In addition to scheduling, billing challenges can take up a lot of time to manage. Oftentimes, agencies send vendors a separate invoice for each officer, not to mention coordinator fees, department fees and equipment fees. Depending on the scope of the job, this process can create an accounting nightmare for both the agency and the business.
How are jobs invoiced? What options does the vendor have to make a payment? How are payments then dispersed to the right officer or agency account? How long will it take the officer to finally get paid?
In an increasing digital landscape, payments are now rendered and received at the touch of a button; off duty should be no exception. An off-duty tool can make the whole process easier with:
Ultimately, a more efficient system will get the officers paid as quickly as possible.
What about taxes?
Off-duty is, obviously, subject to income taxes. If an officer is paid through their agency payroll on a normal W2, taxes will be taken out and no extra forms are required.
However, at most agencies officers are paid directly by the vendor as a 1099 contractor, which has its own tax implications. This means every vendor needs a W-9 from every officer, and they have to send every officer a 1099-K at the end of the year.
When looking into off-duty solutions, finding one that handles both the intake and end-of-year tax forms can save a bundle of time and paperwork for vendors and officers alike.