PayInsight Specification

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PayInsight

Smart Insights for Fair Compensation

Overview

PayInsight is an open-source, privacy-first employment platform designed to create a transparent, secure, and intelligent marketplace for employers and job seekers across the United States.

The platform provides comprehensive job discovery across industries and occupations while requiring employers to disclose compensation and time commitments before candidates apply. PayInsight combines transparent employment information with AI-assisted cost-of-living analysis, compensation guidance, skill assessment, career development, secure communication, and privacy-preserving hiring workflows.

PayInsight is designed as a modular platform. Core employment, privacy, search, compensation, assessment, communication, and AI capabilities form the foundation of the system. Optional plugin modules extend the platform with additional services, integrations, datasets, AI models, learning providers, analytics systems, and specialized employment functionality.

Design Principles

Open-source development and community participation
Privacy by design
End-to-end encryption for sensitive personal communications and information
Data minimization
Employer compensation transparency
Candidate control over personal information
Human oversight of consequential AI decisions
Explainable AI recommendations
Accessibility and inclusive design
Vendor independence
Interoperable data standards
Modular architecture
Self-hosting capability
No mandatory dependence on proprietary services
Transparent employment practices
Fair compensation awareness
Candidate and employer autonomy

Core Modules

Identity and Privacy Module

The Identity and Privacy Module manages secure accounts, identity protection, authentication, authorization, consent, and privacy controls.

Capabilities include:

Privacy-preserving account creation
Optional pseudonymous candidate profiles
Identity separation between public profiles and protected personal information
Granular consent controls
Selective disclosure of personal information
End-to-end encryption for sensitive information
Encryption at rest
Secure key management
Data minimization
Data export and deletion controls
Privacy preferences
Access auditing
Session management
Multi-factor authentication
Role-based permissions
Candidate-controlled identity disclosure

Employer Module

The Employer Module provides employers with tools for creating verified organizational profiles and publishing employment opportunities.

Employer profiles may include:

Organization name
Industry
Organization description
Location
Company size
Website
Verification status
Workplace policies
Benefits
Compensation practices
Employment types

The module shall support employer verification without requiring unnecessary disclosure of private information.

Job Posting Module

The Job Posting Module manages the creation, validation, publication, modification, expiration, and archival of employment opportunities.

Every published job must provide explicit information about:

Position title
Employer
Employment type
Location
Remote, hybrid, or on-site status
Salary or hourly compensation
Compensation range where applicable
Expected hours
Expected schedule
Time commitment
Overtime expectations where applicable
Contract duration where applicable
Required skills
Preferred skills
Required experience
Education requirements where applicable
Benefits
Paid time off
Bonuses
Equity or stock compensation where applicable
Travel requirements
Physical requirements where applicable
Application requirements

The system shall identify incomplete, ambiguous, contradictory, or potentially misleading job postings before publication.

Job Search and Discovery Module

The Job Search and Discovery Module enables users to search employment opportunities across industries, occupations, employers, locations, and employment types throughout the United States.

Search capabilities include:

Keyword search
Occupation search
Industry search
Skill search
Employer search
Location search
Salary filtering
Hourly compensation filtering
Cost-of-living adjusted compensation filtering
Employment type filtering
Remote work filtering
Hybrid work filtering
On-site work filtering
Schedule filtering
Benefits filtering
Experience filtering
Education filtering
Time commitment filtering
Contract duration filtering
Accessibility requirement filtering

Search results shall provide transparent information sufficient for candidates to evaluate an opportunity before applying.

Compensation Transparency Module

The Compensation Transparency Module standardizes and analyzes employer compensation information.

Capabilities include:

Salary comparison
Hourly wage comparison
Total compensation calculation
Benefits valuation
PTO valuation
Bonus analysis
Equity compensation representation
Overtime analysis
Effective hourly compensation calculation
Compensation range analysis
Market compensation comparison
Compensation history where available
Compensation trend analysis
Employer compensation transparency scoring

The module shall clearly distinguish employer-provided compensation from AI-generated estimates.

