All About:

• How Do I Reset My Password?
  How Do I Reset My Password?

  In order to reset your password, follow the following steps:

  1. From the login screen, type in your email address in the "Email" field.

  

  2. Select the blue "Log In" button. A second screen will appear saying "Welcome back!" On this screen, select the blue "Forgot Password" link, as shown below.

  

  3. Next, you will receive a verification code sent to the email address you entered on the previous screen. You will need to enter this code in the ‘verification code’ box and a new password. 

  

  Support is unable to issue you a temporary password or verification code, so if you are having difficulty please try again in 5 minutes. 

  Note: If you use a Gmail address, you may sign in with the blue "Sign in with Google" button. This option uses your Google credentials to log into the Swing platform.

   

• Swing Education Mailing Address
  Swing Education Mailing Address

  Need our address for a rental property application, employment application or other?

  Please feel free to use our mailing address:

  548 Market St #88403 San Francisco, California 94104-5401 

  Who can I put as a contact at Swing? 

  You can use Swing Support as the point of contact for your application. support@swingeducation.com 

  Have questions? Let us know here.

   

• How Do Taxes Work for Independent Contractors?
  How Do Taxes Work for Independent Contractors?

  Note: Swing Education and its affiliates do not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal, or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal, and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction.

  Table of Contents

  You will find the following information in this article:

  • What is this document all about?
  • Where can I go for support to make sure I do this right?
  • What’s the deal with having no taxes withheld from my pay?
  • Do quarterly taxes apply to me?
  • How do I pay quarterly/yearly taxes?
  • I’d rather just pay my taxes at the end of the year, is that a problem?
  • I didn't get a 1099-MISC or a W2!
  • I need your EIN (employment identification) number
  • Helpful Links
    

  What is this article about?

  As a Swing Sub, you are an independent contractor, rather than a direct employee, which means there are some significant differences in how you are expected to organize, track, and report your taxable income to the IRS.  This document is intended to make you aware of some of these differences and equip you with resources that can help you estimate and manage taxes due on the money you earned working at Swing Education’s partner schools.

  Where can I go for support to make sure I do this right?

  There is a great option for many SwingSubs to get FREE support on Tax preparation!  The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free tax help to people who generally make $54,000 or less and need assistance in preparing their own tax returns. IRS-certified volunteers provide free basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing to qualified individuals.

  This Flyer created by the IRS outlines the VITA program.  To locate the nearest VITA site near you, use the VITA Locator Tool or call 800-906-9887.

  If you do not qualify for the VITA program and still have concerns about doing your quarterly or annual taxes properly we recommend you contact an online or local tax professional that can give guidance more specific to your individual needs.  Here are some tips for choosing a tax return preparer.
  

  What’s the deal with having no taxes withheld from my pay?

  When you begin earning money as an independent contractor, you essentially become a business-of-one.  Because you are a self-employed individual this means you are paid the full amount listed on the assignments you worked and no taxes are withheld.  

  Unfortunately, this does not remove your tax burden, rather, it means you are required to report your income and resolve your tax debt directly with the IRS.  Just how a company will withhold money from an employee's paycheck to send to the IRS, you need to take out your own taxes from the money you earn. Generally, as a self-employed individual, you are required to file an annual return and pay estimated tax quarterly.  More about this below.

  Do quarterly taxes apply to me?

  Many SwingSubs earn enough to be expected to pay quarterly taxes. Here’s a general rule-of-thumb for determining if you should be paying taxes quarterly:

  If you expect to owe more than $1,000 in taxes for the year for your contracting work (which amounts to around $3,000 or more in earnings) then you may need to pay quarterly taxes by the dates listed below.

  How do I pay quarterly/yearly taxes?

  Paying quarterly taxes is done by submitting (by mail or electronically) the 1040-ES (for quarterly taxes) and Schedule C Form (for year-end taxes) to the IRS.  It is HIGHLY ENCOURAGED that you read the instructions on the 1040-ES form closely as it has detailed information on tax rates, estimating your quarterly taxes, how to pay, etc.

  Swing is required to send you a 1099-Misc form once a year by January 31st which you will use to report your taxes from the previous year and fill out your Schedule C.

  I’d rather just pay my taxes at the end of the year, is that a problem?

  If you don’t pay quarterly when you should, you could face a penalty. Typically, you’ll pay a 6-8% penalty on the amount you underpaid. So if you made $10,000, owe $2,000 in taxes, and didn’t pay quarterly taxes, you might be subject to a penalty of 6% of the $2,000 underpayment, which is $120 -- yikes!  In short, it is highly recommended that you pay your taxes quarterly if you expect to owe $1000 or more.

