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General Clear Questions:
Applying for the Clear card:
Use & Billing:
What is Clear?
Clear is an innovative benefits
enhancement that lets you deduct purchases directly from your
paycheck using the Clear MasterCard®
at no interest. The card can be used anywhere MasterCard is
accepted, and payments are deducted from your paycheck over
two to six months.
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Why should I use Clear?
There are lots of reasons, really. Clear
allows you to make interest-free purchases 365 days a year.
So, depending on how much you spend, you could save hundreds
or even thousands of dollars in interest charges over a year's
time. It can really be a great budgeting tool for you and
your family. There are also no checks to write and no bills
to pay, like there are with regular credit cards. Plus, perhaps
the best reason of all: you can use your Clear
MasterCard at over 33 million locations worldwide!
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Are there any other benefits
associated with the Clear card?
Yes - our Budgeting Plan offers special discounts for Clear
Cardmembers. You can take advantage of exclusive travel packages,
discounts on a new PC, savings at retail and online stores.
Participating merchants include Crutchfield, IBM Direct, Carnival
Cruise Lines, Vacation Express and others.
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What kinds of things can
I buy with my Clear MasterCard?
That's entirely up to you. You can use it for everyday purchases
for which you'd rather not pay interest, like groceries or
gas. Or, you might want to use it for bigger-ticket items
like a new TV or camera. Another idea is to use your Clear
card to pay for things you'd like to have automatically deducted
from your paycheck each month — like your health club
membership, cable, pager or cell phone bills, or even your
home and auto insurance premiums. Remember, any retail location
or business that accepts MasterCard will accept your Clear
card — even on the Web.
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Who is eligible for Clear?
If you are employed by a participating Employer for a minimum
of six consecutive months, are at least 18 years of age, 19 years if you reside in AL or NE,
are eligible for your employers benefit programs, are employed in the United States
and have an annual base salary that meets the requirements for the minimum credit
line established for this program, then you
are eligible for Clear.
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What is my credit limit?
Your Clear Card credit line
will be up to 4% of your qualifying annual salary.
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Do commissions / tips count
as income?
The Clear program calculates
your credit line using your qualifying annual salary. Commissions
and tips are not included in qualified annual salary.
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Is there an annual fee?
There is a small annual fee of up to $48.00
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When will the annual fee
be deducted from my check?
The annual fee will be deducted over the first two months
following card activation.
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How can Clear
offer 0% interest?
Clear can offer qualified employees
0% interest purchasing because our program is funded from
Merchant fees. When you make a purchase the Merchant pays
a small percentage of every transaction to Clear.
In addition the annual fee is applied to the cost of servicing
the account.
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Can I earn bonus points
with this card?
No, bonus points are not available at this present time. The
added bonus of the Clear card
is the money saved by making 0% interest purchases, for up
to six months, 365 days a year. In addition, our Preferred
Merchant Program will offer Clear
Cardholders special pricing and extended payment terms.
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Is there a minimum purchase
amount (per individual purchase) required in order to use
my Card?
There is not a minimum purchase amount associated with the
Clear Program.
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Are my charges on this card
reported to the consumer reporting agencies?
As with any credit card the Clear
MasterCard activity is reported to the consumer reporting agencies.
As long as you are employed and your payments are automatically processed
through payroll deduction, your credit report will show your
Clear Program payments as current and up to date.
When/if your employment ends, payments for any remaining balance will be
your responsibility.
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How do I enroll
in Clear?
Complete and return the enrollment form provided by your Employer,
or, enroll via the E-Duction online application at www.E-Duction.com.
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How soon will I
find out if I qualify?
If submitted electronically, we receive your credit card application
moments after you submit it and begin processing it immediately.
You may check the status of your application by calling our
service center at 1-866-863-9564 at any time. Typically, a
notification will be sent to you via U.S. Postal Service Standard
mail within 10-15 business days from submitting a complete application online.
If your Application was submitted via U.S Postal Service Standard
Mail, we start processing it as soon as we receive it and
a decision will be sent to you within 30 days from submitting
a complete application.
