains exactly which of your tracked hours you're paid for, so there are no surprises on your payout.
Not all of your tracked hours are payable. Here's exactly which ones you're paid for.
What counts as payable: Active Time
SME Careers pays for Active Time only. Active Time is made up of three of the time categories:
- Productive time
- Neutral time
- Unreviewed time
What isn't paid
Two categories are excluded from payment:
- Idle time
- Unproductive time
What counts as unproductive
Unproductive time is time on non-work activities, and it isn't payable. It includes:
- Social media (for example Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram) and sites like YouTube and Spotify
- AI tools that aren't explicitly permitted in your project instructions
- Any other non-work-related browsing or activity
AI tools depend on your project
Check your project's tool policyAI tools such as Gemini and Perplexity are not counted as unproductive if their use is clearly allowed in your project instructions. But if your project's guidelines prohibit a tool, using it becomes unproductive time. Always follow your project's specific tool policy.
Verification checks
To confirm that recorded Active Time reflects genuine work, random verification checks may be carried out. A check can review:
- Screenshots
- Screen recordings
- URLs you accessed during tracked hours
The point is to make sure your tracked time lines up with real project work.
Best practices
To keep your time accurate and your payments smooth:
- Start the timer before you begin work.
- Stop the timer when you leave your workstation.
- Work from a single device only.
- Follow all project guidelines and tool policies.
What happens next
Your payable hours flow into your earnings and are paid on the weekly cycle. For the details, see Earnings explained and Weekly payouts.
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Updated 6 days ago