Why do I have to pay to access my own money?

Fair question. Here's the honest answer.

The fee only applies when you choose to get some of that pay early.

That fee covers the cost of moving money to your account ahead of payday — the faster you want it, the more it costs to process. You see the amount before you confirm, and you can always wait for payday and pay nothing.

So the choice is yours: get your money early for a small fee, or get your full paycheck as usual for free.