Contracts
- Terms of Service
- User Agreement
- Terms of Use
- Direct Contracts Terms
- Escrow Instructions
- Hourly, Bonus, and Expense Payment Agreement with Escrow Instructions
- Fixed Price Service Contract Escrow Instructions
- Fixed Price Direct Contract Escrow Instructions
- Hourly Direct Contract Escrow Instructions
- Upwork Escrow Inc.
- Fee and ACH Authorization Agreement
- Freelancer Membership Agreement
- Optional Service Contract Terms
- Mark Use Guidelines
- Upwork's Virtual Patent Marking
- API Terms of Use
- Proprietary Rights Infringement Reporting Procedures
- Privacy Policy
- Privacy Center
- Cookie Policy
- Upwork Digital Accessibility Statement
- Nondiscrimination Statement
- Master Subscription Agreement (Enterprise Standard)
- Master Subscription Agreement (WPP)
- Master Subscription Agreement (Compliance)
- Independent Contractor Agreement
- Independent Contractor Agreement Premium
- Upwork Payroll Agreement
- Upwork Talent Scout User Agreement
- Upwork Talent Scout User Agreement
- WEWORK CLIENT ADDENDUM FOR UPWORK ENTERPRISE SERVICES
- Starter Project Program Terms of Use for Clients and Freelancers
- 'Upwork Team' Software License Agreement
- Team Builder Terms for Clients
- Global Data Processing Agreement
- Work Together Talent Grants Terms and Conditions
- Jumpstarter Projects Program Terms of Use
Terms of Service
Version 4.0
Effective June 26, 2020
DownloadTable of Contents
The Upwork Terms of Service is comprised of the following agreements:
- User Agreement
- Privacy Policy
- API Terms of Use
- Cookie Policy
- Escrow Instructions
- Fee and ACH Authorization Agreement
- Freelancer Membership Policy
- Proprietary Rights Infringement Reporting Procedures
- Site Terms of Use
- 'Upwork Team' Software License Agreement
- Upwork Payroll Agreement
- Upwork Direct Contract Terms
- Upwork Mark Use Guidelines
- Optional Service Contract Terms
- Nondiscrimination Statement
User Agreement
Version 5.4
Effective April 5, 2021
DownloadTable of Contents
PLEASE READ THIS USER AGREEMENT AND ALL OTHER AGREEMENTS AND POLICIES REFERENCED HEREIN COLLECTIVELY DEFINED BELOW AS THE "TERMS OF SERVICE" CAREFULLY AS THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS, REMEDIES, AND OBLIGATIONS. THESE INCLUDE VARIOUS LIMITATIONS AND EXCLUSIONS AND A BINDING ARBITRATION AGREEMENT AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER.
This User Agreement (this “Agreement”) is a contract between you (“you” or “User”) Upwork Global Inc. (“Upwork,” “we,” or “us”) and our affiliates Upwork Escrow Inc. (“Upwork Escrow”) and, to the extent expressly stated, Elance Limited ("Elance Ltd."). You must read, agree to, and accept all of the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement to be a User of our website located at www.upwork.com or any part of the rest of the Site (defined in the Site Terms of Use) or the Site Services (defined in the Site Terms of Use).
This Agreement includes and hereby incorporates by reference the following important agreements, as they may be in effect and modified from time to time: Site Terms of Use; Fee and ACH Authorization Agreement; Cookie Policy; Privacy Policy; Mark Use Guidelines; Freelancer Membership Agreement; Proprietary Rights Infringement Reporting Procedures; Upwork App Software License Agreement; API Terms of Use; and the escrow instructions as applicable to any Service Contract you enter into with another User, specifically the Hourly, Bonus, and Expense Payment Agreement with Escrow Instructions; and Fixed-Price Escrow Instructions. This Agreement also incorporates, for any User using the Upwork Direct Contract Service, Upwork Direct Contract Terms and Direct Contract Escrow Instructions. These agreements are collectively, with this Agreement, called the “Terms of Service”.
