Event workers report pay issues following Savannah Bananas game in Knoxville

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) — Some event workers said they are experiencing pay issues after working the Savannah Bananas game in Knoxville over Memorial Day weekend.

Workers said they found the jobs through Instawork, an app where people can pick up shifts in event staffing and hospitality. Several workers reported problems with clocking in and out through the app, with some saying their hours were not recorded correctly.

Pamela Justice, who traveled from Pigeon Forge to work Saturday’s game, said she worked more than 10 hours but the app initially showed only two hours of paid time.

“It was an exciting experience, and I was grateful to be part of it, but now to be unpaid for all that work adds a lot of stress to what I’m already dealing with,” Justice said. “A lot of people took these shifts to catch up on bills, and we just want to make sure we’re paid for the hours we worked.”

Technical issues affected clock-in system

Justice said she was told at the start of her shift that she would not be able to clock out through the app and that someone would check her out at the end of the day. At the end of the night, she said she asked multiple people who she should check out with before finding someone who said she was taking names and would make sure workers were clocked out.

After the game, Justice said message boards and reviews inside the app filled up with other workers reporting similar problems with their hours.

Instawork confirmed it is looking into the issues in Knoxville and said it has been working to get pay problems resolved. A spokesperson for the company said a technical issue affected some workers at the Banana Ball event.

Instawork is committed to helping Pros receive accurate and timely pay for every hour worked. Over the weekend, some individuals working at a Banana Ball event experienced a technical issue with clocking in and out of their shifts. We identified and resolved the issue, and affected Pros will receive full compensation for their work.

We apologize for any confusion or inconvenience. Any Pro with questions may contact Instawork Support through the in-app Help function.

Instawork spokesperson

Manual corrections submitted after holiday delay

The Savannah Bananas said they use a third-party staffing company for their tour events and became aware of a clock-in and clock-out malfunction that affected some workers’ recorded shift times during the event.

The team said it submitted a manual report with corrected shift information so accurate hours could be processed. That manual adjustment process was delayed by the Memorial Day holiday. Automatic payments processed early Tuesday morning based on the hours initially reflected in the system before all manual corrections had been applied.

“We absolutely understand the frustration felt by anyone who worked long hours and did not initially receive accurate payment information,” the Savannah Bananas said in a statement. “The local workers who support these events are incredibly important to making the experience possible, and we appreciate the effort they put into the Knoxville show.”

The team said impacted workers should receive remaining owed compensation within 24 to 48 hours.

Thanks for reaching out and allowing us the opportunity to provide some additional clarity here! 

We do partner with a third-party for staffing our tour events. In our time working with them, we’ve enjoyed our partnership with Instawork and appreciate their attentiveness to our events. 

On Saturday, we became aware of a clock-in/clock-out malfunction that impacted some workers’ recorded shift times during the event. Because of that issue, our team submitted a manual report on Sunday with corrected shift information so accurate hours could be processed.

That manual adjustment process was then delayed by the Memorial Day holiday on Monday. Automatic payments still processed early Tuesday morning based on the hours initially reflected in the system before all of the manual corrections had been applied. As a result, some workers may have received partial payment while still being owed compensation tied to the corrected shift times.

Our understanding is that Instawork has already begun processing those manual corrections, and impacted workers should receive the remaining owed compensation within the next 24–48 hours.

We absolutely understand the frustration felt by anyone who worked long hours and did not initially receive accurate payment information. The local workers who support these events are incredibly important to making the experience possible, and we appreciate the effort they put into the Knoxville show. We also know delay in the payment timeline probably doesn’t feel reflective of that appreciation. 

While payment processing is managed directly through Instawork, we’re confident they are working toward a timely and accurate resolution for those impacted. Based on our communication with them, they’ve been actively reviewing individual cases, correcting time records where needed, and processing supplemental payments.

The typical payment rollout for those who work weekend games with us should match with them being paid by the following week’s end.

The Savannah Bananas

Workers watching accounts closely

While being interviewed, Justice pulled up the app and saw her hours had changed from two hours to 12 hours and 57 minutes. She said she is relieved her hours are now showing up but is waiting to see the money hit her account.

Other event workers said they are still watching their pay stubs closely after the Bananas’ visit to Knoxville.

Instawork confirmed it partners with the Savannah Bananas in cities across the country. The company said any worker with questions may contact Instawork Support through the in-app Help function.