DocsReviewing work
Disputes and appeals
Workers can push back when they think a decision was unfair. A dispute is about a revision request, and an appeal is about a rejection. Here is how each one works and what it means for you.
Disputes and appeals at a glance
| Question | Dispute | Appeal |
|---|---|---|
| What it's about | A revision request | A rejection |
| When the worker can open it | While the revision request is open | Within 7 days of the rejection, once per submission |
| Do you take part? | Yes, in a chat with the worker and our staff | No, only the worker and our staff |
| Who decides | You can approve at any time, otherwise our staff | Our staff |
When a worker disputes a revision
If a worker disagrees with your revision request, they can open a dispute and explain why instead of redoing the task. You get a Dispute opened notification and an email. Home shows the number of open disputes, and the submission is marked Disputed in your campaign.
While the dispute is open, the submission stays in Revision asked and the payment stays reserved.
What you can do
If the worker redoes the task or removes it while the dispute is open, the dispute closes as withdrawn. A removed task returns the reserved payment and fee to your balance.
Open the chat
Open the submission and choose Open Dispute Chat. You see the worker, the payment, your revision note and the worker's reason.
Explain your side
Reply in the chat. The worker and our staff see your messages. Point to the exact instruction the work didn't follow.
Or approve and pay
If the worker convinces you, choose Approve & pay worker. You can add an optional note. The submission is approved and the worker is paid, the same as a normal approval, and the dispute closes. This can't be undone.
How staff decide a dispute
Our staff look at the submission, your instructions, your revision note and the chat, then close the dispute with one of these results. You get a Dispute resolved notification, and the chat becomes read-only.
| Result | What happens |
|---|---|
| Approved (worker paid) | The submission is approved and the worker is paid. |
| Revision upheld | Your request stands. The worker has to redo the task. |
| Rejected | The submission is rejected, and the reserved payment and its 10% fee go back to your balance. |
| Refunded to requester | Same as Rejected: the submission is rejected, and the payment and its 10% fee go back to your balance. |
When a worker appeals a rejection
A worker can appeal a rejected submission once, within 7 days of the rejection, by explaining why the work should have been approved. You don't take part, and you are only told about the appeal if it is approved. A worker can't appeal if our staff already rejected the work in a dispute.
If our staff deny the appeal, the rejection stands and nothing changes for you.
- If the appeal is approved, the submission becomes approved and the worker is paid.
- You are charged the payment and the 10% fee again, because both were returned to you when you rejected the work. You get a Rejection overturned on appeal notification with the amount charged.
- Your balance never goes below zero. If it doesn't cover the full amount, TaskerData covers the difference.
How to avoid disputes
- Write step-by-step instructions and describe exactly what the proof should show.
- Give specific revision notes that say what to change, not just that the work is wrong.
- Ask for a revision only when the work can be fixed. Don't use it to ask for more than the task required.
- Reject only work that clearly breaks your instructions, and always give a clear reason.
- Use View Live and send a message while a worker is still working, to catch problems before they submit.
Tip: Clear instructions and fair reviews also raise your approval rate on your requester profile, which helps you attract good workers.
Common questions
Can I open a dispute myself?
No. Only workers open disputes. If you have a problem with a worker, reject the submission with a reason, or use Exclude to keep them out of your future tasks.
Does a dispute stop the review timer?
A submission with a revision request isn't approved automatically, so you don't need to worry about the timer while a dispute is open.
Can I appeal a staff decision?
There is no button to reopen a resolved dispute or appeal. If you think something went wrong, contact support.