Joseph Leonard

UPWORK HOURLY RATE

WORKING POLICY

As an independent web designer and developer, I want to present you with my Upwork working policy and explain how I work. My goal is to deliver the highest quality web design and development possible that can be done with WordPress and standard WordPress plugins, and in order to do this, I need to cover expenses and time spent and be clear with clients what tasks have been promised to be done. Upwork works on either an hourly basis or by Milestones. This document covers only Upwork Hourly rate priced projects. Click here for my Upwork Fixed Price Policy.

TASKS

Most clients want to control the amount of money that they are spending on a project as they have a set budget.

A fixed price contract is best when the tasks that are to be performed can be clearly defined.

However, often a client wants to make changes and additions as the project proceeds or is not clear about all the tasks that they want.

In that case, an hourly rate contact is best.

When working on a fixed price project, there needs a be a clear list of tasks specified in order for me to offer my price. Any additions or changes could cost extra.

This might involve a Scope of Work document in addition to my proposal.

BUDGET

When working with Upwork on an hourly basis, I proceed as follows.

  1. I let the client know what tasks I am working on daily.
  2. Upwork has a time clock, where the client can see a description every 10 to 20 minutes of what I am working on. AND, there is a screenshot. LINK
  3. At any time, the client can decide that I am working on the wrong task or taking too long to complete a task.
  4. With an hourly rate, the clent can see how much money has been spent and judge the progress.

AT ANY TIME THE CLIENT or I CAN CANCEL AN HOURLY RATE PROJECT FOR NO REASON AT ALL.

CHANGES & ADDITIONS

From time to time, clients might request changes or additions.

With an hourly rate contract, there is no problem. 

General Policy Guidelines for Web Design & Development:

Website CONTENT

When adding new text and/or content to a page the client is responsible for providing all text (in digital format) and images/photos. Client warrants the he or she is the legal Copyright owner of such and will hold me harmless from all legal action for using it. I do or write content or supply images or graphics unless specifically mentioned in my proposal or Scope of Work.

DATA ENTRY

Generally it is cheaper if the client enters data for products into WooCommerce and writes blog articles. But I can do this if the client wishes.

LOOK AND FEEL

The client’s web pages can look very close to their theme or another website, but cannot be “pixel perfect”.

Web Hosting and Domain Name

It is the client’s responsibility to obtain a domain name, hosting and any features such as hosting backup or installing an SSL certificate.

SEO & Internet Marketing

I will install the Yoast SEO plugin but it is the client’s responsibility to develop keywords and meta descriptions for each web page. I can then enter this data for each page if you wish. Client understands, acknowledges, and agrees that I have no control over the policies of search engines or directories with respect to the type of sites and/or content that they accept now or in the future. Customer’s website may be excluded from any search engine or directory at any time at the sole discretion of the search engine or directory entity. Some search engines and directories may take as long as 90 days, and in some cases longer, after commencement of plan to list and/or update customer’s website. Occasionally, search engines and directories will drop listings for no apparent or predictable reason. I am not responsible for changes made to customer’s website by other parties that adversely affect the search engine or directory rankings of client’s web site. SEO and marketing professional services require extensive resources, strategy, and consumes time and incurs expenses. Therefore, payments made for SEO and marketing services, are non-refundable.

REFUNDS ON HOURLY RATE CONTRACT

I will gladly give fix or delete the time on any Work Diary for any defective work done providing you inform me in a timely manner. Follow these procedures:

You should review the Upwork Freelancer Work Diary on a daily basis at  https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/211062278-Review-Your-Freelancer-s-Work-Diary.

There you can read a description and screenshots every 20 minutes for the work that was done.

Here’s how it works:

·      You set up an hourly contract with your freelancer

·      It will track e freelancer’s time via Upwork’s Time Tracker

·      Upwork takes real screenshots of what the freelancer is working on about every 10 minutes. You can view these work-in-progress snapshots.

·      You should review and discuss any issues with the freelancer before paying any bills.

·      Once you have paid a bill, it is presumed that the work was satisfactory.

See https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/211062278-Review-Your-Freelancer-s-Work-Diary

How to View my Work Diary

  1. Go to the Jobs Homepage
  2. Select the contract you wish to view
  3. Choose the Timesheets tab

Once in the Work Diary, you can customize the dates that you want to view.

Although it is useful to see what I am working at any one time, remember that the Work Diary is a billing tool. It is not:

  • A way to communicate or set work expectations.
  • A place to add or delete time for your freelancer.
  • A place to edit your freelancer’s work.

Reading the Work Diary

Approximately 6 times during each hour that my time is being tracked, the Time Trackers in the Upwork Desktop App automatically uploads a screenshot of my desktop activity, and activity summary, to the Work Diary. Activity associated with a screen capture may span two billing segments. You and I can also agree to allow manual time to be added, to represent work activity not captured well by Time Tracker, such as phone calls. The memo bars in the Work Diary are color-coded to indicate the status of that billing segment.
  • Dark blue: Auto tracked time, billable on hourly contracts
  • Light blue: Manual time, billable on hourly contracts
  • Red: Time over the weekly limit agreed with your client. Not billable.

DISPUTES

You should check the work and the time that it has taken. If you do not agree, then notify me immediately and ask me to correct the work without charge or you can ask me to delete the time.

Alternately,  if you wish you can notify Upwork immediately to put the charges on hold. See request an escrow refund.

If you would like to request a refund directly from a freelancer or Upwork, follow these procedures.

Check these details before requesting your refund.

Please consider resolving any time-logging issues with your freelancer prior to closing a contract. Your freelancer cannot edit their Work Diary once the contract is closed, and logged hours for the current week cannot be refunded once you have approved the work and have been billed.

  1. Go to your Work Diary.
  2. Select the date and time of the work in dispute.
  3. Describe what work the freelance said he was doing.
  4. Describe what work should have been done or what was wrong with the work that was done or not done.
  5. List how long this item took in minutes or hours.
  6. If the freelancer or agency declines to give a refund or you don’t hear back at all, you may still be able to dispute the charges.
  7. You must file any dispute by Friday after a billing week closes. For example, if you receive the week’s invoice on Monday at noon UTC, you have from then until Friday at midnight UTC to review those hours and file a dispute. Click here to learn more about filing an hourly dispute.
  8. This means you can only dispute the current invoice, not past invoices. If you miss this window, you and your freelancer or agency should work together to resolve any issues and possibly discuss your refund request.

Refunds and Non Payment

If any event, if a refund is given or an invoice is not paid, then the tasks or items are subject to possible elimination. One cannot expect to use something that has not been paid for.

If you have any questions about this UPWORK HOURLY RATE WORKING POLICY, please ask before accepting my proposal to avoid any misunderstandings.

I look forward to working with you.

 

Joe Leonard

Please make a copy of these Policies and date it as this policy is subject to change without prior notification.

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