Enterprise Client Additional Documentation - Why is it Required?

[berg_shari]

I was just invited to submit proposals to two jobs here for the same Enterprise client. I've never worked with an Enterprise client here before so it was a new experience for me. I was all set to submit my proposal when I got a prompt to provide additional information with the caveat that it's required for all Enterprise clients. I started through the process and had no issues with it until I was asked to supply things like tax documents to prove I'm an independent contractor. I do not provide that kind of information to clients, whether I work with them on Upwork or off the platform. Asking someone to provide you with their sensitive tax documents is inappropriate. We've all gone through the process to be approved here on Upwork, which includes providing our EIN or other tax ID numbers and filling out a 1099 tax form. It is no one's business but my own how many clients I have and how much income I make from each. Has this always been an Enterprise client requirement? If so, can someone from Upwork explain to me why it's necessary, please? 

[gilbert-phyllis]

Redact the info you don't want to share.

[berg_shari]

I'm not sharing my tax returns with a random client. That is so far over the line of acceptable it's not even funny. I've been in this business for 25 years and never had someone ask me to see tax returns before. My business attorney said no way and that it was not normal to ask for that information. Just wondering if that's common practice here with Enterprise clients. 

[petra_r]

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Shari B wrote:

I'm not sharing my tax returns with a random client. 

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Then just don't work with Enterprise clients who request this.

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Shari B wrote:

 Just wondering if that's common practice here with Enterprise clients. 

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Yes, it is.

[geri_kol · Accepted solution]

You are doing this right, Shari. Do not share any tax documents with Upwork - they are seriously overstepping all acceptable boundaries in asking you to do that. The same happened to me several months ago when I was invited to apply for an Enterprise project and I told the outreach person flat out that I´m not sharing such info. She was fine with that as she probably recognizes it´s not right to ask for it in the first place, but is following some god-awful company policy.