Sharing contact details for NDA

[budbak]

Hello Team,

I have recently been asked to share my contact details like (email address, full address and phone number) for NDA purposes by a potential client. They have clarified that payment, billing and invoicing will be done only via the Upwork platform, but the contact details are mandatory for NDA.

Please advise if sharing these details for NDA would be a violation of Upwork's Terms of Service (for me as a freelancer) and if so, what is the way to move forward now ?

If it is okay to share such details, please let me know whether these can be shared before or after I am hired (via a contract on Upwork) ?

I do not wish to risk my account by means of any activity which may be construed as a violation of the terms of service. I have gone through posts on this forum for details but wish to be sure about the latest policy update.

Please advise on the above points. Thanks in advance !

Regards,

Shweta

[lysis10]

Yes, it's fine.

[prestonhunter · Accepted solution]

It is totally fine to share contact details on an NDA.

It is NOT against any Upwork rule to do so.

If you are uncomfortable sharing any contact information, then there are alternatives. You do NOT need to share your "prime" information.

For example, instead of sharing your prime email address, share a throway email address - a project-specific email address.

Instead of sharing your prime phone number, you can create a project-specific or throway phone number using a service such as Google voice.

Instead of sharing the mailing address of the place where you physically live, you can share a PO Box or the address of the local post office.

[bizwriterjohn]

High-quality reply.  Preston is a leading Upwork contractor and has hired extensively.  It is good to listen to his advice and consider it carefully.

[budbak]

Great answer, resolved even the follow-up queries. Thank you !

[wlyonsatl]

Preston,

Many clients use NDAs from providers who send the text via email for digital signing by the freelancer.

For these NDAs, the clients need freelancer contact information, including physical and email addresses.

How does Upwork want clients and freelancers to handle the exchange of this information before a contract is in place, when the client wants an estimate of cost before putting a contract in place and the freelancer needs to see the documents covered by the NDA before the freelancer can provide an estimate of time and cost for the project?

Thanks.

[prestonhunter]

If a client needs an email address for the freelancer in order to send an NDA to a freelancer, then the freelancer may share an email address with the client.

The freelancer needs to use that email address only for the purpose of receiving and signing the NDA.

The freelancer should tell the client directly that they are providing them with this email address only for the purpose of signing the NDA, and that actual communications should be done through the Upwork Messages tool until there is an official Upwork contract in place.

[wlyonsatl]

In my experience with online NDAs, the client needs all of the following:

1) the freelancer's full name

2) the freelancer's physical address

3) the freelancer's email address

Is Upwork OK with the freelancer providing all of this information to a prospective client prior to an Upwork contract being in place?

[wlyonsatl]

I see Point 11 of 18 in this post from moderator Lena E. from May 28, 2020 says there is “…an exception regarding legal documents…” such as a non-disclosure agreement:

https://community.upwork.com/t5/Announcements/Frequently-Asked-Questions-on-TOS-changes-regarding-in...

With such an extensive list of exceptions to the rule, Upwork should provide a link to this additional information on this and other related support and information pages:

https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/360051749534-Contact-Information-Sharing