Not Returning Connect!

[rafsun_ug]

Hi,

Is Upwork not returning the connects where the job closed without hiring anyone! I have noticed that many jobs I had applied had closed recently without hiring anyone. As far as I know, Upwork suppose to return the connects when a job closed without hiring anyone! But I didn't get back any of my connects. Do I know wrong? 

[abinadab-agbo]

Sometimes a client may hire someone with a separate contract different from the job that was posted.

In such cases Upwork doesn't refund Connects because such hire wouldn't have happened had they not posted that job.

[rafsun_ug]

Truly! If that, then UW is extremely cheating with the Freelancers. Very sad! 

[melaniekhenson]

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Abinadab A wrote:

Sometimes a client may hire someone with a separate contract different from the job that was posted.

In such cases Upwork doesn't refund Connects because such hire wouldn't have happened had they not posted that job.

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I've never heard of this. ^

At any rate...If the client closes the contract without hiring, connects are returned. If the job stays open but there are no hires, or if UW closes the job, connects are not returned. The latter could be what the OP is experiencing.

[hoyle_editing]

Im not 100% sure on this, i am sure an expert will confirm if right or not before long but, i think you only get refunded if the client closes the job within 30 days with no hire - if the job is left open and expires then i dont think you get refunded.

Its not really right, but its the way it is unfortunatly - my take on it anyway 🙂

[rafsun_ug]

Yes, day by day, I am getting confused on this platform! There are such wrong things are happening here! This should be very serious because Freelancers are using $0.30 to $0.90 to apply for a job? I have noticed that clients are getting also very irresponsible. They just post and after that no activities. I can show lots of like this! Why UW is taking our money like this! A business should have ethics! 

[hoyle_editing]

I understand your concerns, and have similar concerns myself but i believe Upwork made the changes to try and improve the platform for clients and freelancers. I have not been here long enough to know about previous problems, i know for the short period i worked before the changes things seemed fine, now i struggle to find work. 

One of the biggest problems is indeed clients not hiring or even looking at the job again - especially when charged 6 connects! However, the alternative some have suggested is to charge clients, but i fear that would just scare them away - i know i probably wouldnt bother posting a job as a client if i had to pay first. So for me, i dont think this is the answer.

I do however think that perhaps client verification of some sort should be implemented in order to weed out some of the rubbish. Or perhaps limit the number of connects to bid for unverified client jobs or guarentee connect refunds if new clients posting jobs dont hire or resubmit jobs within 30 days. 

there is a number of ways it could be improved, but i guess this is such a big platform that nothing can be changed easily or quickly. They also need to work on the way new freelancers are allowed to join the site - im not saying they shouldnt be allowed but i know many join just for free connects, then when they run out they re-register wuth a new email. These people are taking clients off the platform and hurting all of us.

[laila_gebhard]

 The same here. I used to use UpWork years ago and now this. I am really upset with the platform. 

[zakirjhelum]

You are exactly right. This has happended with me. How to complain upwork team aginast this trend?

[g_vasilevski]

Hi Waqar,

Could you please share more details so that I can assist you further? I would also like to clarify that Connects are refunded only when a client closes their job without hiring or we find a job post has violated our Terms of Service. Thank you.

[goodness_j]

What happens when the client doesn't close the job and doesn't hire!

I think it's highly unfair to freelancers to charge them for connects only to let it go to waste like this.

[JoanneP]

Hi Goodness,

If a client doesn’t hire and closes their job post, any Connects used to submit a proposal will be returned to you. However, if they do not close the job, no Connects will be returned. We understand this isn’t ideal, and we regularly reach out to clients who have open job posts to encourage them to close them if they don’t intend to hire. Because we know the move to paid Connects has made this issue more important, we have already ramped up our outreach to clients who post jobs and don’t hire, and are looking into other ways to better ensure these jobs get closed so your Connects are returned in these cases.