Chicago-based Moonrise began piloting its concept last year, matching job seekers in the Midwest with shift work in administration, hospitality and other services to supplement their income. Payment is provided within 24 hours of completing the job via Wirecard, according to a Wednesday press release.
Germany-based Wirecard provides a prepaid Mastercard debit card to deliver funds to workers, who may also opt to receive a check or direct-deposit payment every two weeks, according to the release.
Moonrise differs from some other gig-economy operations like Uber in that it targets prospective workers who already have full-time jobs. Madison, Wis.-based American Family Insurance established the Moonrise subsidiary in 2016, after research suggested about half of its customers—who typically are employed full time—need supplemental income at times.
“You might be a dishwasher one day and a customer service agent the next day,” Moonrise explains on its website, noting that prospective employers set hourly pay rates—which hover around minimum wage—and workers are paid by Moonrise, which provides no other worker benefits.
