Client Paused contract & not closing

deep-jag · ‎10-24-2019

The client paused the contract in MAY 2019, forced me to work in paused contract whenever I asked to resume the contract. After I completed, the client started to bring change requests. On denying & insisting on contract closure with whatever feedback he liked, he promised to close the contract once the source code is delivered. On source delivery, he hired some immature developers at just $100 where even he stated APP IS DONE ( attached screenshot), who even can't compile code. Now he is again pushing me to work with threatening for negative feedback. Even after asking him to do so, he is not closing the contract. What would I do? 20% of payment is already pending. He is just exploiting the system.

**Edited for community guidelines**

prestonhunter · ‎10-24-2019

re: "He is just exploiting the system."

I agree. He is exploiting the system and using it in a way it was never intended to be used. Upwork does not intend for fixed-price contracts to become indentured servitude.

A client can not "force" you to work on a paused contract.

Two points:

a) The client probably isn't even in the same country as you are. He is not holding your dog hostage or anything. He may have pressured you to do something, but he had no way to force you to do it.

b) Asking a freelancer to work for free is a violation of Upwork ToS. You could report this client to Customer Service due to his violation.

You can't earn any money on a paused contract.

When I personally see that a client has paused a contract, I need to make a decision. Is this a client who is honest and simply wants to prevent any billing for a short time, and understands that I will not work on the contract while it is paused? That is okay.

OR: Is this a client who wants me to work for free? Is he unlikely to un-pause the contract any time soon? I have often CLOSED THE CONTRACT myself when a contract has been paused and I don't believe the client intends to deal with me fairly.

If a client pauses an hourly contract.

Or if a client asks me to work on a fixed-price contract without releasing milestone payments for the work that I do and funding new milestones...

Either way, the effect is the same: The client is asking a freelancer to work for free.

I'm sorry that this happened to you.

Upwork's system is very good. But not perfect. There ARE ways for clients to pressure freelancers into working for free. That is unfortunate. But that is the system that we have. Freelancers should not let clients pressure them into working for free.

Ultimately you may need to "just say no." And risk retaliatory feedback. You do not KNOW that you will receive bad feedback. If you close the contradt, you don't know that you will receive any feedback at all.

You are fortunate: You have completed 30 jobs and you have a 100% JSS right now. You are top-rated. You can afford to take a hit. You can even remove an occasional bad feedback if necessary.

If I need to end a contract, I try to end things on as positive a note as possible. If a client is asking me to do things, I will typically say yes, and specify the conditions. For example, if the client is asking you to add a new heading to the Preferences screen, you can tell him "Yes," you will do that for free, after he closes the contract. Then hold firm. Don't work for free for a client just because he pressures you to do so.

wlyonsatl · ‎10-24-2019

Close the contract, include comments to the client letting him know the additional work you understand needs to be done and how much you'd charge him to do that work, assuming he agrees to a new contract and funds the first milestone.

If he doesn't agree to a new contract, move on to greener pastures.

Delete his feedback immediately upon seeing he has posted it (assuming he posts any), to ensure it has no effect on your JSS and to prevent your JSS calculation from dipping below 90. If you wait until you see if his feedback is negative enough to drag your JSS-above-90 streak as a Top Rated freelancer, even removing the feedback won't prevent the feedback from reducing the number of weeks in your JSS-above-90 calculation.

There are many unknowable variables in deciding to delete feedback, but this is probably what I would do if I only had 30 completed projects on Upwork and otherwise had received very positive feedback from my other clients.

Good luck!

prestonhunter · ‎10-24-2019

In an ideal world... Clients would know that they can't ask freelancers to work for free.

If all Upwork freelancers were united in refusing to work for free, then clients would not be "trained" to try asking freelancers to work for free.

I can't control what every other freelancer on Upwork does... But at least I can control what I do. That shows clients what they can expect from me.

robin_hyman · ‎10-24-2019

Keep your cool! I agree with Preston and Will. Now you know you should never work for free. If the client pauses the contract, do not continue working on the project until it is unpaused. Don't succumb to threats. Be as nice as possible but don't let the client's words get to you.

If it comes to it, close the contract. Definitely give honest feedback. Don't worry about what the client may write in return. You're better than this.

Good luck.