client unresponsive(hourly project)

[abdurrakib528]

Hi, a few days ago I have started an hourly project.
The client wanted to pay me as a manual time added or as a bonus. But after he got his work properly then stopped replay. This is my first-time experience something like that. Now the project is alive with no hourly log or releases any payment.
if the contact is on without any earning, will it affect my profile or JSS?
If I end the contract(since the client does not give me any replay) will fall any JSS or any reputation from my profile?

Thanks in advance,
Rakib

[feed_my_eyes · Accepted solution]

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Abdul R wrote:

Hi, a few days ago I have started an hourly project.
The client wanted to pay me as a manual time added or as a bonus. But after he got his work properly then stopped replay. This is my first-time experience something like that. Now the project is alive with no hourly log or releases any payment.
if the contact is on without any earning, will it affect my profile or JSS?
If I end the contract(since the client does not give me any replay) will fall any JSS or any reputation from my profile?

Thanks in advance,
Rakib

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Yes, unfortunately a project with nothing paid will affect your JSS (after about two months go by with no payments), but since you are top-rated, you might be able to use your feedback removal "perk" to have the contract removed from the calculation.

https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/219801228-Feedback-Removal

But I would recommend waiting until your JSS updates, to see exactly what the impact is; you've done quite a few jobs, so it might not affect you very much. Then you could save your feedback removal perk for a time when you might need it more.

Sometimes clients will tell you not to use the time tracker just so they can avoid paying you, so make sure that you don't get tricked by this again. Always use the time tracker, and if the project isn't suitable for this, then ask the client to switch to a fixed rate project and fund the escrow account instead. Otherwise, you're not protected in any way.

[abdurrakib528]

For sure, If client give me bad feedback and jss score is down, then If I will remove the feedback from my profile, will back my jss like before? Thanks

[petra_r]

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Abdul R wrote:

The client wanted to pay me as a manual time added or as a bonus. But after he got his work properly then stopped replay.

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If you did the work, simply add manual time for the time it took you. It would have been better to use the tracker though.

[abdurrakib528]

Okay, I will add manual time but if the client does not accept my time, then what happens later?
Thanks

[feed_my_eyes]

Ah yes - listen to Petra, not me. (I didn't realise that you hadn't even tried to submit your hours.) If you add manual time to your work diary and the client doesn't actually dispute it, then you'll get paid. 

[abdurrakib528]

Hi, I requested the client for manual time added but the client canceled the contract without doing anything.

the client feedback  is N/A

Does that mean the client did not give me any rating or hidden feedback?

will this decrease jss for my profile?

Thanks

[prestonhunter]

re: "...the client canceled the contract without doing anything. the client feedback is N/A. Does that mean the client did not give me any rating or hidden feedback? will this decrease jss for my profile?"

If the client cancelled a closed a contract without you ever earning any money for the contract, then the contract will NOT appear on your public profile page. It will not be a part of your work history.

However, having a zero-pay contract has a negative impact on JSS.

Also: It is possible that the client was still able to leave private feedback.

[a_lipsey]

I hope a mod comes along and addresses this. A client who requests a freelancer use manual time so they can steal free work needs to be removed from the platform. 

[tlbp]

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Amanda L wrote:

I hope a mod comes along and addresses this. A client who requests a freelancer use manual time so they can steal free work needs to be removed from the platform. 

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And one would hope that any such mod would point out that the freelancer should report the client for scamming them.

OP, if the client is reported enough times, they may be banned from Upwork and their contracts might not count in your JSS calculation. That is probably your best route to JSs recovery now. 

[petra_r]

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Preston H wrote:

Also: It is possible that the client was still able to leave private feedback.

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It is not "possible" - it is certain that the client left private feedback as there is no way for the client to end the contract without doing so.

[bstojadinovic]

Hi Abdul,

I'm sorry to hear about your experience with this client. I gathered all the information regarding your report and I'll escalate it to the correct team for their review. 

Going forward, please use the Desktop app for hourly contracts as by adding time manually it won't be covered by Hourly Payment Protection.

Thank you. 

[abdurrakib528]

Thanks, Bojan

[tta192]

If the client insisted on you adding manual time instead of tracking with the app, he never intended to pay you! The good part is, a client can only disallow manual time, not the automatic one. You can always use the tracker, no matter what the client says. And (correctly) tracked time cannot be disputed, they have to pay. That way at least you get paid for the hours tracked until the scammer finds out what happened. Of course, if you do it late at night (for the client) it will take them longer to stop the contract.

[abdurrakib528]

Thanks, Andrei. Yes that client was very rude!