Terms of Use

1. Introduction

The merokam platform provides digital services connecting agricultural businesses with workers, agronomists, agricultural producers and wholesale merchants. These Terms of Use govern any use of the platform. By registering or using any service, you fully accept these terms. If you do not agree, please do not register.

2. User Types and Account Creation

The platform is intended for four categories of users:

• Workers: Individuals seeking agricultural work.
• Employers: Agricultural businesses that post job listings.
• Merchants: Wholesale merchants seeking agricultural products through the Marketplace.
• Agronomists: Professional agronomists who offer consulting services.

Users must provide accurate and up-to-date information upon registration (name, email, phone). Providing false or misleading information may lead to suspension or permanent deletion of the account. The user is solely responsible for protecting their credentials (email & OTP SMS).

Role Change: Each user is entitled to one (1) free role change (e.g. from worker to employer). Additional changes require a request to our team and its approval. The role change history is kept permanently.

3. User Rights and Obligations

Users must use the platform in accordance with applicable Greek and European legislation. Posting, distributing or publishing content that is illegal, offensive, abusive or that infringes the rights of third parties is prohibited.

Prohibited Activities:

• The registration and operation of worker recruitment agencies, brokers or intermediaries offering worker transport or recruitment services is strictly prohibited.
• Mass submission of applications to listings for the purpose of promoting third-party services is prohibited.
• The platform is intended exclusively for direct communication between independent employers, workers, producers, merchants and agronomists.
• Submitting inaccurate or falsified data, GEOTEE registration numbers or professional titles is prohibited.
• Violation of any of these terms will result in immediate permanent account suspension.

Behavior and Communication:

• Users must communicate with courtesy and professionalism.
• The use of abusive, threatening, or harassing language is prohibited.
• Your behavior is evaluated through the platform's review system.
• Repeated negative reviews may lead to restriction or suspension of your account.

Reporting System: Any user can report another user for violating the terms. Each report is reviewed by our team and, if confirmed, immediate corrective action is taken (suspension or permanent ban).

3a. Profile Photo

Workers have the option to upload a profile photo to increase their credibility.

Photo Terms of Use:

• The photo must be recent, clear, and depict only you.
• Blurry photos, photos with multiple people, or inappropriate content are prohibited.
• The photo is stored on secure servers in the EU and is protected under GDPR.
• The photo appears ONLY to employers to whom you have applied for work.
• It DOES NOT appear in search engines, to other workers, or publicly.
• You can delete your photo at any time from your profile.
• By uploading a photo, you confirm that you have the right to use it and agree to these terms.

3b. Review System

The platform has a rating system (1–5 stars) where employers, workers and agronomists can rate each other after completing a collaboration.

Review Criteria:

• Courtesy and communication
• Professionalism
• Adherence to agreements (hours, payment, working conditions)
• Quality of work (for workers and agronomists)
• Working conditions (for employers)

Reviews must be honest and based on actual experience. Posting false or malicious reviews is prohibited and may lead to suspension.

4. Job Search Services

Job Listings (Employers):

• Employers can post job listings for agricultural positions, specifying location, dates, duration and accommodation provision.
• Each listing posting is subject to a charge via Stripe. The listing is published only after payment is confirmed.
• Employers can request a receipt (invoice/receipt) during payment.
• Posting false listings or listings that do not correspond to an actual job position is expressly prohibited.

Applications & Collaborations (Workers):

• Workers can submit an application to any open listing.
• Applying for a job is not a collaboration. A collaboration is confirmed by both sides through the platform, and only if it actually took place.
• The worker can confirm the collaboration from the job's start date, or earlier if the employer has already confirmed it.
• After the collaboration is completed, the employer and worker can rate each other.

Worker Availability:

• Workers can publish availability profiles, specifying work regions, types of work, equipment they have and the time period of availability.
• Employers can express interest in an availability profile, following a similar confirmation and rating process.

Proximity Alerts (Worker Subscription):

• Receiving alerts for new jobs near the worker requires an active subscription.
• Alerts are sent when a job is published within the maximum distance the worker sets (10–200 km) and, if the worker chooses so, for jobs with accommodation beyond that distance.
• The worker chooses the alert channels: email, SMS and, if they use the merokam app, push notifications.
• The subscription is a one-time payment for 3, 6 or 12 months via Stripe, at the price shown on the subscription page. It does not renew automatically, and there is no further charge without a new payment by the worker.
• The platform does not guarantee that jobs will be published near the worker during the subscription.

5. Agricultural Products Marketplace

The Marketplace allows producers to list agricultural products and wholesale merchants (Merchants) to discover them and contact them.

Producers:

• Can post product listings (title, type, quantity in kg, region, description).
• Each listing is reviewed and approved before publication.
• Listing products is free for producers.
• Producers' contact details are shown only to merchants with an active Marketplace subscription.
• Producers remain responsible for the accuracy of the quantities and characteristics listed.

