Complaints and Disputes Procedure

This procedure sets out how Sampler handles complaints and disputes raised by candidates, employer clients, or any other party in connection with the Sampler platform. It applies to:

• Complaints about the platform, its features, or the service received
• Disputes about payments, refunds, or invoices
• Concerns about candidate conduct during a trial shift
• Concerns about employer conduct during a trial shift
• Discrimination or unfair treatment concerns
• Data protection complaints
• Disputes about Talent Card outputs or assessment results

This procedure does not cover employment disputes between candidates and employers, for which Sampler is not a party. Candidates with employment law concerns should seek independent legal advice or contact ACAS.

All complaints and disputes should be submitted in writing to:

Subject line: Please include one of the following — "Platform complaint", "Payment dispute", "Trial shift concern", or "Data protection complaint".

Written submissions ensure a clear record of the complaint and help us respond accurately and promptly. We do not handle complaints by phone at this stage, but will arrange a call if appropriate once a complaint has been logged in writing.

3.1 Candidate Complaints

The following process applies to complaints raised by candidates:

3.2 Employer Client Complaints

The following process applies to complaints raised by employer clients:

If a complainant is not satisfied with the Stage 1 response, they may request a Stage 2 review by emailing complaints@sampler.org.uk with the subject line "Stage 2 escalation — [reference number]".

At Stage 2:

• The complaint will be reviewed by Jack (Co-Founder)
• A final written response will be issued within 15 working days
• The Stage 2 response represents Sampler's final position

If the complainant remains unsatisfied following Stage 2, they may pursue external resolution as set out in Section 7.

5.1 Payment and Refund Disputes

Payment disputes are handled in accordance with the Sampler Payment Terms and Refund Policy. In summary:

• Disputes must be raised within 14 days of the invoice or charge date
• Sampler will review whether the charge was correctly applied under the Payment Terms
• Raising a dispute does not suspend the obligation to pay undisputed amounts
• Approved refunds are processed within 10 working days via Stripe to the original payment method

5.2 Talent Card Disputes

If a candidate believes their Talent Card inaccurately represents their performance or contains a material error, they may raise a complaint setting out:

• The specific signal or output they dispute
• The basis on which they believe it is inaccurate

Sampler will review the assessment responses and AI-generated output against the signal framework. Where a material error is confirmed, Sampler will correct the Talent Card. Sampler does not guarantee any particular Talent Card outcome, and differences of opinion about scoring are not grounds for amendment. Talent Card outputs are advisory signals, not objective assessments.

5.3 Trial Shift Conduct Concerns

Where a candidate raises a concern about how they were treated by an employer during a trial shift, Sampler will:

• Log the concern and contact the employer for their account of events
• Review any available platform communications
• Where the concern involves potential discrimination, handle in accordance with the Anti-Discrimination Policy
• Where the concern involves a health and safety incident, request full details and escalate to the relevant authorities if appropriate
• Where an employer is found to have treated a candidate unlawfully or in breach of the Employer Terms, Sampler will suspend or terminate the employer's account.

Sampler is not a party to the employment relationship and cannot adjudicate on employment law claims — candidates with such claims should seek independent legal advice.

5.4 Data Protection Complaints

Complaints relating to the handling of personal data should be submitted to privacy@sampler.org.uk and will be handled in accordance with UK GDPR. Sampler will respond within the statutory timeframe of one calendar month. If a complainant is not satisfied with Sampler's response, they have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.

All complaints and disputes are logged with the following information:

• Date received
• Complainant type (candidate / employer / other)
• Category of complaint
• Brief description
• Date acknowledged
• Date resolved
• Outcome

Complaint records are retained for 3 years from the date of resolution. This log is reviewed quarterly by the founding team to identify any recurring issues requiring product or policy changes.

If a complaint cannot be resolved through Sampler's internal procedure, the following external routes are available depending on the nature of the complaint:

• General disputes: the courts of England and Wales, subject to the governing law provisions in the applicable Terms
• Employment law matters: ACAS early conciliation (acas.org.uk) and the Employment Tribunal
• Data protection: the Information Commissioner's Office (ico.org.uk)
• Equality and discrimination: the Equality and Human Rights Commission (equalityhumanrights.com)
• Consumer matters: the relevant trading standards authority or small claims court

Sampler is willing to participate in mediation as an alternative to litigation in appropriate cases. Parties wishing to propose mediation should contact complaints@sampler.org.uk.

This procedure will be reviewed annually and updated to reflect changes in the platform, applicable law, or complaint patterns identified in the quarterly log review.

Version 1.1 | Next review: July 2027 | Owner: Jack (Co-Founder, Sampler)