Cost of Living Module

The Cost of Living Module helps job seekers determine whether advertised compensation is likely to support the cost of living associated with a job location.

The module may evaluate:

Housing
Utilities
Food
Transportation
Healthcare
Taxes
Insurance
Childcare
Other essential expenses
Regional price differences
Local wage conditions

The system shall present assumptions, source data, calculation methodology, and uncertainty where applicable.

Users may specify personal budgeting assumptions without exposing those details to employers.

AI Compensation Advisor Module

The AI Compensation Advisor assists candidates in evaluating compensation and preparing for negotiations.

Capabilities include:

Compensation adequacy analysis
Cost-of-living adjusted compensation analysis
Market compensation comparisons
Salary negotiation preparation
Hourly rate negotiation
Counter-offer suggestions
Negotiation scripts
Total compensation comparisons
Benefits valuation
Opportunity cost analysis
Compensation scenario modeling

AI recommendations shall be presented as guidance rather than guaranteed financial outcomes.

Skill Assessment Module

The Skill Assessment Module evaluates whether a candidate’s demonstrated abilities align with the requirements of a position.

Capabilities include:

Job-specific assessments
Skill testing
Knowledge testing
Practical exercises
Scenario-based testing
Adaptive assessments
Candidate self-assessment
AI-generated assessment questions
Skill gap identification
Assessment scoring
Assessment explanations
Candidate preparation recommendations
Employer-defined assessment criteria

Assessments should measure relevant skills rather than unnecessary personal characteristics.

Candidates shall be able to review their own assessment results and identify areas for improvement.

AI Job Matching Module

The AI Job Matching Module recommends employment opportunities based on candidate-defined preferences and relevant qualifications.

Matching factors may include:

Skills
Experience
Education
Compensation requirements
Cost-of-living requirements
Location
Remote preferences
Schedule preferences
Employment type
Career objectives
Required qualifications
Demonstrated assessment results

Matching systems shall provide understandable explanations for recommendations and shall not make irreversible employment decisions without appropriate human oversight.

Career Development Module

The Career Development Module helps users plan and improve their careers.

Capabilities include:

Career path exploration
Skill gap analysis
Personalized development plans
Learning recommendations
Career trajectory modeling
Salary trajectory analysis
Industry demand analysis
Occupation demand analysis
Transferable skill identification
Resume improvement guidance
Interview preparation
Professional development tracking

Candidate Profile Module

The Candidate Profile Module allows users to maintain a private professional profile while controlling what employers can see.

Profiles may include:

Skills
Experience
Education
Certifications
Portfolio information
Work preferences
Compensation expectations
Availability
Career objectives
Assessment results
Verified credentials

Sensitive identity information shall remain separated from publicly searchable professional information unless the candidate explicitly chooses to disclose it.

Application Module

The Application Module manages the candidate application lifecycle.

Capabilities include:

Saved jobs
Applications
Application status
Candidate-controlled disclosures
Employer requests for additional information
Application history
Application documents
Application notifications
Withdrawal controls
Interview invitations
Offer management

Candidates shall retain control over whether and when protected personal information is disclosed.

Employer Hiring Module

The Employer Hiring Module provides tools for managing candidate pipelines.

Capabilities include:

Applicant management
Candidate search
Skill matching
Assessment review
Interview management
Candidate communications
Application stages
Hiring workflows
Interview scheduling
Offer management
Hiring analytics

Candidate privacy controls shall remain enforced throughout the hiring process.

Secure Messaging Module

The Secure Messaging Module provides encrypted communication between candidates and employers.

Capabilities include:

End-to-end encrypted messages
Candidate-controlled communication
Attachments
Interview invitations
Application notifications
Message history
Message deletion
Delivery status
Security notifications

Video Interview Module

The Video Interview Module provides an open-source alternative to proprietary video meeting services for employment interviews.

