Everything you need to know about being a contractor with Stopgap

Many marketing, digital & advertising professionals turn to freelancing at some point in their career. The breadth of experience you gain from working with a diverse range of employers and the potential flexibility you can achieve in your life are compelling motivators for many of our candidates.

This flexibility is also an interesting offering for our employers. Employers across Australia are always seeking fresh input from marketing and digital staff with specific skills to cover team absences or help drive projects forward. In fact, good freelancers have become an essential, flexible resource for most marketing and digital teams at one time or another.

We place freelancers using a variety of payment methods including PC (either through the Stopgap payroll or the client's payroll) or invoicing for our Limited Company candidates (either to Stopgap or directly to the client). The choice is yours.

With strong relationships, market insight and a vast network, our consultants are dedicated to securing excellent contracts for our freelance candidates. We support you every step of the way, providing you with all the information that you need for the duration of your placement as well as making sure you're enjoying every minute of your new role. 

PC CANDIDATES - Completing Your Timesheet

Stopgap contractors are required to complete and return a client-approved timesheet by Monday week. Please send your approved timesheet to accounts@stopgap.com.au. Once it's been received you will receive a confirmation email.

You'll notice that our timesheet template includes two grids; one is for your scheduled workdays (typically 8 hours) and the other one is for any overtime work you were asked to complete. 

You can download our timesheet for payrolled candidates here.

PC CANDIDATES - DETAILS WE'LL NEED FROM YOU 

To enable us to set everything up at our end, we will need you to send the below details to our accounts team at accounts@stopgap.com.au. 

• Bank account details

• Account name

• Bank name

• BSB number

• Account number

• Superannuation Choice Form (download here)

• Regardless of whether you want to nominate your own superannuation fund or would like Stopgap to set one up for you, every PC candidate of Stopgap is required to complete a superannuation choice form. If you would like us to set you up with a superannuation fund, Stopgap will nominate Colonial First State. You can learn more about the fund on their website here. 

• TFN Form (download here)

• Home Address

• Date of Birth

• Work eligibility/ visa details 

Once we have received all of the above & your client approved timesheets for the month, we'll be ready to pay you your (well deserved!) earnings.

WHEN WILL I GET PAID?

Stopgap's payroll is done on a monthly cycle, and you will receive your pay on the last working day of the month. You will receive a payslip via email and the password to open it is your date of birth (DDMMYY). Please download our 2024 payroll details here to find out when you will be paid each month and the cut-off dates for each month's pay-cycle.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do Stopgap's pay-cycle & cut-off dates work?

Please be sure to first download Stopgap's payroll details here. The cut-off date is the date you will be paid up until each month. Most months are a 4 week pay-cycle, however, some are 5 weeks. 

Why isn't my Superannuation paid every month?

Don't stress! Superannuation is paid quarterly, at the end of the month following the quarter. For example, July-September quarter will be paid at the end of October. You will be paid at the end of October, January, April & July. 

Does my day rate include Superannuation?

Yes. However, the taxable day rate on your payslip excludes superannuation.

Why does my payslip say that my superannuation has been paid into Colonial First State?

Stopgap is required to use a third party superannuation distributor, which is Colonial First State. If you submitted your superannuation choice form, your superannuation will be paid into your nominated fund via Colonial First State, hence why you see it on your payslip.

Can I get paid in advance?

Yes. We get it, sometimes life can throw some big expenses your way that can't wait until the end of the month! We're here to help- whether you've just arrived in Australia with depleted funds from travelling, need to pay a bond for a rental property or get your car back on the road, we will endeavour to help whenever reasonably possible. All we require is that you have a signed client timesheet showing that you have completed the week of work for which we advance you for.

If you have any other questions regarding getting paid while contracting with Stopgap, please contact Oxana Rozova at oxana.rozova@stopgap.com.au

Stopgap terms of engagement can be viewed and downloaded here.