Payement after a contract is suspended

[Jalila M]

Hello community,

I need your support.

One of my contracts is suspended, I got in touch with the client and he told me that Upwork is verifying his payment method. After some hours he told me that his credit card couldn't be verified and he closed his Upwork account.

I have already started the work (it's an hourly based contract), what will happen to my payment then?is it just gone?

Your support is highly appreciated.

Regards

jalila

[Petra R]

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Jalila M wrote:

One of my contracts is suspended, I got in touch with the client and he told me that Upwork is verifying his payment method. After some hours he told me that his credit card couldn't be verified and he closed his Upwork account.

If you started to work with a client who had an unverified payment method at the time, then yes, that money is gone.

If the payment method was verified when you started and you used the tracker correctly (!!!) - with meaningful work memos and adequate activity levels and only work related screenshots, you should be ok.

[Jalila M]

Hi Petra,

Thank you for your answer.

Actually I used the time tracker with screenshots and everything.

I wish someone from the Upwork team can have a look and tell me if I should worry or not.

Thank you.

Regards

jalila

[Petra R]

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Jalila M wrote:

Actually I used the time tracker with screenshots and everything.

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Yes, but was the payment method verified when you started working AND were the other criteria met? meaningful memos and activity levels etc?

[Jalila M]

That was my first hourly contract and I worked on it only for one week, so I don't know what activity level means but I made sure to use the time tracker and to write memos describing what I was doing.

Regards

jalila

[Will L · Accepted solution]

Jalila,

Unfortunately, apparently Upwork will not notify a freelancer who invokes TimeTracker on a new project if the client's payment method is not verified. (If it is not verified, the work time you track using TimeTracker will not be paid if the payment method is not eventually verified.)

This is odd, considering that once a client's payment method is verified and the freelancer tracks work time for that client using TimeTracker, Upwork will tell the freelancer to stop work on the project and lock TimeTracker against booking additional work time if there is subsequently a problem with the client's payment method.

For example, Upwork sent me a note that included the following when there was a problem with one of my client's payment method:

"We’re writing to let you know that your client’s payment on Contract ID# xxxxxxx with (Client's Name) was unsuccessful for the week of December 29, 2019 - January 4, 2020. When this happens, Upwork steps in to cover your payment as long as the criteria for Hourly Payment Protection is met. We’ve reviewed your work diary and are pleased to inform you that your hours are qualified for Upwork’s Hourly Payment Protection."

There are some things you will learn about Upwork's way of doing things only by making mistakes. This may be one of them.

[Jalila M]

Thank you for your reply Will.

So far I haven't received any communication from upwork, and I've just been notified that this contract has been ended.

What should I do in this case?

[Jalila M]

Dear Upwork support,

One of my contracts has been suspended and after reaching out to the client he told me that his payment method couldn't be verified and that he closed his account on upwork.

This contract was an hourly one and I've already worked for one week on it.

Now, I've just received a notification that the contract was ended by the client?? I really don't understand anymore.

What I want to know now is what will happen to my payment?

Thank you in advance.

Regards

jalila

[Bojan S]

Hi Jalila,

Sorry to hear your contract was suspended. If there are any issues with the client's account and the payment can't be processed for any reason, Upwork team will review the logged hours against the terms of Upwork Hourly Protection and notify the freelancer about the outcome of the review. We won't be able to share details about this specific client's account status, but I'll ask one of our agents to reach out to you directly and provide more information about the status of your payment.

Thank you!

[Rakshay C]

Dear Upwork support,

One of my contracts has been suspended and after reaching out to the client he told me that his payment method couldn't be verified and that he closed his account on upwork.

This contract was an hourly one and I've already worked.

Now, I've just received a notification that the contract was ended by the client?? I really don't understand anymore.

What I want to know now is what will happen to my payment?

Thank you in advance.

Regards

Rakshay