Launching EWA in 7 Days: An Employer Rollout Checklist

An Earned Wage Access pilot can be live within a week if attendance and payroll data are in order. The work is mostly about policy decisions and worker communication, not technology. Use this checklist to plan a pilot at one site or with one contractor.

Before day 1: Decide the scope

• Pilot site or contractor chosen
• Worker groups included (payroll, contract, gig)
• Pilot owner named in HR or operations
• Success measures agreed (adoption, advance requests, attrition)

Day 1–2: Data and integration

• Attendance source confirmed: biometric, face reader or app
• Wage rates per worker or category shared
• Payroll cycle and pay dates confirmed
• Worker master data checked: name, ID, mobile, bank account

Day 3: Policy

• Withdrawal limit set as a share of earned wages
• Fee policy decided: absorbed, passed on or mixed
• Withdrawal frequency rules, if any
• Exit and final settlement process agreed

Day 4: Contractors and payroll

• Contractors briefed on how deductions work
• Deduction file format agreed
• Settlement timeline with the NBFC partner agreed

Day 5–6: Worker onboarding

• Notices in local languages at the gate and canteen
• Short demo sessions by shift
• Help desk or coordinator named for questions
• Worker consent captured at enrolment
• Do's and don'ts shared: use for real needs, check fees, never share OTP

Day 7: Go live

• First withdrawals tested with a few workers
• Daily usage report checked
• Issues logged and fixed

First payroll after launch

• Deduction file reviewed before payroll
• Deductions applied and reconciled
• Settlement completed
• Worker feedback collected