Capabilities include:

One-on-one video interviews
WebRTC-based communication
Encrypted communications
Audio and video controls
Screen sharing
Text chat
Interview scheduling
Waiting rooms
Session controls
Optional recording
Recording consent controls
Accessibility features

The module shall be designed to integrate with open-source conferencing infrastructure and shall not require a proprietary video conferencing provider.

Interview Scheduling Module

The Interview Scheduling Module coordinates interviews between candidates and employers.

Capabilities include:

Availability management
Time zone handling
Interview invitations
Calendar integration
Automatic reminders
Rescheduling
Cancellation
Interview duration
Interview type
Secure interview links

Employer Reputation Module

The Employer Reputation Module provides transparent information about employer practices.

Capabilities may include:

Candidate feedback
Employee feedback
Anonymous reviews
Compensation transparency indicators
Posting completeness indicators
Hiring process feedback
Workplace practice indicators
Employer verification
Reputation history

The system shall include safeguards against fraudulent reviews, retaliation, harassment, manipulation, and coordinated abuse.

Market Intelligence Module

The Market Intelligence Module provides aggregated employment information.

Capabilities include:

Salary trends
Hourly wage trends
Occupation demand
Industry demand
Geographic employment trends
Skill demand
Compensation trends
Cost-of-living comparisons
Remote work trends
Career opportunity analysis

Personal information shall not be exposed through aggregate analytics.

Community Module

The Community Module supports optional professional interaction among users.

Capabilities may include:

Mentorship
Career discussions
Professional communities
Skill discussions
Industry discussions
Career advice
Knowledge sharing
Moderation
Reporting
Privacy controls

Notification Module

The Notification Module manages user alerts and communication preferences.

Notifications may include:

New matching jobs
Application updates
Interview invitations
Interview reminders
Employer messages
Assessment requests
Compensation changes
Saved search alerts
Career recommendations

Users shall control notification frequency and delivery methods.

Accessibility Module

The Accessibility Module ensures that the platform can be used by people with diverse abilities.

Capabilities include:

Keyboard navigation
Screen reader support
High contrast support
Adjustable text
Captions
Transcripts
Accessible forms
Accessible assessments
Accessible video interviews
Reduced motion options
Alternative interaction methods

Trust and Safety Module

The Trust and Safety Module protects users and the employment marketplace.

Capabilities include:

Employer verification
Fraud detection
Scam detection
Suspicious posting detection
Abuse reporting
Account security
Automated moderation
Human review
Rate limiting
Anti-spam protections
Audit logging
Security alerts

Analytics Module

The Analytics Module provides privacy-preserving operational and employment analytics.

Capabilities include:

Job posting analytics
Application analytics
Hiring funnel analytics
Search analytics
Compensation analytics
Platform performance analytics
Candidate engagement analytics
Employer engagement analytics

Analytics shall use data minimization and aggregation techniques where appropriate.

Optional Plugin Modules

Learning Provider Plugin

Connects PayInsight to external or self-hosted education and training providers.

Capabilities may include:

Course discovery
Skill-to-course matching
Learning recommendations
Credential import
Progress synchronization

Credential Verification Plugin

Provides verification of certifications, licenses, education, training, and professional credentials.

Labor Market Data Plugin

Imports external labor market datasets for compensation, occupation demand, employment trends, and geographic analysis.

Cost of Living Data Plugin

Connects additional regional cost-of-living datasets to improve compensation analysis.

Calendar Integration Plugin

Connects external calendar providers for interview scheduling and availability management.

Open Video Provider Plugin

Allows administrators to connect alternative open-source WebRTC or conferencing infrastructure.

AI Model Plugin

Allows administrators to select, host, replace, or combine AI models for matching, assessment, analysis, and career assistance.

Local AI Plugin

Provides support for locally hosted AI models to reduce dependence on external AI providers and improve data privacy.

Resume and Portfolio Plugin

Provides tools for importing, creating, analyzing, and managing resumes and professional portfolios.

