Instructor Terms of Service

Your Relationship with RLGL

As an independent contractor, you:

• Set your own schedule and availability
• Determine your own teaching methods and curriculum
• May teach on other platforms or privately — RLGL is non-exclusive
• Are responsible for reporting and paying your own income taxes
• Are not entitled to employee benefits (health insurance, retirement plans, workers' compensation, etc.)

RLGL provides the marketplace, payment processing, scheduling tools, and student matching — not employment.

Becoming an Instructor

To teach on RLGL, you must:

• Submit an application — Including your musical background, teaching experience, and instrument proficiency. We review every application personally.
• Pass identity verification — Provide a government-issued photo ID. This is verified and then deleted; we do not retain copies of your ID.
• Pass a background check — A criminal background screening is required for all instructors. RLGL covers the full cost. Results are stored as pass/fail only — raw data is not retained.
• Complete onboarding — Set up your profile, select your pricing tier, configure availability, and agree to the Code of Conduct.
• Be at least 18 years old — Instructors must be legal adults in their jurisdiction.

RLGL reserves the right to accept or decline any application at our sole discretion. Approval is not guaranteed.

Teaching on RLGL

As an active instructor, you agree to:

• Maintain accurate availability — Keep your calendar current. Students book based on your published availability.
• Show up on time and prepared — Deliver the full scheduled lesson duration (25, 55, or 85 minutes).
• Maintain a professional environment — Provide a suitable teaching space with adequate audio/video quality.
• Communicate through the Platform — Use RLGL messaging for all lesson-related communication with students.
• Represent yourself accurately — Your profile, credentials, and experience must be truthful. Misrepresentation is grounds for immediate removal.
• Follow the Code of Conduct — Treat students, guardians, and RLGL staff with respect. Abide by all community standards.

Pricing, Fees & Payouts

Pricing tiers: During onboarding, you select a pricing tier that determines your rates for 25-minute, 55-minute, and 85-minute lessons. Tier selection is self-serve — you choose the tier that reflects your experience and credentials.

Students pay the full lesson price plus a service fee at the time of booking. Your payout is the lesson price minus the applicable RLGL service fee.

Cancellations & No-Shows

RLGL operates a "Flexible" cancellation policy platform-wide:

Penalty system: Cancellations and no-shows are tracked on a rolling 90-day window. No-shows are weighted at 2x. Escalating consequences apply:

• Warning — First occurrence: automated notification and coaching.
• Visibility reduction — Repeated issues: lower ranking in search results.
• Temporary suspension — Persistent pattern: account paused pending review.
• Removal — Chronic unreliability: permanent removal from the platform.

Content Ownership & Licensing

By uploading content to RLGL, you grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to display, distribute, and promote your content on the Platform for the purpose of operating the marketplace. This license:

• Is limited to displaying your content on the RLGL platform and in promotional materials for RLGL
• Terminates when you remove the content or close your account
• Does not transfer ownership — you may use the same content elsewhere

You represent that you have the right to upload all content you share, and that it does not infringe on any third party's intellectual property rights.

Lesson Recordings

Lessons on RLGL may be recorded as a learning tool for students (replays, practice review, progress tracking).

• Ownership: Lesson recordings are owned by RLGL. Students are granted access to replays of lessons they have paid for.
• Mandatory for minors: All lessons with students under 18 are automatically recorded. This cannot be disabled by either party.
• Optional for adults: Recording can be enabled or disabled per student/instructor preference for adult lessons.
• Survival: Students retain access to lesson replays even after an instructor departs the platform. Students paid for those lessons — the recordings are theirs to learn from.
• Access: Only the participating student and instructor can view a recording. RLGL staff may access recordings only during active safety investigations or dispute resolution.

Student Relationships

RLGL connects you with students. To protect this investment in matchmaking and trust:

• All bookings through RLGL — Lessons with RLGL-connected students must be booked and paid through the Platform.
• No fee circumvention — Asking students to pay you directly to avoid RLGL's service fee is a violation of these terms.
• Communication on-platform — Use RLGL messaging for lesson-related communication. Sharing personal contact information is discouraged during the active teaching relationship.