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How do I apply online?
You can access our credit card application from any screen
of our web site, www.E-Duction.com.
Clear requires that you have
a 128-bit Secure Socket Layer (SSL) browser to apply online.
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 (or newer versions) and Netscape
5.0 (or newer versions) support SSL connections. Please visit
our “Understanding Clear
Security” page to learn more about Clear’s
online security requirements.
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How long does it
take to get my Clear MasterCard?
You should receive your card within 4 weeks after your application
has been approved.
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Why do you need
my social security number and or other personal employment
information?
Clear, like many other Employee
Benefits, uses your social security number as well as other
employment information to verify your identity and simplify
the enrollment process.
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Why is my street address required to open a Clear card account?
Federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain and verify certain information for every new customer who wants to open an account as of October 1, 2003.
One piece of information that is required is a street address. If you do not have a street address, your business address or an address for your next of kin is acceptable. Without this information, we cannot open your Clear Card account.
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How safe is it to
use my Clear card? Clear
uses SSL encryption, the same security measures used by most
credit card and credit processing companies to ensure your
credit and personal information remain safe.
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I work outside
of the United States. Can I still apply for a Clear Card?
At present, our Clear Cards
are available only to applicants who reside in the United
States.
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I am not an Employee
of any companies providing the Clear Benefit and/or do not
qualify for a Clear product through my Employer. Can I apply
anyway?
At present, the Clear Card is
only available as a voluntary benefit through our partner
Employers.
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Will I get the card
in the mail or from my HR manager?
The Clear card will be delivered
to your billing address.
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If I have questions,
whom do I call?
All questions regarding your Clear
card should be directed to our Customer Service Department
at (866) 863-9564.
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What is my credit
limit?
Your Clear Card credit line
will be up to 4% of your qualifying annual salary.
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Why can't I have
a larger credit limit?
The Clear MasterCard is an employee
benefit designed to increase your purchasing power through
0% interest. For your protection, Clear
sets the available credit line at up to 4% of the annual qualifying
income. By doing this Clear
minimizes the risk of an employee overextending himself or
herself while providing a tangible everyday benefit.
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Do commissions /
tips count as income?
The Clear program calculates
your credit line using your qualifying annual salary. Commissions
and tips are not included in qualified annual salary.
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If I receive a raise,
will my credit limit increase automatically?
Credit limits are automatically adjusted in $50 increments
as your salary changes. (example: a $2000 increase in pay
will result in a $50 increase in your credit limit.)
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Can I have two cards
under my name, one for me and one for my spouse?
Employers offer Clear to Employees
as a voluntary benefit. The Clear
card is issued only to the qualified Employee. Co-Applicants
are not permitted with the Clear
program.
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Can I use this card
in an ATM?
Yes, you can use your Clear
Card at any of our 1,000,000 MasterCard®, Maestro® or
Cirrus® ATM locations worldwide to obtain a cash advance.
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Is there any fee
applied if I use my card at an ATM machine?
The fee for a Cash Advance is the greater of 5% of the transaction
or $10.
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How much cash availability
do I have?
Cash advance limits are set at 50% of the credit line, up
to $1000. Cash availability is determined by the available
credit up to the previously described parameters. Cash advance
fees are the greater of 5% of the advance or $10.
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How do I select
a PIN?
You can request a PIN by calling our Customer Service Department
at 866-863-9564. You PIN will then be sent to you in the mail.
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How can I check
my current Clear Card balance?
You may check your account anywhere in world with standard
Internet access at www.E-Duction.com.
Your account information is updated within 24 hours of each
transaction, and is private and secure. You may also call
Clear Customer Service at 866-863-9564
for your account information.
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How often will I
receive a statement for Clear with details of my purchases
and payroll deductions?
Clear sends each Cardmember
a detailed monthly statement which contains, but is not limited
to, balances on the account, available credit, any payroll
deducted payments, payments, merchant credits, purchases made,
and fees assessed. Online statements are available 24/7/365
at www.E-Duction.com.
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Why is my Clear
statement balance different from my current on-line account
balance?
