HALOFIX Hero Terms of Service

1. Independent Contractor Relationship

You (“Hero”) acknowledge and agree that you are an independent contractor and not an employee, agent, joint venturer, or partner of HALOFIX USA LLC (“HALOFIX”). Nothing in this Agreement creates an employment relationship. You retain full control over the manner and means of performing services, including the right to accept or decline job offers, set your own schedule, and use your own tools and equipment.

As a Hero, you perform services directly for the Resident (homeowner), not for HALOFIX. HALOFIX operates solely as a technology marketplace connecting Residents who need home services with independent Heroes who choose to provide them. HALOFIX does not direct, supervise, or control the work you perform.

Non-Exclusivity: You are free to work for competing platforms, maintain your own client relationships outside the platform, and operate your own independent business without restriction. Nothing in this Agreement limits your ability to provide services to any person or entity outside of the HALOFIX platform.

2. Licensing and Insurance Requirements

You represent and warrant that you:

• Hold a valid, active Florida DBPR contractor license for all service categories in which you accept jobs
• Maintain general liability (GL) insurance with a minimum coverage of $500,000 per occurrence / $1,000,000 aggregate (Naming HALOFIX USA LLC as Additional Insured.)
• Maintain commercial auto insurance of $250,000 bodily injury per person / $500,000 per accident / $100,000 property damage (If you operate a vehicle in connection with HALOFIX services.)
• Workers' compensation: Required per Florida Statute §440. Sole-operator construction Heroes may hold a Notice of Election to be Exempt issued by the FL Division of Workers Compensation (FL Stat. §440.02(15)(c)) in lieu of a policy.
• COI cadence: Upload current Certificates of Insurance (COI) to your HALOFIX Hero profile and replace at least 14 days before any policy expires.
• Will promptly notify HALOFIX of any license suspension, revocation, or insurance lapse

HALOFIX USA may suspend dispatch of jobs to you if your COI is expired, non-conforming, or unverifiable. Failure to maintain required licensing or insurance constitutes grounds for immediate suspension or removal from the HALOFIX platform.

Appliance repair exception: Florida's DBPR has no appliance-repair license category, so an appliance Hero may not hold a DBPR license for appliance repair alone. Electrical, plumbing, HVAC, or refrigerator/freezer sealed-system refrigerant work is assigned only to Heroes with the appropriate DBPR license or EPA Section 608 certification. Every appliance Hero is vetted and must provide insurance documentation. Heroes may accept appliance-repair jobs without a DBPR license, and appliance-repair bookings are available on the platform. Heroes who hold a valid, active license receive higher dispatch priority and therefore more job opportunities for these jobs. For all other (regulated) trades, a valid, non-expired license is required to receive job offers.

Baseline reference: $1,000,000 per occurrence aggregate (see _global/insurance.ts SSoT).

Quality-based dispatch: Automatic job-offer priority may consider quality metrics, including your average Resident rating, offer acceptance, and job completion history. Once you have at least five (5) Resident reviews, an average rating below 3.0 stars pauses automatic job offers. You will be notified before and when this happens, may continue to receive manually assigned jobs, and may contact support at any time to request an administrative review and reinstatement plan. This is a dispatch-priority policy only; it does not, by itself, terminate your platform account.

3. Indemnification and Hold-Harmless

To the fullest extent permitted by Florida law, you agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless HALOFIX USA LLC, its officers, directors, members, employees, agents, and affiliates (collectively, “HALOFIX Parties”) from and against any and all claims, demands, losses, damages, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees and court costs) arising out of or related to:

• Your performance or failure to perform services for any Resident (homeowner)
• Any property damage, personal injury, or death caused by your acts or omissions, including those of your employees or subcontractors
• Any violation of applicable federal, state, or local laws, including Florida contractor licensing laws (FL Statute 489)
• Any breach of this Agreement or any representation or warranty made herein
• Any tax liability, penalty, or interest arising from your independent contractor status, including failure to report income or pay self-employment taxes

This indemnification obligation survives the termination of your account and this Agreement.

4. Limitation of Liability

HALOFIX provides a technology platform connecting Residents with Heroes. HALOFIX does not perform, supervise, or control the work performed by Heroes.

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, HALOFIX'S TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY CLAIMS ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL NOT EXCEED THE TOTAL COMMISSIONS EARNED BY HALOFIX FROM YOUR COMPLETED JOBS IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM.

IN NO EVENT SHALL HALOFIX BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF PROFITS, REVENUE, DATA, OR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY, REGARDLESS OF THE LEGAL THEORY.

