As your narcotics business expands, managing all processes manually becomes challenging. That's why it's beneficial to enlist the support of NPCs to assist you. Handlers step in here, allowing you to automate certain production tasks (such as packaging, transporting goods between stations, etc.).

If you're facing issues or questions about how and where to hire handlers or encounter any difficulties related to this type of worker, this article will help clarify everything.

How to Hire a Handler in Schedule 1

To hire your first handler, you need to progress in the game until the warehouse becomes accessible. It's located south of the motel, down the ramp behind the pawn shop. The warehouse operates only at night — from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM in-game time. Inside the warehouse, head to the northeast corner and climb the blue stairs. There you'll find Manny at the desk — he's responsible for hiring workers.

Talk to Manny and select the appropriate dialogue option to hire the necessary worker: "I want to hire employees". You can choose from several roles, including cleaner, botanist, chemist, and handler.

Hiring a handler costs $1500 (one-time), along with a $200 daily salary. If you lack funds, use the ATM right in the warehouse. Once the agreement is confirmed, the handler will be sent to the designated location you selected during the hire.

Getting Started with a Handler in Schedule 1

Once the handler arrives at the location, the first task is to assign them a bed. Without this, they won't start working. Use the management clipboard (usually opened with the '9' key), hover over the handler, and press the interaction button.

Choose the 'Bed' option and walk to the desired one — click on it. When the assignment is successful, the bed will turn blue, and a suitcase will appear next to it. The daily payment needs to be placed in this suitcase, or the handler will refuse to work.

Assigning Workstations to the Handler

Handlers work exclusively with packaging stations. Open the management clipboard again, hover over the worker, and select “Assigned Stations.” Here you can assign up to three packaging stations for the handler to service.

Eligible stations are highlighted with a white outline. Click on each to assign. Additionally, each station needs a destination for the finished products — such as a storage shelf or an output counter. To do this, interact with the packaging station, select “Assignment,” and specify the desired location.

Creating Routes for Automation

Routes are the heart of automation. They instruct the handler where to collect goods and where to deliver them. You can create up to five routes for one handler. To start:

• Hover over the handler and open the worker menu via the clipboard and scroll down.
• Click “+ Add New” to create a route.
• Under the “From” section, choose the source — for example, a storage shelf or mixer.
• Then, in the “To” section, select the destination — this could be a packaging station or another shelf.

Now the handler will automatically move items between these points. This is especially useful if your Botanist delivers raw materials to a shelf — create a route where the handler picks it up and transfers it to the packaging station. After that, the finished product can be directed to another shelf or even an unloading ramp.

Optimizing Complex Supply Chains

Handlers can also work in more complex schemes. If you're creating advanced mixtures or combining multiple ingredients, you can assign a handler to deliver specific components to the mixer. To ensure everything runs smoothly, make sure the mixer already has at least one of each required component. This helps avoid an excess of any one ingredient.

Carefully crafting multi-tiered routes allows for full automation. For example, the Botanist brings buds to shelf A, the handler transfers them to the packaging station, and then the packaged goods reach output shelf B.

What to Do If the Handler Isn't Working in Schedule 1

Sometimes, even with the correct setup, the handler may not work. This often happens due to unpaid wages or the absence of an assigned bed.

1) Check the suitcase by the bed — there should be a daily payment. If money is present, review the routes and ensure all stations and directions are correctly assigned.

2) It's also possible that packaging stations may be “clogged” with excess materials — for example, if you've mixed incompatible products or left waste. Try manually clearing the station.

3) Speak directly with the handler. They might explain why they're not working — possibly due to a lack of materials or unprepared stations.

4) If none of this helps — save and restart the game. This often “resets” the handler's behavior.