Your Clear statement is sent
monthly and reflects activity posted prior to the statement
issue date. The online account statement is updated daily
and will reflect transactions posted prior to and after the
statement issue date.
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What should I do
with the statement when I get it?
Your statement will reflect purchases, returns, adjustments
and payments associated with the current billing cycle as
well as current special promotions. It is for your records
and review.
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Will my employer
see how or where I spend my money?
No! The only thing your employer will know is the amount that
is to be deducted from your paycheck, for that pay period.
We do not share your purchasing information with your employer.
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How does my company
know how much money to deduct from my pay?
Clear will send your Employer’s
payroll department a secure payroll deduction file prior to
each payroll. The information does not include specifics describing
your transactions. It will include only the dollar amount
and the date of the transactions.
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Will someone tell
me in advance how much will be deducted from my paycheck?
You will have access to your online statement 24/7/365 @ www.E-Duction.com.
You can also call the Clear
Customer Service Department @ 866-863-9564.
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What happens when
I return items?
When items are returned there is a credit posted to your account
to be applied to future deductions. If you don’t have
a balance, call Customer Service to request that a check be
sent to you. A check will be automatically sent to you after
three months of inactivity.
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What if I have a
dispute regarding a transaction, is it still going to be deducted
from my pay?
The scheduled payroll deductions regarding the amount in dispute
will be suspended until the dispute is resolved. Depending on the
timing of the dispute, the suspension of payroll deductions may not
be effective until your next pay period. The amount in dispute will
be deducted from available credit until the dispute is resolved.
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What guarantees
do you offer if items are purchased fraudulently with my Clear
Card?
Your Clear Card functions just
like any other MasterCard regarding your billing rights. Your
maximum liability on fraudulent transactions is $50. Deductions/payments
will be suspended while the dispute is under review. If you
need to dispute a transaction, please notify our Customer
Service Department immediately via the following options:
- Call Clear Customer Service
at 866-863-9564, toll-free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
365 days a year.
- Write to us at:
Customer Service Dept.
CLEAR
PO Box 9201
Old Bethpage, NY 11804
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What will happen
if my Employer transfers me to another state?
Individual state laws regarding payroll deductions take precedence
in a state to state transfer. You may be required to sign
a new payment release form in order to retain your Clear
MasterCard.
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Can I change payments
from payroll deduction to ACH debit or vice versa?
The laws of the state in which you are employed determine
the method of payment.
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Can I change my
ACH deduction account?
You can change your ACH account but the ACH deduction account
must be the same account into which your payroll is direct
deposited.
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What happens (with
my remaining balance) if I close my account yet remain employed
at current Employer?
Payroll Deductions (or ACH Payments) will continue until the
outstanding balance has been paid in full.
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What happens (with
the remaining balance) when I leave my company?
When state laws permit, the balance of your Clear
Account will be deducted from your final paycheck and any remaining unpaid
balance will be transferred to a Pay Down Account and you will be responsible for
making payments. Please refer to the Cardmember Agreement for details, policies,
and fees associated with a Pay Down Account.
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What if I get sick
and go on disability? (Long Term or Short Term Disability)
When your employer notifies us that you are on disability leave, your account
will be put into a suspended status. During this time, no payroll deductions
will be taken. Depending on the length of the leave you may be put into pay
down account.
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What information
is shared about me as a Clear cardmember?
As per the provisions of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act; before
Clear can share "non-public
personal information" (NPPI) with any party other than
affiliates, we must provide you, the consumer, with detailed
notice and the opportunity to say "no" (opt out).
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I want to make a
large purchase from a Preferred Merchant but my available
balance won't cover the entire amount, what are my
options?
You can pay down your outstanding balance by submitting payment
to:
CLEAR
PO Box 105203
Atlanta, GA 30348-5203
By doing this you will increase your available credit up
to 4% of your annual qualified salary.
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What if my card
is lost or stolen?
Immediately call the Clear Customer
Service Department at 866-863-9564, toll-free, 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
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*Terms and Conditions Apply. Please see Important
Disclosures for more information.
‡ Subject to state law.
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