Hourly Job Setup with Minimum Hours

[wlyonsatl]

Has anyone ever set up an hourly project with a minimum (but no maximum) number of hours to be worked and paid for?

For example, client agrees to pay for a) at least 3 hours of work @ $ XX/hour for up to 3 hours of work, and b) any hours over the 3 hour minimum at the same hourly rate.

How would TimeTracker be used to track a third hour if only 2 hours were needed to actually do the work?

Client and freelancer agree the work could easily be for more than 3 hours (maybe a lot more), so a fixed price arrangement is not a good option.

The client is new to Upwork, so the freelancer has no reason to believe the client would make payment under a bonus arrangement.

[AveryO]

Hi Will, 

If both client and freelancer insist on using an hourly contract, the client can update the contract's hourly rate, after the freelancer has logged the agreed upon first three hours. Updating the rate takes effect immediately, and the new rate will apply on hours logged moving forward.

Here's a help article on how the client can update the hourly rate. 

[tlsanders]

Avery, I think what he's asking is how a freelancer could use the time tracker (by agreement with the client) to get paid for 3 hours even though he only worked two, or one, or none.

Surely falsifying hours to get to the minimum isn't acceptable?

Perhaps the workaround would be for the client to use the flat weekly amount for the first three hours each week and the freelancer to start tracking time only if work exceeded three hours in a week?

[AveryO]

I think you're right, Tiffany! Thanks for flagging my response. Your solution also makes more sense. 

Will, you may refer to this help article for more information about setting a Contract Weekly Limit.

[petra_r]

As Will is presumably looking for the protection, he would have to actually work the minimum number of hours and correctly track them.

Weekly salary, plus tracking only once the minimum has been reached / exceeded, would, of course, do the trick but there would be no protection (for either side...)

[wlyonsatl]

Thanks for all of the feedback.

Recording work hours with TimeTracker as the client agreed to upfront and specifically authorized in writing in advance would not in any way be fraudulent, but it appears Upwork's system and rules for payment protection cannot be shoehorned into this particular arrangement.

But if the client didn't object to the hours when billed, I don't suppose Upwork would care one way or the other?

Fair enough.

[tlsanders]

---

Will L wrote:

Recording work hours with TimeTracker as the client agreed to upfront and specifically authorized in writing in advance would not in any way be fraudulent, but it appears Upwork's system and rules for payment protection cannot be shoehorned into this particular arrangement.

Which is exactly why "tracking" hours you were not working would be fraudulent--you'd be faking protected hours. Whether that is your intention or not, a lie is a lie.

[wlyonsatl]

No, Tiffany, if I have the express prior agreement of my client that I will book 3 hours via Time Tracker for doing nothing specific, I am not defrauding either the client or Upwork.

You claim you're a lawyer. Upwork goes to great lengths to say it is not party to the contracts between client and freelancer, so for a freelancer to do something that is a) legal and b) authorized in advance by the fully-informed client, that is a matter for client and freelancer, not Upwork.

However, It understand this arrangement me  in some way violate Upwork's sometimes arcane and often unwritten rules, which is why I asked about it here in public. At any rate, it's not a huge deal and the suggested workaround would likely work, if needed. 

[lysis10]

If I were you, what I would do is use Tracker for the amount of hours you work and then use manual time to pad to the 3 hours. This will minimize loss should the payment not go through. You'd still lose the manual time, but you'd get paid for the time that you worked, which I"m assuming would be a majority of the 3 hours.

[wlyonsatl]

That's a good option.

Thanks.