We believe the best retention strategy is a great product, not a legal cage. If RLGL isn't providing value, you should be free to leave. The 12-month window simply protects our matchmaking investment.

Safety & Background Checks

• Background check required — All instructors must pass a criminal background screening before teaching. RLGL pays for the check — there is no cost to you.
• Enhanced check for minors — If you teach students under 18, an enhanced (Tier 2) background check is required. Also fully covered by RLGL.
• Ongoing obligation — You must promptly notify RLGL of any criminal charges or convictions that occur after your initial screening.
• Mandatory reporting — If you suspect abuse, neglect, or harm to a minor student, you are legally and contractually obligated to report it immediately — both to the appropriate authorities and to RLGL.
• Blocking — You may block any student at any time, effective immediately, with no required explanation.

Insurance & Liability

As an independent contractor:

• Liability insurance is recommended — We strongly encourage you to carry professional liability insurance appropriate for music instruction. This is not currently required by RLGL, but it protects you.
• You are responsible for your teaching — RLGL provides the marketplace and tools. You are responsible for the quality, safety, and appropriateness of your instruction.
• Chargeback protection — When you can demonstrate that a lesson was delivered as described, RLGL absorbs chargebacks — you will not lose your payout for proven-delivery disputes.

Account Suspension & Termination

RLGL may suspend or terminate your instructor account for:

• Violation of these terms, the Code of Conduct, or applicable law
• Failed or expired background check
• Chronic unreliability (excessive cancellations or no-shows)
• Misrepresentation of credentials, experience, or identity
• Safety concerns — immediate suspension without prior notice when student safety is at risk
• Fraudulent activity or fee circumvention

For non-safety violations, we will provide notice and an opportunity to respond before permanent removal. Safety-related suspensions are effective immediately.

Departure & Transition

You may leave RLGL at any time. To ensure a smooth transition for your students:

• 14-day notice requested — Not required, but strongly encouraged. This gives students time to find alternative instruction and reschedule or cancel pending bookings.
• Pending lessons — All confirmed bookings should be honored or cancelled with full student refunds. Lessons cancelled due to departure do not count toward your cancellation record.
• Final payouts — Outstanding payouts are processed on the next regular payout cycle, subject to a 14-day hold for potential chargebacks or disputes.
• Profile removal — Your profile is unpublished immediately upon departure. Students retain access to lesson replays.
• Content — You may request export of your profile content (text, photos, media) before or after departure.

Dispute Resolution

We believe most disputes can be resolved through good-faith communication. Our resolution process:

• Step 1: Direct resolution — Contact RLGL support to discuss the issue. Most concerns are resolved at this stage.
• Step 2: Mediation — If direct resolution fails, either party may request mediation through a mutually agreed-upon mediator. Mediation costs are split equally.
• Step 3: Binding arbitration — If mediation does not resolve the dispute within 60 days, the matter will be resolved through binding arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association (AAA). Arbitration costs are split equally for claims under $10,000; RLGL covers arbitration fees for claims above that amount.

Class action waiver: You agree to resolve disputes individually. You waive the right to participate in class actions or class arbitrations against RLGL.

Small claims exception: Either party may bring individual claims in small claims court if the claim qualifies.

Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

• Liability cap: RLGL's total liability to you for any claims arising from your use of the Platform is limited to the total fees paid to you through RLGL in the 12 months preceding the claim.
• No consequential damages: RLGL is not liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including lost profits, lost revenue, or lost data.
• Platform provided "as is": RLGL provides the Platform without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.

These limitations apply regardless of the legal theory (contract, tort, strict liability, or otherwise) and even if RLGL has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Changes to These Terms

We may update these Instructor Terms from time to time. When we make material changes:

• We will provide at least 30 days' notice before changes take effect
• Notification via email and dashboard action card
• You will be asked to acknowledge the updated terms to continue teaching
• If you do not agree to the updated terms, you may close your account before they take effect

Continued use of the Platform after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.