Skills Taxonomy Plugin

Provides configurable occupation, skill, competency, and industry taxonomies.

Employer Verification Plugin

Connects external verification services or self-hosted verification systems for confirming employer identity.

Background Verification Plugin

Provides optional integrations for legally compliant background verification services while maintaining candidate consent and privacy controls.

Payroll and Compensation Plugin

Provides optional integration with payroll or compensation systems for organizations that choose to use them.

Tax Estimation Plugin

Provides optional tax estimation capabilities for comparing gross and estimated net compensation across locations.

Benefits Comparison Plugin

Standardizes and compares employer benefits packages.

Commute Analysis Plugin

Analyzes commuting distance, time, transportation costs, and related expenses for on-site and hybrid positions.

Housing Analysis Plugin

Provides optional housing market data for more detailed cost-of-living analysis.

Mentorship Plugin

Connects candidates with volunteer, professional, or employer-sponsored mentors.

Community Moderation Plugin

Provides additional moderation models, rules, reporting workflows, and community safety tools.

Localization Plugin

Provides support for additional countries, currencies, languages, employment systems, and labor regulations while preserving the core architecture.

Mobile Application Plugin

Provides native or cross-platform mobile clients.

Data Export Plugin

Provides structured exports using interoperable formats for candidates, employers, administrators, and authorized third parties.

Federation Plugin

Allows independently operated PayInsight instances to exchange compatible public employment information without requiring a centralized platform.

AI Governance

AI systems within PayInsight shall operate as assistive systems rather than unquestionable decision makers.

The platform shall support:

Explainable recommendations
Human review
Model transparency
Model version tracking
Assessment transparency
Bias monitoring
Performance monitoring
Error reporting
User correction
User appeal
Data provenance
AI-generated content labeling
Configurable AI providers
Local model support

AI shall not be permitted to make consequential employment decisions solely on the basis of protected characteristics or inferred sensitive information.

Data Governance

PayInsight shall establish clear distinctions between:

Public job information
Employer information
Candidate professional information
Protected identity information
Private communications
Assessment information
Analytics data
AI-generated information
External data sources

Users shall have meaningful control over their information.

The platform shall support:

Data minimization
Purpose limitation
Consent management
Data portability
Data deletion
Access controls
Encryption
Auditability
Retention policies
Source attribution
Data provenance

Security Requirements

Security shall be treated as a core platform capability.

The platform should support:

End-to-end encryption where technically applicable
Encryption at rest
Encryption in transit
Secure authentication
Multi-factor authentication
Secure session management
Key management
Access control
Audit logging
Security monitoring
Dependency auditing
Vulnerability management
Secure software development practices
Regular security review

Security-sensitive features shall be designed to minimize the amount of information accessible to platform operators.

Employer Transparency Requirements

A job posting shall not be considered complete until the required compensation and time commitment information has been supplied.

The platform shall distinguish between:

Guaranteed compensation
Conditional compensation
Estimated compensation
Bonuses
Commission
Equity
Benefits
Reimbursements
Overtime
Unpaid time expectations
Required availability

Employers shall not be permitted to disguise required labor as optional availability or omit material compensation information.

Candidate Empowerment

PayInsight shall give candidates tools to evaluate an opportunity before committing personal information.

Candidates should be able to answer questions such as:

What does this job actually pay?
How many hours am I expected to work?
What is the effective hourly compensation?
What will this compensation support in the job’s location?
How does this offer compare with similar jobs?
What skills do I have?
What skills am I missing?
What should I negotiate?
What benefits are actually valuable?
What career opportunities could this position create?

Employer Empowerment

PayInsight shall also help employers create better and more transparent hiring processes.

Employer tools should help answer:

Is the compensation competitive?
Are the job requirements clear?
Are the expected hours accurately represented?
Which skills are actually necessary?
Where is the candidate pool located?
Which candidates demonstrate the required skills?
Where are candidates falling out of the hiring process?
How can the hiring process become more efficient and equitable?

Interoperability

The platform shall favor open standards and interoperable interfaces.

