Earned Wage Access Software
On-demand pay for the hourly workforce
Boost your benefits package and grow retention with Earned Wage Access.
- Attract top talent
- Increase shift fill
- Improve retention
Empower your employees and reduce turnover
Fuego is the on-demand payment app that offers employees flexibility and choice in how they receive their wages. With Fuego’s earned wage access solution, employees can draw up to 50% of their earned pay after completing a shift at no cost to the employers. Fuego provides the money at the time of withdrawal and the money is deducted from net pay like other post-tax calculations.
Fuego is designed to help workers meet their financial goals and develop a more optimistic, engaged, and productive workforce.
“Fuego was one of the quickest rollouts we’ve had because it’s such a low lift, which has been incredibly easy…
“We had confidence that Fourth knew our business and could pull over the right information, the right wages, the right jobs, the right employee numbers… it became almost a no-brainer.”
— Todd Kaufman, VP of Information Technology, SSP America
No lift for payroll
Fuego’s earned wage access is an easy implementation and comes at no cost to an employer. It only adds one simple step to your payroll process.
When an employee requests to draw wages, Fuego provides the funds upfront and automatically generates the deduction file at the end of your payroll period. Reimbursement occurs during the payroll cycle, with no interest charged to the employee.
Attract top talent
The market for high-quality candidates is tough. Stand out from the competition with a better benefits package by offering EWA. 95% of employees prefer an employer that offers EWA1, and 79% of workers would be willing to switch employers for on-demand pay.2
Reduce scheduling strain
On-demand pay supports your schedule by increasing shift pickups and reducing missed shifts. 74% of workers reported fewer unplanned absences due to on-demand pay.3
Combined with Fuego’s integration with HotSchedules, employees gain visibility into the earning potential of every shift, incentivizing them to pick up more shifts.
Lock in your dream team
Employers that offer on-demand pay experienced a 40% drop in turnover. The financial flexibility and access to personal financial management tools from the Fuego app decreases an employee’s financial stress. Employees using Fuego are 50% more likely to stay after two months compared to those without it. These benefits contribute to a more productive, and loyal team, which benefits your business.
Earned wage access vs. payday loans
Earned wage access is not a loan. Payday loan providers are taking advantage of employer’s confusion about earned wage access. Read how to spot the difference and protect your team.
Explore Fourth’s Workforce Management Software Capabilities
More than earned wage access.Discover the full power of Fuego
Fuego can help workers meet their financial goals and develops solutions to help employers create a more optimistic, more engaged, and more productive workforce.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Earned Wage Access (EWA)?
Earned Wage Access (EWA) is a financial benefit that lets hourly employees draw a portion of wages they’ve already earned before their regular payday — at no cost to the employer and with no interest charged to the employee. With Fuego, employees can draw up to 50% of their earned wages after completing a shift. The draw amount is deducted from their net pay on the next regular payday, like any other post-tax calculation.
What’s the difference between earned wage access and on-demand pay?
Earned wage access is a component of on-demand pay.
On-demand pay is a financial service that lets employees access a portion of their earned wages prior to the regular payday. Earned wage access specifically caters to hourly workers, such as hosts, cooks, dishwashers, bussers, or baristas within the restaurant industry.
On-demand pay and earned wage access are often used interchangeably. Fourth differentiates because we also offer a tip-payout solution, which provides on-demand pay for tipped workers.
Is earned wage access a loan?
No, earned wage access is not a loan. There is no obligation for repayment and there is no interest rate for the employees to get a portion of their wages early. Because they are the employees’ funds, they are just getting access to their pay before traditional payday. The amount of the draw is deducted from the employee’s net pay on payday.
Who provides these funds?
At the time of the draw, Fuego provides the funds to the employee. Fuego is reimbursed at the time of the payroll cycle as a deduction from the employee’s net pay.
Will earned wage access make my payroll processing more complicated?
No, Fuego provides the funds at the time of the draw and supplies the deduction file for payroll. The only additional step is for the employer to share the deduction file with their payroll provider. It’s a straightforward process that typically takes less than a minute.
I pay my employees on a weekly basis, why do I need to provide EWA?
Running weekly payroll is expensive and tedious. With EWA, you gain freedom to move to a biweekly or even monthly pay cycle* to reduce costs, save time, and still retain employees with more access to their pay.
Plus, EWA helps alleviate financial stress as an interest free alternative for employees facing financial challenges or emergencies. So, your team doesn’t have to resort to predatory pay-day loans or high-interest credit cards.
*New York state regulation requires weekly payroll.
Will this encourage irresponsible financial behavior?
No, providing earned wage access typically does not encourage bad financial behavior. On average, only 30% of users draw wages before payday, often to cover unexpected expenses or emergencies. Additionally, there are safeguards in place to prevent excessive withdrawals: employees can only draw up to 50% of their earned wages, and employers have the flexibility to customize this limit for their team, ranging from 10% to 50%.
How do I bring Earned Wage Access to my business?
Fuego implementation is easy. Four Steps. Two 30-minute calls. We’ll handle the rest. In two weeks, on average your team gains the benefit of on-demand pay.
How much can an employee draw through EWA?
Employees can draw up to 50% of their earned wages after completing a shift. Employers have the flexibility to customize this limit anywhere between 10% and 50% based on their preferences and workforce needs.
How is EWA different from a payday loan?
Payday loans charge high interest rates — often 300–400% APR — and create a debt cycle that can worsen financial stress. EWA carries no interest, creates no debt, and only allows access to wages already earned. The key differentiators: EWA involves the employee’s own wages, has no interest, and involves no repayment obligation.
What does EWA cost the employer?
No implementation fee and no cost to the employer for offering the benefit. Fourth provides the funds at the point of each employee draw and is reimbursed through the payroll deduction cycle. The employer’s only involvement is sharing the deduction file with their payroll provider at the end of each pay period — a process that typically takes less than a minute.
Does offering EWA affect the employer’s cash flow?
No. Fourth provides the funds directly to employees at the time of each draw — the employer isn’t fronting cash for EWA transactions. Reimbursement occurs automatically during the payroll cycle as a deduction from the employee’s net pay, making EWA cash-flow neutral for the employer.