Subject to the conditions set forth herein, Upwork may, in its sole discretion, amend this Agreement and any of the other agreements that comprise the Terms of Service at any time by posting a revised version on the Site. Upwork will provide reasonable advance notice of any amendment that includes a Substantial Change (defined below), by posting the updated Terms of Service on the Site, providing notice on the Site, and/or sending you notice by email. If the Substantial Change includes an increase to Fees charged by Upwork, Upwork will provide at least 30 days’ advance notice of the change, but may not provide any advance notice for changes resulting in a reduction in Fees or any temporary or promotional Fee change. Any revisions to the Terms of Service will take effect on the noted effective date (each, as applicable, the “Effective Date”).
YOU UNDERSTAND THAT BY USING THE SITE OR SITE SERVICES AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF SERVICE, INCLUDING THE ARBITRATION PROVISION IN SECTION 14 OF THIS AGREEMENT (SUBJECT TO YOUR RIGHT TO OPT OUT OF THE ARBITRATION PROVISION AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 14). IF YOU DO NOT ACCEPT THE TERMS OF SERVICE IN ITS ENTIRETY, YOU MUST NOT ACCESS OR USE THE SITE OR THE SITE SERVICES AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE EXCEPT AS PERMITTED BY THE SITE TERMS OF USE.
IF YOU AGREE TO THE TERMS OF SERVICE ON BEHALF OF AN ENTITY OR AGENCY, OR IN CONNECTION WITH PROVIDING OR RECEIVING SERVICES ON BEHALF OF AN ENTITY OR AGENCY, YOU REPRESENT AND WARRANT THAT YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO BIND THAT ENTITY OR AGENCY TO THE TERMS OF SERVICE AND AGREE THAT YOU ARE BINDING BOTH YOU AND THAT ENTITY OR AGENCY TO THE TERMS OF SERVICE. IN THAT EVENT, “YOU” AND “YOUR” WILL REFER AND APPLY TO YOU AND THAT ENTITY OR AGENCY.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.3 Account Profile
1.4 Account Types
5. Upwork Fees
5.2 Client Fees
6.1 Escrow Services
6.4 Non-Payment
6.6 Payment Methods
7.3 Opting Out
11. Release
12. Indemnification
13.1 Termination
13.3 Survival
14.2 Choice of Law
15. General
15.1 Entire Agreement
15.3 Assignability
15.5 Force Majeure
16. Definitions
1. UPWORK ACCOUNTS
Section 1 discusses what you must agree to before using the Site or Site Services and the different types of accounts that can be created on the Site, as detailed below.
1.1 REGISTRATION AND ACCEPTANCE
By registering for an account to use the Site or Site Services (an “Account”), by using the Site or Site Services after the Effective Date if you had an Account on the Effective Date, or by clicking to accept the Terms of Service when prompted on the Site, you agree to abide by this Agreement and the other Terms of Service.
To access and use certain portions of the Site and the Site Services, you must register for an Account. Subject to the Site Terms of Use, certain portions of the Site are available to Site Visitors, including those portions before your Account registration is accepted. Upwork reserves the right to decline a registration to join Upwork or to add an Account of any type (i.e., as a Client or Freelancer), for any lawful reason, including supply and demand, cost to maintain data, or other business considerations.
If you create an Account as an employee or agent on behalf of a company, you represent and warrant that you are authorized to enter into binding contracts, including the Terms of Service, on behalf of yourself and the company. Your privacy is important to Upwork and your information will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy, which is part of the Terms of Service, and applicable law.
1.2 ACCOUNT ELIGIBILITY
Upwork offers the Site and Site Services for your business purposes only and not for personal, household, or consumer use. To register for an Account or use the Site and Site Services, you must, and hereby represent that you: (a) are an employee or agent of and authorized to act for and bind an independent business (whether it be as a self-employed individual/sole proprietor or as a corporation, limited liability company, or other entity); (b) will use the Site and Site Services for business purposes only; (c) will comply with any licensing, registration, or other requirements with respect to your business, or the business for which you are acting, and the provision of Freelancer Services; and (d) are either a legal entity or an individual who is 18 years or older (or have otherwise reached the age of majority in the jurisdiction in which you conduct business) in each case who can form legally binding contracts.
