Refund Policy

Our refund and replacement terms for employers, candidates, and college partners using StepUp Hire's recruitment services.

💰
Section 01

Overview

This Refund Policy outlines the terms under which GraceWork Careers processes refunds and replacements for its recruitment and placement services. We are committed to delivering quality service and handling all refund requests fairly and transparently.

GraceWork Careers offers recruitment services to three primary client segments — candidates (job seekers), employer companies, and college institutions. Each segment has a distinct fee structure and corresponding refund policy.

✅ GraceWork Careers services are completely FREE for candidates. This policy primarily applies to employer and college clients who pay service fees.
🎯
Section 02

Candidate Refund Policy

GraceWork Careers does not charge any fees to job seekers or candidates for any of its services, including:

  • Profile registration and resume submission
  • Job matching and referral to employer clients
  • Interview scheduling and coordination support
  • Career guidance and placement assistance
✅ Since candidates are never charged, there is no refund applicable or necessary for candidate users of GraceWork Careers .

If any individual or entity claims to be GraceWork Careers and requests payment from a candidate, please report this fraud immediately at hello@stepuphire.com.

🏢
Section 03

Employer Refund Policy

GraceWork Careers charges employers a service fee upon successful placement of a candidate. The refund policy for employers is as follows:

Full Refund Scenarios

  • Services not yet commenced at the time of the refund request
  • Duplicate payment made for the same service or invoice
  • Technical error resulting in an incorrect charge
  • GraceWork Careers is unable to fulfil the agreed service within the committed timeline

No Refund Scenarios

  • Candidate has successfully joined and completed the joining formalities
  • Employer withdrew the job requirement after shortlisting and interviewing candidates
  • Employer hired the candidate through an alternative channel after GraceWork Careers 's introduction
  • Employer violated the terms of the Service Agreement
🔄
Section 04

Replacement Guarantee

GraceWork Careers offers a replacement guarantee for placed candidates who exit employment within the agreed guarantee period. This is our primary resolution mechanism and is considered before any refund request is processed.

Standard Replacement Terms

  • Guarantee period: 30 days from the candidate's joining date (unless otherwise agreed in writing)
  • If the placed candidate leaves within this period, GraceWork Careers will provide a replacement search at no additional fee
  • The replacement search will be initiated within 5 working days of the employer formally notifying us
  • The replacement guarantee applies only once per original placement

Conditions for Replacement Eligibility

  • Full service fee must have been paid by the employer
  • The candidate's departure must not have been caused by employer-side actions (termination, role change, hostile work environment)
  • Written notification must be sent to GraceWork Careers within 7 days of the candidate's last working day
📋 If a suitable replacement cannot be found within 60 days of initiating the replacement search, a refund or credit note equivalent to the original service fee may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
📋
Section 05

Refund Process

All eligible refunds follow this structured process to ensure transparency and timely resolution:

📧

Step 1 — Submit

Email your refund request to billing@stepuphire.com with invoice number and reason

🔍

Step 2 — Review

Our team reviews the request against policy within 3 working days

Step 3 — Approval

You receive written confirmation of approval or rejection with explanation

💳

Step 4 — Payment

Approved refunds processed to original payment method within 7 working days

  • Refund requests must be submitted within 30 days of the qualifying event
  • Refunds are processed to the original payment method (bank transfer, UPI, or cheque)
  • Processing time: 5–7 working days after approval
  • All refund requests must include the original invoice number and written reason for request
🚫
Section 06

Non-Refundable Cases

The following situations are explicitly excluded from refund eligibility regardless of circumstances:

  • Services that have been fully or substantially delivered as per the agreed scope
  • Fees paid for premium shortlisting or assessment services that have been performed
  • Cases where the employer or client has violated GraceWork Careers 's Terms and Conditions
  • Situations where the candidate introduced by GraceWork Careers was hired through an alternative arrangement to avoid fees
  • Campus drive fees where the placement drive was conducted as agreed, regardless of placement outcome
  • Any fees paid more than 90 days prior to the refund request (unless covered by active Service Agreement)
Important: Administrative handling charges (if applicable) are non-refundable in all circumstances. These are deducted before any refund amount is processed.
📞
Section 07

Contact Us

For refund requests, billing queries, or any questions related to this policy, please contact:

⏱️ All refund-related queries are responded to within 2 working days. Approved refunds are processed within 7 working days of confirmation.