Jul 13, 2018 06:54:26 AM by Anita L
Hi all,
I am looking to hire an Upworker but need to know that the freelancer's identity and address have been properly verified - otherwise the confidentiality agreement I'm sending over has no value.
I don't see an icon to suggest whether this has taken place and Upwork suggests they "routinely" (i.e. not always) verify identity. Can anyone kindly advise please?
Kind regards,
Anita
Solved! Go to Solution.
Jul 13, 2018 07:25:21 AM by Rene K
It seems to me that Upwork doesn't have a way for clients to know.
Jul 13, 2018 07:25:21 AM by Rene K
It seems to me that Upwork doesn't have a way for clients to know.
Jul 13, 2018 07:59:04 AM by Xinyi F
For freelancers who are "US persons" who wish to bid on "US only" job posts, they need to upload some form of government ID to verify they're within the US (if I remember correctly there were 4 kinds of IDs allowed: passport, green card, driver's license, state ID). However I'm not sure if the actual street address is routinely verified for them (is that important to you?).
I don't think anything "routine" like this is done with those who do not claim to be "US persons," or US persons who don't wish to bid on "US only" jobs. I don't intend to suggest that you unnecessarily add the "US only" requirement to your job post, but this is all I know (I'm pretty new so my knowledge could well be incomplete/inaccurate).
Jul 13, 2018 08:09:49 AM by Vladimir G
Hi Anita,
I can double-confirm we have a identity verification program in place and do in certain cases ask users to complete this process but don't display currently this information on freelancer profiles. You can ask the freelancer/s you shortlisted to sign an NDA but note that since it's an additional contract formed between two parties directly, it will not be enforced by Upwork. Please check this Help article for more information.
I'd like to ask you to review the Payment Protection programs we offer to both clients and freelancers, review the resources we compiled for new clients and let us know if you need further advice or assistance.
Jul 13, 2018 08:16:42 AM by Petra R
@Anita L wrote:Hi all,
I am looking to hire an Upworker but need to know that the freelancer's identity and address have been properly verified - otherwise the confidentiality agreement I'm sending over has no value.
To be honest, unless the freelancer is in the same country as you, and you have a lot of money, for any "practical" (enforcable) purpose your confidentiality agreement has no (practical) value anyway.
Jul 13, 2018 09:29:05 AM by Mary W
Additionally, there is an NDA in place through Upwork . Although I routinely sign additional NDAs with my clients as I deal heavily in highly confidential information, I would NEVER put my personal information other than my name on one of those NDAs. Clients are not really verified on UW except for their payment methods and I'm very certain that I do not want them to have my personal information.
Jul 13, 2018 09:43:42 AM by Anita L
Yeah, I think you're making the argument for using a company with a reputation to protect over a freelancer right there.
Jul 13, 2018 10:12:09 AM by Rene K
@Anita L wrote:Yeah, I think you're making the argument for using a company with a reputation to protect over a freelancer right there.
Well, one can say that a serious freelancer, who is also a one-man company, has a reputation to protect. Additionally to their reputation, someone who is well established on Upwork, making a decent % of their livelihood on Upwork has also an Upwork account to protect.
Knowing that Upwork doesn't hesitate to terminate freelancers' accounts in a snap if they do anything wrong, a well established Upwork freelancer would be crazy to do anything that can put not only their reputation but their Upwork account into jeopardy.
I would go for such a freelancer with confidence.
Jul 13, 2018 10:36:37 AM by Petra R
@Anita L wrote:Yeah, I think you're making the argument for using a company with a reputation to protect over a freelancer right there.
I agree with Rene.
Even if I was the kind of person willing to break a confidentiality agreement (which I am not and almost all freelancers wouldn't even NEED one) my Upwork account is worth more to me than anything I could possibly gain from messing with your project.
Pick a freelancer with a great history, super feedback and a high Job Success Score.
You'll be fine.