  I didn't get a 1099-MISC or a W2!

  As you are not an employee of Swing, but an independent contractor, you are provided a 1099-MISC and not a W2. You will get a 1099_MISC only if you made more than $600 from Jan 1st to Dec. 31st. If you made less than $600, you can use your payment history for tax purposes. 

  What is Swing's EIN (employment identification) number:

  Our EIN number is 47-4349654. If you receive a 1099-MISC from us, this is also included on the 1099-MISC form.

  Helpful Links:

  • Self Employed Individual Tax Center: The one-stop-shop on the IRS website for all the forms, advice, and online learning tools.
  • 1040-ES Estimated Tax Form: Instructions and form created by the IRS to help individuals pay estimated taxes.  Read the instructions carefully.
  • Schedule C Form: The end of year profits and loss tax form.
  • Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program homepage: The homepage for this program on the www.irs.gov website.
  • VITA Program Flyer: This is a flyer created by the IRS that outlines the basics of the VITA program, who qualifies, what you need to bring, etc.
  • VITA Locator Tool: Help you find a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program locations in your area.
  • Tips for choosing a tax return preparer: This website helps you select a tax return preparer and gives advice on who to select and what to look for  This is particularly useful if you do not qualify for the VITA program.
  • See what other subs are doing by taking a look at our lounge discussion about taxes.

  Note: Swing Education and its affiliates do not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal, or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal, and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction.

   

   

• Long Term Requests
  Long Term Requests

  What is a long term request?

  • Typically a request is considered to be long term if it is more than 21 calendar days, though this may vary by school and is subject to change. 
  • Depending on the nature of the work, most schools set a higher pay rate than the normal daily rate to compensate for additional work (e.g. office hours, lesson planning, etc) 

  Things to note:

  • Subs aren't automatically confirmed into a long term request
  • ONLY interested subs should add themselves to the waitlist
  • The school may interview the subs on the waitlist and may ask subs for their resumes
    • After the interview process, the school will select one of the subs into the request

  Please note that Swing has no control over when/ if you will ever be chosen as a sub for a long term request. You can send a quick note to the school expressing your interest but it is completely up to them if they chose you for their role. 

   

   

   

• Cancellations
  Cancellations

  Something came up and I can no longer fill a request.  Can I cancel?

  We understand that sometimes things happen, and you can't make it to your commitment. You can cancel a request by pressing the "Cancel" button on the request page.

  

  A couple of things to keep in mind about cancellations:

  • You will be penalized for canceling within 24 hours of the request's start time. You will only be allowed a few last-minute cancelations before you start to see less available requests on the platform. 
  • There's no penalty for canceling within 30 minutes of signing up for a request.
  • Schools are counting on you to show up - a cancel (especially last minute) is a big deal for a school to try to cover.  Often times this means teachers (and office admins, principals, etc.) have to scramble to cover. If you cancel too often, Swing will send you a warning email and possibly consider removing you from the platform. 

  What if a school cancels my request?

  If you’ve signed up for any request for more than 30 minutes, and the school cancels it within 24 hours of the start time you’ll get paid for one day with just a few exceptions: 

  1. You will not receive a payment if the request was canceled due to negative feedback about your performance.
  2. If the school had to close due to an emergency.
  3. Swing's updated Policy as of April 2020: If you are more than 15 minutes late to an assignment and the school cancels the request. 
• What Do I Do If I Was Hired As a Fulltime Employee At a School?
  What Do I Do If I Was Hired As a Fulltime Employee At a School?

  Congratulations, that is great news! Part of Swing’s mission is to help our subs find full-time positions with our school partners. When you get an offer, that’s something Swing wants to celebrate with you.

  If you accept a full-time offer with one of our school partners, please contact us with:

  • Your offer letter 
  • What your title will be
  • Your start date
  • If you want to be deactivated on Swing

  You may be eligible for a $250 bonus so make sure you contact us right away. 

All About Swing Heroes!

• What is Swing Heroes?
  What is Swing Heroes?

   

  IMPORTANT NOTICE: In the midst of COVID-19 (coronavirus), we understand that many of our school partners are taking the necessary measures to keep their children and staff safe. 
   