Where practical, PayInsight should provide:

Documented APIs
Structured data formats
Import and export capabilities
Plugin interfaces
Authentication interfaces
AI provider interfaces
Search interfaces
Assessment interfaces
Video conferencing interfaces
Calendar interfaces
Data federation interfaces

No core feature should require permanent dependence on a single vendor.

Deployment

PayInsight shall support self-hosted deployments and may support hosted deployments.

Deployment configurations should allow organizations to select:

Database providers
Search providers
AI providers
Video infrastructure
Storage providers
Authentication systems
Cost-of-living datasets
Labor market datasets
Monitoring systems

Testing and Quality

The platform shall include testing for:

Core functionality
Security
Privacy
Encryption
Search
Compensation calculations
Cost-of-living calculations
AI recommendations
Skill assessments
Accessibility
API compatibility
Plugin compatibility
Data migration
Performance
Failure recovery

AI systems shall be evaluated for accuracy, consistency, bias, and inappropriate recommendations before production deployment.

Open-Source Extensibility

PayInsight is designed to support community-developed extensions without requiring changes to the core platform.

Plugins may provide:

New AI models
New datasets
New assessment systems
New employment taxonomies
New integrations
New analytics
New communication systems
New learning providers
New credential systems
New geographic markets
New accessibility capabilities

Core functionality shall remain usable without optional proprietary plugins.

Future Expansion

The initial implementation is focused on employment within the United States. The architecture shall support future expansion into additional regions without requiring a redesign of the core platform.

Future localization may address:

Languages
Currencies
Labor regulations
Employment classifications
Tax systems
Benefits systems
Compensation conventions
Regional cost-of-living data
Regional occupation taxonomies

Specification Branding License (SBL)

Standard

Fully AGPL-3.0+ compliant system
Copyleft enforced for network deployments
Required attribution:
- Roxanne Ardary
- roxanneardary.com

Optional

Specification Branding License (SBL)
- Attribution-free commercial deployment
- Pricing based on scale, usage, and deployment scope
- https://roxanneardary.com/payinsight/

License & Notice Requirements

PayInsight is released under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0 or later (AGPL-3.0+).
By contributing to this project, you agree that your contributions will also be released under this license.

Please note the following:

All contributions must comply with the AGPL-3.0+ terms.
Under Section 7 of the license, all redistributions, forks, and derivative works must preserve attribution to:
Roxanne Ardary and roxanneardary.com.
PayInsight specifications are free to use with attribution. A Specification Branding License can be negotiated upon request.
The project’s notice.md file tracks attribution requirements and contributor acknowledgments.
Any update that adds new contributors or modifies attribution should also update notice.md.
When submitting a pull request, ensure that any new files maintain the attribution headers where applicable.
Network-deployed versions of this software must also remain fully AGPL-3.0+ compliant, including exposure of source code modifications when applicable under the license.

For full legal details, please refer to the AGPL-3.0+ license and the project’s notice.md file.

Notice – PayInsight

Attribution Requirement: Under Section 7 of the AGPL 3.0+ license, all redistributions, forks, and derivative works, including network-deployed versions of this project, must provide attribution to Roxanne Ardary and roxanneardary.com.

Contributors

This file tracks contributors and their specific contributions to the project.

Roxanne Ardary, roxanneardary.com – March 9, 2026
Created the repository for PayInsight. Developed the core platform vision, architecture, privacy-first design, AI integration, and open-source licensing.
[Add other contributors here] – [Date]
[Describe contribution in one sentence]

License – PayInsight

This repository is licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0 or later (AGPL-3.0+).

Key Points

You are free to use, modify, and distribute the code.
All redistributions, forks, and derivative works or network-deployed versions must also be licensed under AGPL-3.0+ and provide attribution to Roxanne Ardary and roxanneardary.com as required under Section 7 of the license.
The software is provided “as is,” without warranty of any kind.

For the full license text, see GNU AGPL-3.0 License.