Help!

[8cedf29d]

This is my first time using this service. I have been very detailed w my freelancer on a project. At this point I’ve asked that person to change one particular issue multiple times. I think he is padding the hours by doing it incorrectly, what can I do? He’s inputting manual time, what are my options?

[AndreaG]

Hi Terrence,

If you're uncomfortable with the freelancer logging manual time you can disable it. This way, they will only be able to log time using the Time Tracker and you'll be able to review the activity in the Work Diary. Here's how: 

Go to the Jobs tab
Select the contract and click Terms & Settings
Choose Manual Time to allow or disallow it

Check out this help article to learn more about how to Enable or Disable Manual Time. Something to also keep in mind is that Upwork Hourly Protection allows you to dispute a freelancer’s hours if you feel that you have been billed for more time than they worked on your project. A dispute is a formal disagreement on an hourly contract about your current invoice.

Thanks!

[8cedf29d]

Thank you for that reply. Will I be able to dispute if the current hours
are padded? Also, the money has went into an escrow for the freelancer

[prestonhunter]

re: "Thank you for that reply. Will I be able to dispute if the current hours are padded? Also, the money has went into an escrow for the freelancer"

Terrence:
You have come to the right place to ask questions.

You can ask questions here for FREE. And we love to talk about Upwork.

So feel free to ask questions until you fully understand your options.

There may some confusion on your part.

There are no "hours" associated with escrow.

Upwork's escrow program is only for fixed-price contracts.

"Hours" are not a part of fixed-price contracts.

re: "Will I be able to dispute if the current hours are padded?"

You can not dispute hours because they are "padded".

The situation is SIMPLER AND EASIER than that.

You can dispute ALL manually-logged hours.

And you don't need to provide a reason.

Just dispute them.

Upwork will automatically remove manually-logged hours if you dispute them.

Also:

You do not need to continue working with a freelancer if you don't want to.

If you have a freelancer who you think is padding hours, then simply stop working with him. You don't need to explain your reasons to anyone. You can close the contract at any time.

If you have 4 freelancers working for you:

- Janet produces 10 Jacobson account files in an hour.

- Peter produces 15 Jacobson account files in an hour.

- Frank produces 20 Jacobson account file in an hour.

- Gloria produces 25 Jacobson account files in an hour.

...Then in an all honesty... I don't really care if anybody is "padding" their time or not. I am paying them all the same, and the quality is the same from all four... But Frank and Gloria SAVE ME MONEY.

So I thanked Janet and Peter for their work on the project and I ended their contracts. I kept working with Frank and Gloria simply because they are more productive and save me money.

[8cedf29d]

Wow this response helped me a lot thank you. ##- Please type your reply
above this line -##
--
Terrence & Brittany-Dale Blackwell Blackwell Legacy Group LLC

[prestonhunter]

re: "I have been very detailed w my freelancer on a project. At this point I’ve asked that person to change one particular issue multiple times. I think he is padding the hours by doing it incorrectly, what can I do? He’s inputting manual time, what are my options?"

I don't understand why this particular freelancer is still on the team.

Stop working with him and only continue with the freelancers on your team who do the best job. Work with the ones who are able to follow your instructions and do things correctly.

You were not hired to be this person's mentor or trainer. Put your project first, rather than catering to the needs of one individual freelancer.