Client Allowed Manual Time for Billing But Did Not Issue My Hourly Payment

[celespara-rainne]

This is my first time to not get paid by an unresponsive client who took the content but did not send the hourly payment that I billed manually (it was allowed on the contract). I was actually doing the client a favor by under-charging through manual billing. Upwork reversed the payment and asked me to contact the client to send me a bonus instead so I can be properly compensated. However, the client has not been responding after taking my content and closing the contract. The client left me a 5-star feedback as though. Have you been in this situation before and how did you get paid? I am frustrated because this is unfair and inconvenient. I spent 10 hours on the content and must be fairly compensated. How is it that we cannot ask Upwork to intercede for us considering they have the client info on their file and can easily communicate with them?

[gilbert-phyllis]

Upwork's policy is crystal clear that we use manual hours at our own risk. (I've earned many tens of thousands of dollars via manual hours and never not been paid but the risk is there.) The bad news is you won't be paid and the good news is you still own the content. If the client uses it, issue a take-down order (there's a technical term I can't remember). As long as they didn't pay for it, it belongs to you.

[celespara-rainne]

Thanks. I’ve earned thousands from manual billing before and never had an issue until now. I need to research how to process the request for a take-down if the client doesn’t respond.

[678035fb]

So the client has to issue manual hourly payment if I enter hours manually? Please confirm.

[petra_r]

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Hannington M wrote:

So the client has to issue manual hourly payment if I enter hours manually? Please confirm.

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No, not at all. Manual time is charged the same way as tracked time. BUT, in case there is an issue and the client's payment method can't be charged you don't get paid, and if the client disputes, you lose the dispute by default because manual time is not protected. It makes sense to only use it with clients you know well and trust and for amounts you can afford to lose.