Hello everyone,
I started working on Upwork a few months ago and after some successful experiences and a JSS of 100%, I am now stuck with a difficult client.
I have been working with a client on their project which involves either providing new content (just content, not the design) for infographics or updating their outdated infographics/blog posts with recent content (the payment varies for both cases). Not sure what happened to them after I successfully completed three milestones on the agreed-upon rates, did some extra research to suggest them suitable topics for the next infographics (upon their request), reviewed the designed infographic, pointed out some factual mistakes the designer made, fine-tuned the last deliverable AFTER they provided more context that they should have provided earlier. Today, they added a new milestone for 6 new infographics. A minute later, they edited that milestone and reduced the payment to half of what we had discussed. I asked them that the milestone is not reflecting the correct payment and that they update it so I can start working, but they said 50% of the payment will be done after you deliver work and that I will have to cooperate on these things in order to work with them (they have not added any milestone for the other 50% either nor did they discuss it with me upfront).
They have been difficult since the beginning, forcing me to communicate outside Upwork (join their Skype group with the designer to guide him, keep all communications on WhatsApp). I am all up for communication but I am not comfortable breaking procedures that are here to safeguard the freelancer (in case of a dispute, Upwork only takes into account communications that happened on the platform and if they keep changing requirements like this after the initial discussion on WhatsApp, it leaves me with no protection in case of a dispute). I would probably still have cooperated but as soon as I discussed the milestone not reflecting the complete payment, they threatened me to end the contract. (I've been freelancing for over 3 years and I know freelancers who continue working after the first threat are abused over and over again). I told them they should go ahead and cancel the contract (my payment for the last milestone has been cleared today). Soon after that, they said they can not edit the milestone so I should just submit half of the work and the rest they will see later, then they canceled the contract before I could respond, and asked if I am available to be rehired or should they look for someone else. My gut says I should totally refuse further collaboration which I did. Now how will this canceled contract impact me?
Also, I want to refund the escrow payment they added today (I did not start working on the new milestone), but Upwork is not allowing me to approve the refund without leaving feedback. If I do leave feedback, it will be honest but then their chance of leaving me salty/bad feedback will also increase (for now, I am hoping they don't provide any feedback). Should I wait for 7 days so the escrow funds are released automatically?
