Client wants to end contract after I have completed the works

[buddinggraphics]

Hi all! 

I have just gone ahead and had my first ever job after creating an account yesterday. 

The client asked for an update of their presentation, I went ahead and did this, but the client didn't like the design and decided to cancel the contract after I spent time on it (but as I'm completely new, I didn't realise I had to book the time on the app)- which looks like I'm not getting paid now...

What can I do?

[prestonhunter]

re: "Client wants to end contract after I have completed the works"

Um... What do you mean? Clients are SUPPOSED to end a contract after the freelancer has completed the work.

re: "...the client didn't like the design and decided to cancel the contract after I spent time on it..."

Clients may end a contract at any time. That is a key aspect of freelancing.

re: "...which looks like I'm not getting paid now..."

You are new. So you do not understand how everything works.
Clients may end a contract at any time. Freelancers still get paid.

When a freelancer works using an hourly contract, the freelancer gets paid for all of the time that they log. If a client ends the contract, that has nothing to do with the freelancer getting paid for her logged time.

If a freelancer is hired using a fixed-price contract, then a client can NOT end a contract unilaterally unless he releases all money in escrow to the freelancer.

So whether this was an hourly or fixed-price contract, if a client ends the contract unexpectedly, the freelancer gets paid.

(If a client wants to end a fixed-price contract WITHOUT releasing the escrow money to the freelancer, then the client must REQUEST a refund from the freelancer. And the freelancer has the option to REJECT that request.)

[joansands]

Natalia - It sounds as though you had an hourly contract but that you did not use the time tracker for the job. If so, you are not protected by Upwork and the client does not have to pay if they don't want to. Use the experience as a learning experience so you don't make the same mistake in future.

[prestonhunter]

re: "I didn't realise I had to book the time on the app - which looks like I'm not getting paid now. What can I do?"

If you did not log time and now the contract is closed, then you have two options:

a) Do nothing. Learn from your mistake and don't make the same mistake again in the future.

[or]

b) Send the client a SHORT message (as short as possible) that apologizes for your mistake in not logging time, but notes that you are so new that you didn't know you were supposed to that, and asks her if she will pay you using the client-side Bonus tool.