🐈
» Forums » Freelancers » Re: Job Invitation with Fixed Rate that equat...
Page options
vorion
Community Member

Job Invitation with Fixed Rate that equates $1 an hour (Actual Description)

Today, I was invited for a job by a plus client. The fixed contract job description clearly asks whether freelancers would be willing to work at a huge $1 an hour, for a 100-hour project. Pathetic! This is why Upwork lost my trust a very long time ago. Why would Upwork allow these when their ToS clearly set the minimum hourly rate at 3$? Grey area? It shows Upwork allows the clients to offer such contracts on Fixed Contracts. Upwork lets clients abuse the freelancers, especially during such desperate times. If this is how Upwork is going to be, we all should be concerned of our future on Upwork.

 

PS. I have flagged the job post. Let me see what Upwork does. 

**Edited for community guidelines**

5 REPLIES 5
prestonhunter
Community Member

Regardless of whether or not Upwork allows such jobs, and regardless of whether or not anybody posts such job, YOU have the freedom to choose to not apply to jobs if they don't meet your preferences.

 

Frankly, I think that you should NOT flag such jobs.

 

Fixed-price jobs are based on specific tasks or specific deliverables. Hours are not a component.

 

Regardless of whether or not you personally agree with this type of fixed-price job, if you flag it and Upwork removes it, you need to understand that you are removing other people's opportunity to choose for themselves. There are many people for whom this job would be a welcome opportunity and would represent an economic opportunity that far exceeds anything available to them in their local community.


Preston H wrote:

 

Frankly, I think that you should NOT flag such jobs.

 

Fixed-price jobs are based on specific tasks or specific deliverables. Hours are not a component.

 


I disagree. The client clearly asks, "Are you willing to work as low as $1 per hour?" That is very obviously against Upwork's $3/hour minimum limit, and clients should not be able to circumvent the rules by sneakily posting a fixed-price project in order to hide their real budget.

 

The project should definitely be flagged as inappropriate. If a client can't afford to pay a freelancer $3/hour, then good riddance.

 

 


Preston H wrote:

Regardless of whether or not Upwork allows such jobs, and regardless of whether or not anybody posts such job, YOU have the freedom to choose to not apply to jobs if they don't meet your preferences.

 

Frankly, I think that you should NOT flag such jobs.

 


I was invited for the job, I had the choice to decline it. Frankly, I also had the choice to do the right thing of flagging it and I did.

 

The client clearly and openly referred to 1$ an hour. That violates the ToS. That warrants Flagging.

Your words sound supporting the clients to bypass the minimum hourly pay behind a phoney fixed contract.

 

 


Preston H wrote:

 

Regardless of whether or not you personally agree with this type of fixed-price job, if you flag it and Upwork removes it, you need to understand that you are removing other people's opportunity to choose for themselves. There are many people for whom this job would be a welcome opportunity and would represent an economic opportunity that far exceeds anything available to them in their local community.


Regardless of personal view, I see it like, "hey, let's not abolish the slavery, at least they have an opportunity to engage in some work".
I guess you failed to get my point or Upwork's. It's about the quality of pay and to stop clients from exploiting the freelancers. Please don't tell me about the economic opportunities of these nations, nothing as 1$ an hour (80cents after fee), when the freelancers have to spend for the internet, electricity and the devices, don't forget the working space too. No other fancy insurances. I am sure Upwork/oDesk has come up with 3$ an hour after consulting and thorough researching on some economically poor countries.

Even if we can't be a part of the solution, at least, let's not be a part of the problem.


 

JoanneP
Moderator
Moderator

Hi Pravin,

 

Could you please share the link to the job post you are referring to so I can check? You can send it to me via PM by clicking on my name. Thank you.

~ Joanne
Upwork
vorion
Community Member

Sure, Joanne. Let me find the link and send it to you, only if you're colleagues have not removed it still.

And I would like to know how the screenshot violated the community guideline. Please tell me.

Latest Articles
Featured Topics
Learning Paths