  Due to the extremely high number of school closures and the safety of the public, all Swing Hero assignments are canceled. If you had a Swing Hero commitment, it will no longer appear in your commitments tab. When Swing Hero assignments resume, you will automatically begin seeing new requests. As we continue to learn about more school closures, we will keep you updated with changes to the Swing Hero Program.
   
  We empathize with your concerns around the impact of school closures on your families and communities. For additional information on these types of situations, please see our Coronavirus FAQs.

   

  Swing Heroes is a program for filling last-minute requests in the same schools we already partner with for standard requests. Some teacher absences can’t be anticipated in advance, such as illness-related or other last-minute absences. Swing Heroes is designed to cover last-minute absences, minimize classroom disruptions and encourage learning when a teacher is unexpectedly out. 

  Because Swing Heroes is designed to fill last-minute absences, the program is limited to school districts with a high rate of last-minute absences. If you do not see Swing Hero requests when you log into your account, it is likely because schools in your region have a lower rate of last-minute absences.

   

  Advantages for Subs

  Unlike standard requests, you can secure a Swing Heroes request up to 14 days in advance. The pay rate for Swing Heroes is often higher than for standard requests, and you’re guaranteed to be paid even if your local schools end up not needing a sub that day. Plus, Swing Heroes saves you the hassle of having to constantly check our site or app for last-minute requests.  For more details, see our FAQ page.

   

  How it Works 

  Substitute teachers who accept Swing Hero requests allow Swing Education to reserve on-call subs in anticipation of last-minute requests from schools. Because requests from schools come in at the last minute, we won’t be able to tell you the name of the school up front, but we can tell you the city where you’ll be teaching.  Additionally, we can tell you the range of grades you may end up teaching, but not the exact grade.  

  For example, when you accept a Swing Hero assignment, you may see “A school in San Rafael” but not the exact school. This means Swing Education has reserved on-call subs for schools in San Rafael that are likely to have last-minute absences. You may also see “Grades K-5”, which means that Swing Education is reserving on-call subs for grades kindergarten through 5th grade.  Swing will communicate the exact school and grade to the on-call sub when the last-minute request comes in from the school, 0-24 hours before the committed date.

  Please note: you will only be matched with schools your account is already linked to. Also,  you will only be matched with assignments for which you have the appropriate credentials. 

   

   Accepting a Swing Hero Request

  1. To sign up, log into your account and look for the yellow Swing Hero flag on the request.  You will see the minimum pay rate and region in the request. (If the school has a rate that is higher than the minimum pay rate, you’ll be paid the higher of the two.)
  2. The morning of the request, no later than 9:30 a.m, you will receive a text message with final details of the assignment including school and subject. 
  3. Plan ahead and be on time. The school day can start as early as 7 a.m., so you'll want to be awake, checking your messages, and ready to commute to campus by 6 a.m. (The text message may arrive overnight, so look carefully through your message history.) If you are matched with a school after the start time, please call the school and let them know what time you’ll arrive.
  4. If you do not receive final details by 9:30 a.m. on the morning of the assignment, we will send you a text message telling you that you are relieved from your Swing Hero assignment for the day. You will still be paid the rate listed on the request, and you’ll be free to accept another request for the same day.
  5. Cancellations: we understand that life happens, but in the interest of ensuring classrooms are covered for the day, we strongly discourage last-minute Swing Hero cancellations. If you need to cancel, please do so at least 48 hours in advance. Cancelling after you have been matched to a specific Swing Hero assignment can lead to exclusion from the Swing Hero program.

   

  Ready to be a Swing Hero?

  Just log in and look for open requests with the yellow Swing Heroes ribbon.

   

  Swing Heroes vs. Standard Requests

   

  	Standard	Swing Heroes
  Accept on online platform	✔	✔
  Booking window	As they come, usually 0-3 days prior to the request	Up to 14 days in advance
  Lock in pay long before the assignment	X	✔
  Weekly digest of open requests	X	✔
  Request Information Available
  Date	✔	✔
  Grade Level	✔	Choose K-5, 6-12, or all grades
  Exact Location	✔	0-24 hours before the committed date
  Subject	✔	0-24 hours before the committed date

   

  Have questions? Contact our Support Team!

• Swing Heroes FAQ
  Swing Heroes FAQ

   

  IMPORTANT NOTICE: In the midst of COVID-19 (coronavirus), we understand that many of our school partners are taking the necessary measures to keep their children and staff safe. 
   