1.3 ACCOUNT PROFILE
To register for an Account to join the Site, you must complete a User profile (“Profile”), which you consent to be shown to other Users and, unless you change your privacy settings, to be shown to the public. You agree to provide true, accurate, and complete information on your Profile and all registration and other forms you access on the Site or provide to us and to update your information to maintain its truthfulness, accuracy, and completeness. You agree not to provide any false or misleading information about your identity or location, your business, your skills, or the services your business provides and to correct any such information that is or becomes false or misleading.
1.4 ACCOUNT TYPES
As described in this Section, there are a number of different Account types. Once you register for one Account type, you can add the other Account types under the same username and password. For example, if you already have a Freelancer Account (defined below), you can add a Client Account (defined below) as a separate account type in settings without re-registering. You agree not to have or register for more than one Account without express written permission from us. We reserve the right to revoke the privileges of the Account or access to or use of the Site or Site Services, and those of any and all linked Accounts without warning if, in our sole discretion, false or misleading information has been provided in creating, marketing, or maintaining your Profile or Account.
1.4.1 CLIENT ACCOUNT
You can register for an Account or add an Account type to use the Site and Site Services as a Client (a “Client Account”). Each User under a Client Account (“Team Member”) can be given different permissions to act on behalf of the Client Account.
1.4.2 FREELANCER, AGENCY, AND AGENCY MEMBER ACCOUNT
Freelancer: You can register for an Account or add an Account type to use the Site and Site Services as a Freelancer (a “Freelancer Account”).
Agency and Agency Member: A specific type of Freelancer Account you can add is an “Agency Account”, the owner of which is referred to as an “Agency”. An Agency Account allows permissions to be granted to Users under the Agency Account which can be given different permissions to act on behalf of the Agency (each, an “Agency Member”).
You acknowledge and agree that the Agency is solely responsible, and assumes all liability, for: (a) the classification of your Agency Members as employees or independent contractors; and (b) paying your Agency Members in accordance with applicable law for work performed on behalf of the Agency for Projects. You further acknowledge and agree that (i) the Agency may determine the Profile visibility and pricing/rate information of any of its Agency Members; and (ii) Agency Members’ Profiles may display work history that includes work done under the Agency Account, including after the Agency Member is no longer an Agency Member.
1.5 ACCOUNT PERMISSIONS
You agree not to request or allow another person to create an Account on your behalf, for your use, or for your benefit, except that an authorized employee or agent may create an Account on behalf of your business. By granting other Users permissions under your Account, including as a Team Member or Agency Member, you represent and warrant that: (a) the User is authorized to act on your behalf; and (b) you are fully responsible and liable for the User’s acts and omissions, including for obligations and liabilities relating to making payments and entering into Service Contracts and the Terms of Service. If any such User violates the Terms of Service, it may affect your ability to use the Site and Site Services. Upon closure of an Account, Upwork may close any or all related Accounts.
1.6 IDENTITY AND LOCATION VERIFICATION
When you register for an Account and from time to time thereafter, your Account will be subject to verification, including, but not limited to, validation against third-party databases or the verification of one or more official government or legal documents that confirm your identity, your location, and your ability to act on behalf of your business on Upwork. You authorize Upwork, directly or through third parties, to make any inquiries necessary to validate your identity, your location, and confirm your ownership of your email address or financial accounts, subject to applicable law. When requested, you must timely provide us with complete information about yourself and your business, which includes, but is not limited to, providing official government or legal documents. During verification some Account features may be temporarily limited. When a verification is successfully completed, Account features will be restored.
1.7 USERNAMES AND PASSWORDS
Each person who uses the Site must register for their own Account. When you register for an Account, you will be asked to choose a username and password for the Account. You are entirely responsible for safeguarding and maintaining the confidentiality of your username and password. You agree not to share your username or password with any person, and, if you are a legal entity who is not a natural person, to only share your username and password with a person who is authorized to use your Account. You authorize Upwork to assume that any person using the Site with your username and password, either is you or is authorized to act for you. You agree to notify us immediately if you suspect or become aware of any unauthorized use of your Account or any unauthorized access to the password for any Account. You further agree not to use the Account or log in with the username and password of another User of the Site if (a) you are not authorized to use both or (b) the use would violate the Terms of Service.