5. Assumption of Risk

You acknowledge that providing home services involves inherent risks, including but not limited to property damage, personal injury, and exposure to hazardous conditions. You voluntarily assume all such risks and agree that HALOFIX shall not be liable for injuries, damages, or losses you sustain while performing services.

6. Dispute Resolution

Any dispute arising from or relating to this Agreement shall be resolved through binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Commercial Arbitration Rules. The arbitration shall take place in Pinellas County, Florida. The governing law shall be the laws of the State of Florida. Each party shall bear its own costs and attorneys' fees unless the arbitrator determines otherwise.

Class Action Waiver: You agree that any dispute resolution proceedings will be conducted only on an individual basis and not as a class, consolidated, or representative action.

7. Payment and Commission

HALOFIX collects payment from Residents and remits your portion after deducting the platform commission. Commission rates are tiered based on your completed job count:

Tier improves automatically as your completed job count grows. Standard tier (75% keep) starts at sign-up. See full terms at /hero-terms.

Payout Cadence

Stripe Connect standard payout - typically 2 business days after job completion. First payout may take up to 7 business days while Stripe verifies your account.

As an independent contractor, you are responsible for all applicable federal, state, and local taxes, including self-employment tax. Payouts are settled through Stripe: Stripe issues IRS Form 1099-K for payouts exceeding BOTH $20,000 and 200 transactions in a calendar year (26 U.S.C. §6050W). For any payments made outside the Stripe marketplace, HALOFIX USA LLC issues IRS Form 1099-NEC if your annual total is $2,000 or more (OBBBA §70433, effective tax year 2026).

Card Processing Fees

HALOFIX processes Resident payments through Stripe. The standard Stripe card-processing fee of 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction is deducted from your portion of each completed job, in addition to the platform commission shown in the tier table above. This fee is the same fee you would pay to accept a credit card directly in your own business; HALOFIX does not mark it up.

Chargeback liability: if a Resident disputes a charge with their card issuer, HALOFIX absorbs the $15 chargeback fee charged by Stripe and acts as merchant of record for the dispute response. Heroes are not billed the chargeback fee unless the dispute is upheld and the work itself is the basis (in which case the refunded amount is recovered from future payouts).

Refunds: Stripe does not return its 2.9% + $0.30 processing fee on customer refunds. When a Resident refund is issued, HALOFIX absorbs the lost processing fee; the Hero's refund liability is limited to the work value, not the processing fee.

Source: stripe.com/connect/pricing (verified 2026-05-20). Fees are passed through at cost and are subject to change if Stripe changes its pricing; updated fee terms will be posted to this page before they take effect.

W-9, 1099, and Backup Withholding

You will provide HALOFIX USA LLC with a current, correct, and complete IRS Form W-9 (Rev. March 2024 or the then-current revision) BEFORE HALOFIX USA LLC makes any payment to you. Updated W-9 required within 30 days of any change to the information reported.

If you fail to furnish a valid W-9, or if the IRS notifies HALOFIX that the TIN you furnished is incorrect, HALOFIX will withhold 24% of all payments to you as backup withholding pursuant to IRC §3406.

Statute: IRC §3406 (backup withholding); IRC §6041(a) as amended by OBBBA §70433 (1099-NEC threshold raised to $2,000, TY2026); 26 U.S.C. §6050W (1099-K dual threshold).

Emergency Pricing Review (FL Statute § 501.160)

During a state of emergency declared by a Florida or federal authority for an affected area, FL Statute § 501.160 prohibits emergency prices that grossly exceed pre-emergency averages. The statute does not set a fixed percentage cap. HALOFIX USA uses an internal 10% review threshold above the applicable reference price as a platform policy control, not as a statement of the lawful maximum.

If your submitted emergency invoice is more than 10% above the applicable reference price, you will see a billing warning and the bill may be flagged for HALOFIX USA compliance review. This review threshold is not a price cap; documented cost increases may be considered. Charging a price that is found to violate FL Statute § 501.160 is grounds for removal from the platform and may expose you to civil penalties and restitution.

8. Background Check Disclosure

HALOFIX USA LLC obtains a consumer report (background check) as part of the Hero onboarding process. Per FCRA §604(b), a separate written disclosure and authorization is provided before the report is obtained.

If information in the report is used to deny or terminate your account, you will receive a pre-adverse action notice, a copy of the report, and a summary of your rights under the FCRA before any final decision.