  Due to the extremely high number of school closures and the safety of the public, all Swing Hero assignments are canceled. If you had a Swing Hero commitment, it will no longer appear in your commitments tab. When Swing Hero assignments resume, you will automatically begin seeing new requests. As we continue to learn about more school closures, we will keep you updated with changes to the Swing Hero Program.
   
  We empathize with your concerns around the impact of school closures on your families and communities. For additional information on these types of situations, please see our Coronavirus FAQs.

  How do I find Swing Heroes requests?

  You can accept Swing Heroes requests by logging in to your Swing account. (They are not currently available via text message.) These requests are labeled “Swing Heroes” on our platform and have a “Swing Hero” banner.

  Why do I only get certain assignment details in advance?

  Swing Heroes requests are designed to address the growing challenge of last-minute teacher absences. When you accept a Swing Heroes assignment, you are accepting an on-call assignment for local schools in your area. This enables Swing to match you with nearby school sites that need a substitute teacher to cover a last-minute absence.

  What does guaranteed minimum pay mean?

  If you accept a Swing Heroes request, you will always earn at least the rate listed in the “guaranteed minimum pay” section. If the school you are matched with has a higher guaranteed minimum, you will be paid the higher of the two.

  What is the Swing Heroes cancellation policy?

  Swing Hero slots are intended to help lock in pay and secure the position in advance for days that are in high need. We understand things may come up or your schedule may change as the date nears. Cancellations that occur within 48 hours of your assigned date may affect your ability to continue subbing via Swing Heroes.

  Swing may need to close Swing Hero slots unexpectantly, but we will close them at least 24 hours in advance. As these are slots and not requests, we will do our best to let you know they were closed, however, you will not be automatically notified. Please be sure to check your account at least once a day for changes to your upcoming commitments. 

  What if I can’t make it to the school on time?

  Call the school administrator listed on the request as soon as you determine that you will be late. Let them know you just received the assignment, but that you're on your way. If you can't reach the administrator send them an email, and then contact us to let us know. If you are marked late, contact us so that we can waive the penalty.

  What if I don’t want to sub at a certain school?

  Contact us and let us know the names of any specific schools you’d like to avoid. We’ll then remove them from your account to ensure you don’t receive their requests.

  What if I’m not qualified to fill the request?

  Particularly when faced with filling a last-minute teacher absence, schools generally prioritize finding someone who can follow the teacher's lesson plan and maintain a safe classroom environment. Teachers often leave lesson plans understanding that the substitute may not be an expert in their particular subject.

  How many open Swing Heroes requests are available near me?

  You will see open slots on your account under the open requests tab.

   

• How do I know I'm signing up for a Swing Hero request?
  How do I know I'm signing up for a Swing Hero request?

   

  IMPORTANT NOTICE: In the midst of COVID-19 (coronavirus), we understand that many of our school partners are taking the necessary measures to keep their children and staff safe. 
   
  Due to the extremely high number of school closures and the safety of the public, all Swing Hero assignments are canceled. If you had a Swing Hero commitment, it will no longer appear in your commitments tab. When Swing Hero assignments resume, you will automatically begin seeing new requests. As we continue to learn about more school closures, we will keep you updated with changes to the Swing Hero Program.
   
  We empathize with your concerns around the impact of school closures on your families and communities. For additional information on these types of situations, please see our Coronavirus FAQs.

   

  Log on to your account to view open requests. Swing Hero requests have a yellow "Swing Hero" flag on the request.  To see more information related the Swing Hero request, click "View Details".  Click the "Sign up!" button to sign up for the request. 

  For questions, contact us here. 

   

  

   

  

Substitute Status

• How Do I Deactivate My Account?
  How Do I Deactivate My Account?

  As a SwingSub, you have the flexibility to work around your own schedule. We encourage you to leave your account active, allowing you the flexibility to continue picking up requests when you have the time. 

  If you still wish to deactivate your account please contact us. We will be sad to see you go and thank you for your time, but we also wish you all the best in your next adventure. 

  To deactivate your account:

  • Contact us after you have completed all assignments and we will deactivate your account
  • Your final payment(s), if applicable, will arrive as regularly scheduled.

  If you ever want to come back, just contact us and let us know, we would be happy to have you back. 

   

Announcements

• Substitute Teacher Hall of Fame 2020
  Substitute Teacher Hall of Fame 2020

  Have questions about this year's Hall of fame? Check out our blog for all the details!

  To be considered, nominations must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. PT on May 25, 2020. The winning entries will be displayed on this website on or around June 8, 2020. 

  Contact community@swingeducation.com with questions.