How ZIP-based privacy works
GapCrew works out distance from ZIP codes, so workers never give a home address, employers see only a city, ZIP code and approximate distance, and the exact job address is shown only to the employer and to a confirmed worker.
Key points
- Workers supply a five-digit ZIP code. The app uses the center of that ZIP code.
- Before confirmation, worker names are masked and distance is rounded to whole miles.
- A worker's phone number is not shown to the other side of a job.
What a worker gives and what is stored
A worker enters a ZIP code. GapCrew looks up the center point of that ZIP code from public Census data and uses it for distance. No street address or home coordinate is stored for the worker, and no outside mapping service is asked about their location.
What an employer sees
When a worker responds, the employer sees a masked name (first name and last initial), the city and ZIP code, a distance such as "about 12 miles away", years in the trade, the skills for that trade and any ratings. They do not see a street address, a phone number or a home location.
What a worker sees
A job shows its trade, days and times, pay and an approximate area: city and ZIP code. The distance shown is approximate. The exact job address is not shown until the employer confirms the worker; then it appears to that worker in their booking, and in the offline copy of confirmed bookings stored on their device.
The limits
- Distance is a straight line between two ZIP code centers. It is not a drive time. A short distance across water can be a long trip.
- A ZIP code is an area, and in a sparsely populated place a ZIP code can narrow things down. Choose to share only what you are comfortable with.
- Once the booking is confirmed, the worker knows the site address. That is how the job works.
A tip for employers
Do not put the street address in the free-text description. It has its own private field, and the description can be read by workers before they are confirmed.
Common questions
Does GapCrew track my location?
Who can see my phone number?
Related guides
- How to set your availability so the right jobs find you
- What to put in a job post
- What happens when plans change: declining and cancelling on GapCrew
- All guides
This guide describes how GapCrew works and points to official sources. It is not legal, tax or safety advice. Check with the relevant agency about your own situation.
Ready when the doors open
GapCrew is preparing to open around Puget Sound. Join the early list and we will email you when it opens in your area.