Governing law: Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) §604(b)

9. Independent Contractor Status

Heroes are independent contractors, not employees of HALOFIX USA LLC. Under the IRS 20-factor test and Florida law, your independent contractor status is evidenced by the following:

• You set your own schedule and hours
• You may accept or decline any job offer
• You use your own tools and equipment
• You may work for competitors or other platforms
• You control the manner and means of performing services
• HALOFIX USA does not supervise or direct your work

10. Cancellation and Termination

Either party may terminate at any time with written notice. HALOFIX USA may immediately suspend accounts for license expiration, insurance lapse, safety violations, or terms violations.

Upon termination, all outstanding payouts for completed jobs will be processed per the normal payout schedule.

To reactivate a suspended account, contact (786) 550-2580 or email heroes@halofixusa.com.

11. Non-Circumvention Covenant

Duration: 12 months from last completed job. Damages: 5x lost platform commission. Full policy: Anti-Circumvention Policy.

12. Brand and Platform Restrictions

• You may not use the HALOFIX USA name, logo, or branding in your own advertising, vehicles, uniforms, or business cards without prior written consent.
• You may reference your HALOFIX USA profile link for customer convenience, but may not imply employment by or endorsement from HALOFIX USA.
• Marketing materials that reference HALOFIX USA must be submitted for approval to heroes@halofixusa.com.

13. Warranty Obligations

Every job completed through HALOFIX USA carries a minimum 90 days workmanship warranty (HALOFIX Standard Warranty). As a Hero, you agree to:

• Honor warranty claims submitted through the platform within the coverage period
• Respond to warranty claim inquiries within 48 hours
• Perform warranty remediation work at no additional cost to the Resident when the claim is valid
• Cooperate with HALOFIX USA warranty mediation process

If you fail to respond to or honor a valid warranty claim, HALOFIX USA may dispatch a replacement Hero and deduct remediation costs from your future payouts. Full warranty terms: Warranty Policy.

14. Background Check Consent (FCRA §604(b)(2))

You acknowledge that HALOFIX USA LLC obtains one or more consumer reports (background checks) about you in connection with your Hero application and your continued participation on the platform. These reports may include criminal history, identity verification, Florida DBPR license verification, motor vehicle records, and FDLE sex offender registry searches.

A standalone written disclosure and your written authorization are required and provided before any consumer report is obtained, in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), 15 U.S.C. § 1681b(b)(2)(A). The full standalone disclosure is at /fcra-disclosure.

Pre-adverse action notice: If information in a consumer report would be used to deny or terminate your access to the platform, you will receive a copy of the report and a summary of your FCRA rights at least five (5) business days before any final adverse action, with an opportunity to dispute inaccurate information directly with the consumer reporting agency.

15. Arbitration Agreement & 30-Day Opt-Out

Binding individual arbitration: Except for the carve-outs below, any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to this Hero Agreement or your use of the HALOFIX USA platform shall be resolved by binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) under its Commercial Arbitration Rules. The arbitration shall be conducted in Pinellas County, Florida.

Class action waiver: You agree that any arbitration or proceeding shall be brought only in your individual capacity and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class, collective, or representative proceeding.

30-Day Opt-Out: You may opt out of binding arbitration by sending written notice to heroes@halofixusa.com within 30 days of first creating your Hero account. The notice must include your full name, account email, and a clear statement that you opt out of arbitration under this Section 15. Opting out does not affect any other terms of this Agreement.

Carve-outs: Claims for injunctive relief related to intellectual property, anti-circumvention enforcement, or violations of applicable contractor licensing law may be brought in state or federal courts located in Pinellas County, Florida. Either party may also bring an individual action in small claims court in Pinellas County, Florida, for disputes within that court's jurisdictional limits.

Severability: If any provision of this Section 15 is held unenforceable, the unenforceable portion shall be severed and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

16. SMS & Voice Communications (TCPA + A2P 10DLC)

By signing this Agreement and providing your phone number, you consent to receive job-dispatch and operational SMS messages, voice calls, and automated notifications from HALOFIX USA LLC related to your Hero activity, including new job offers, dispatch confirmations, schedule changes, customer messages, payment notices, and platform alerts.

Frequency: Message frequency varies based on your job acceptance rate and platform activity. Standard message and data rates from your carrier may apply.

Opt-out: You may opt out of SMS at any time by replying STOP to any message, or by contacting heroes@halofixusa.com. Opting out of operational SMS may significantly reduce your ability to receive and accept job offers and is not a condition of platform participation; however, declining job-dispatch messages may render continued Hero participation impractical.

Reply HELP: Reply HELP to any message for assistance, or call (786) 550-2580.

Compliance: Hero SMS dispatch operates under HALOFIX USA LLC's registered A2P 10DLC campaign and complies with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the FCC's implementing regulations, and the carrier consortium's 10DLC messaging rules.

17. Contact