Merchants & Marketplace Subscription:

• Merchants can view producers' listings for free.
• To see producers' contact details, send contact requests (inquiries) and receive alerts about new listings matching their interests (category, product, region), merchants need an active Marketplace subscription.
• The Marketplace subscription is a one-time payment for 1 year via Stripe, at the price shown on the subscription page. It does not renew automatically. It can be renewed during the last month before it expires, which adds one year to the end of the current period.
• The free access given to merchants while the Marketplace was free ends when subscriptions start. Merchants are informed by email.
• Submitting false requests or unsolicited correspondence through the Marketplace is prohibited.

6. Agronomist Services

The platform hosts a directory of professional agronomists who provide consulting services to farmers and businesses.

• Agronomists register their GEOTEE registration number, their specialties (e.g. plant protection, irrigation, organic farming) and the services they offer (e.g. on-site visit, farm planning, OSDE/CAP applications).
• Agronomists specify their geographic areas of activity and their availability.
• The employer/farmer can express interest in an agronomist, confirm the collaboration and submit a rating.
• merokam does not verify the professional qualifications or the validity of agronomists' licenses. Each user must verify the details before collaborating.

7. Payments, Subscriptions and Refunds

The merokam platform uses the Stripe service for secure payment processing. Your card details are not stored on our servers.

Charges:

• Employers: Each job listing posting is subject to a one-time charge.
• Workers: Registering and applying are free. Proximity alerts require a subscription paid once for 3, 6 or 12 months.
• Merchants: Viewing listings is free. Contacting producers requires a Marketplace subscription paid once for 1 year.
• Producers: Listing products on the Marketplace is free.

Subscription Duration and Expiry:

• Subscriptions are one-time payments for a set period. They do not renew automatically and there is no recurring charge.
• Access to subscription services ends at the end of the period. Continuing requires a new payment. If it is made before expiry, the new period is added to the end of the current one.
• Subscriptions bought in the past with automatic renewal are governed by the terms under which they were bought, until they expire or are cancelled.
• No refunds are provided for partially used subscription periods, unless otherwise specified by applicable law (e.g. 14-day withdrawal right for new users within the EU).

Receipts:

• Employers can request an invoice or receipt during the listing payment process.
• A valid Tax ID / VAT number is required for tax receipts.

8. Geographic Data and Notifications

• For the proximity alerts feature to work, the platform stores the worker's geographic location (latitude/longitude).
• Geographic data is used exclusively to connect workers with nearby job listings and is not disclosed to third parties.
• Notifications are sent by email, SMS, within the platform, or as push notifications in the merokam app (if the user uses it and has allowed them on their device), according to the preferences they have set.
• Proximity alerts are based on the last location the worker has saved, which they can update at any time.
• The user can modify or disable notifications at any time from the settings.

9. Personal Data Protection (GDPR)

The platform collects and processes personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR – EU Regulation 2016/679). The data is used exclusively for the operation of the platform and is not disclosed to third parties without your express consent.

Categories of data collected:

• Identification details (name, email, phone)
• Geographic data (worker location, regions of interest)
• Profile photo (optional, workers only)
• History of applications, collaborations and reviews
• Payment data (processed exclusively by Stripe)
• Subscription data (plan, dates, status)
• Notification preferences (distance, channels)
• Device identifier (token) for push notifications, when the app is used

You have the right to access, rectify, erase ("right to be forgotten"), restrict the processing of, and port your data. To exercise these rights, contact [email protected].

For details on data processing, please consult our Privacy Policy .

10. Security

The platform uses modern security technologies (HTTPS encryption, secure storage on EU servers, OTP authentication) to protect your data. Despite these security measures, absolute protection against cyberattacks cannot be guaranteed. The user must not share their credentials with third parties.

11. Limitation of Liability

The merokam platform is not liable for:

• The employer-worker, producer-merchant or farmer-agronomist relationship created through the platform.
• Any damage or loss arising from the use or inability to use the platform.
• The accuracy, completeness or legality of information provided by other users (listings, profiles, reviews).
• Actions by third parties that violate these terms (recruitment agencies, scammers, etc.).
• Service interruptions or delays due to technical problems or force majeure.
• Professional decisions based on information from the platform.

Important Clarification:
merokam is NOT an employment agency, broker, employer or agricultural product trading company. We are a technology platform that connects independent parties. We do not recruit workers from abroad and do not provide transport or intermediary services.

If you notice users violating the terms (recruitment agencies, scammers, etc.), please report it immediately to [email protected] or +30 211 333 7164.

12. Account Suspension and Ban

• merokam reserves the right to suspend or permanently ban any account that violates these terms, without any obligation of prior notice.
• In the event of a permanent ban, any active subscriptions are cancelled without a refund.
• The user can voluntarily deactivate their account from the settings.

13. Amendment of Terms of Use

These Terms of Use may be amended at any time. In the event of material changes, users will be notified by email or platform notifications at least 15 days before they take effect. Continued use of the platform after the new terms take effect constitutes acceptance of them.

14. Discontinuation of Services

merokam reserves the right to temporarily or permanently discontinue or suspend any service for reasons of maintenance, upgrade or business decision. In the event of the permanent discontinuation of a paid service, active subscribers will be notified in a timely manner.

15. Applicable Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms of Use are governed by Greek law and the law of the European Union. Any dispute arising from the use of the platform falls under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Greek courts.

16. Contact

For any question or issue regarding the Terms of Use, contact us:

• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: +30 211 333 7164