Your Payroll Knows Something Your Credit Score Doesn't with Nico Simko

Most conversations about on-demand pay stop in the same place. Employees want their money sooner, employers want to hold onto cash for longer, and an app sits somewhere in the middle. But a product that only moves payday forward will never fix the real problem, and a system that judges people on credit scores alone will keep shutting out those with stable jobs. Behind every early pay request lies a much bigger question about what payroll data could make possible.

In this episode of @thepayrollpodcast, Nick Day, CEO of JGA Recruitment, sits down with Nico Simko, Co-Founder and CEO of Clair, to explore how on-demand pay really works, what it takes to deliver it responsibly, and why payroll could be the key to fairer, cheaper credit for working people.

This is not just a conversation about early wage access. It is a look at what payroll is becoming, a source of trusted data, a home for financial services, and the place where credit finally connects to the workplace. Nick and Nico unpack why some US states treat on-demand pay as lending, why Clair chose to get licensed in every state, and why countries like Brazil already repay around 30% of credit through payroll.

They also cover how Clair reached 330,000 businesses in about two years by embedding inside payroll systems, why access is free by default with one flat fee for instant pay, and why it is capped at 35% of net pay to avoid debt traps.

It is not just about getting paid sooner.

It is about using payroll to open the door to fairer credit.

And if you still think on-demand pay is just a nice-to-have employee perk, this episode will change your mind.

Whether you are a payroll leader weighing up an on-demand pay provider, a payroll vendor deciding how to build it into your platform, or someone curious about where payroll and financial services are heading, this episode will show you exactly what to look for.

This episode is sponsored by Deel. This episode is additionally sponsored by Clair.

Managing a global team is complex, Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance all in one place. That's why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage their teams worldwide.

See how Deel works at https://www.deel.com/nickday

Guest and Host:

Connect with Nico Simko: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nsimko/

Explore Clair: https://getclair.com/

Connect with Nick Day: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/

Find your ideal payroll candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/919cf6b9ea

Sign up to the Payroll Podcast Newsletter: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/23e7b153e7

Stay tuned for the next episode of The Payroll Podcast, brought to you by Nick Day, CEO at JGA Recruitment, landing soon!

Enjoyed this? Check out our sister podcast @thehrldpodcast for more great content!

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction: When Payday Doesn't Match the Bills

(03:03) Nico's Story: Employed but Refused Credit

(06:08) Is On-Demand Pay a Form of Credit?

(12:03) Why Payroll Is the Future of Financial Services

(14:34) What Makes Clair Different

(17:16) From Zero to 330,000 Businesses in Two Years

(20:32) Building Credit and Transparent Pricing

(22:05) How Payroll Data Can Help Employees

(27:55) The 35% Cap: Avoiding Debt Traps

(30:16) The Employer Experience and Why Clair Embeds

(39:13) Advice for Payroll Leaders

(47:10) The Payroll Vault and Closing Thoughts