Overtime/Milestone Issue

[owenwilsonvisual]

Hi. I have a client who started a project, but never set a milestone. He also set a 10 hour limit which he advised me to work past. How do I get Upwork to invoice him for the overtime so he can see the full amount owing? I have delivered to his satisfaction, yet have no way to complete the project either. At the moment, he can only see the total for the 10 hours. Thanks!

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

[prestonhunter]

re: "I have a client who started a project, but never set a milestone."

Owen:

We really need to avoid using the word "milestone" when we have an hourly contract.

Please choose a different way to express what you mean.

The word "milestone" is too closely associated with an actual, important aspect of fixed-price contracts. Hourly contracts, by definition, do not have "milestones."

re: "He also set a 10 hour limit which he advised me to work past."

Um... Okay. That doesn't make any sense, really.

I mean, it makes sense for the CLIENT if he is trying to trick you into working for free.

But it doesn't make any sense for YOU (the freelancer) to go along with such a scheme.

By definition, a freelancer does NOT get paid for any work done that exceeds the maximum hours per week limit.

re: "How do I get Upwork to invoice him for the overtime so he can see the full amount owing?"

No, that's not a thing.

If you chose to work PAST the weekly maximum number of hours, then that was your choice to work for free. We don't get Upwork to invoice a client for "overtime."

re: "I have delivered to his satisfaction, yet have no way to complete the project either. At the moment, he can only see the total for the 10 hours."

If you log time that goes PAST the weekly maximum, the client CAN see those hours if he looks at the work diary. The client is NOT REQUIRED to take a look.

Owen:

This is very simple.

You were hired to work on an hourly contract.

There is a limit to how many hours you can work each week.

Once you reach that limit, then YOU choose:

a) work for free

b) don't work for free

====

Question: What if I have reached the limit, and the work isn't done?

Answer: Then you may work for free or NOT work for free. Your choice.

Question: What if I do NOT want to work for free? What should I do?

Answer: Send a SHORT message to the client informing him that you have reached the weekly limit and you can either wait until next week when new hours are available, or he can increase the hourly limit now so that you may ontinue working.