2. PURPOSE OF UPWORK
Section 2 discusses what Upwork does and does not do when providing the Site and Site Services and some of your responsibilities when using the Site to find or enter into a Service Contract with a Freelancer or Client, as detailed below.
The Site is a marketplace where Clients and Freelancers can identify each other and advertise, buy, and sell Freelancer Services online. Subject to the Terms of Service, Upwork provides the Site Services to Users, including hosting and maintaining the Site, facilitating the formation of Service Contracts, and assisting Users in resolving disputes which may arise in connection with those Service Contracts. When a User enters a Service Contract, the User uses the Site to invoice and pay any amounts owed under the Service Contract.
2.1 RELATIONSHIP WITH UPWORK
Upwork merely makes the Site and Site Services available to enable Freelancers and Clients to find and transact directly with each other. Upwork does not introduce Freelancers to Clients, select Projects for Freelancers, or select Freelancers for Clients. Through the Site and Site Services, Freelancers may be notified of Clients that may be seeking the services they offer, and Clients may be notified of Freelancers that may offer the services they seek; at all times, however, Users are responsible for evaluating and determining the suitability of any Project, Client or Freelancer on their own. If Users decide to enter into a Service Contract, the Service Contract is directly between the Users and Upwork is not a party to that Service Contract.
You acknowledge, agree, and understand that Upwork is not a party to the relationship or any dealings between Client and Freelancer. Without limitation, Users are solely responsible for: (a) ensuring the accuracy and legality of any User Content; (b) determining the suitability of other Users for a Service Contract (such as any interviews, vetting, background checks, or similar actions); (c) negotiating, agreeing to, and executing any terms or conditions of Service Contracts; (d) performing Freelancer Services; and/or (e) paying for Freelancer Services. You further acknowledge, agree, and understand that you are solely responsible for assessing whether to enter into a Service Contract with another User and for verifying any information about another User, including Composite Information (defined below). Upwork does not make any representations about or guarantee the truth or accuracy of any Freelancer’s or Client’s listings or other User Content on the Site; does not verify any feedback or information provided by Users about Freelancers or Clients; and does not perform background checks on or guarantee the work of Freelancers or Clients. You acknowledge, agree, and understand that Upwork does not, in any way, supervise, direct, control, or evaluate Freelancers or their work and is not responsible for any Project, Project terms or Work Product. Upwork makes no representations about and does not guarantee, and you agree not to hold Upwork responsible for, the quality, safety, or legality of Freelancer Services; the qualifications, background, or identities of Users; the ability of Freelancers to deliver Freelancer Services; the ability of Clients to pay for Freelancer Services; User Content and statements or posts made by Users; or the ability or willingness of a Client or Freelancer to actually complete a transaction. While Upwork may provide certain badges on Freelancer or Client profiles, such badges are not a guarantee or warranty of quality or ability or willingness of the badged Freelancer or Client to complete a Service Contract and is not a guarantee of any kind, including, the quality of Freelancer Services or Client Project.
You also acknowledge, agree, and understand that Freelancers are solely responsible for determining, and have the sole right to determine, which Projects to accept; the time, place, manner, and means of providing any Freelancer Services; the type of services they provide; and the price they charge for their services or how that pricing is determined or set. You further acknowledge, agree, and understand that: (i) you are not an employee of Upwork, and you are not eligible for any of the rights or benefits of employment (including unemployment and/or workers compensation insurance); (ii) Upwork will not have any liability or obligations, including under or related to Service Contracts and/or Freelancer Services for any acts or omissions by you or other Users; (iii) Upwork does not, in any way, supervise, direct, or control any Freelancer or Freelancer Services; does not impose quality standards or a deadline for completion of any Freelancer Services; and does not dictate the performance, methods or process Freelancer uses to perform services; (iv) Freelancer is free to determine when and if to perform Freelancer Services, including the days worked and time periods of work, and Upwork does not set or have any control over Freelancer’s pricing, work hours, work schedules, or work location, nor is Upwork involved in any other way in determining the nature and amount of any compensation that may be charged by or paid to Freelancer for a Project; (v) Freelancer will be paid at such times and amounts as agreed with a Client in a given Service Contract, and Upwork does not, in any way, provide or guarantee Freelancer a regular salary or any minimum, regular payment; (vi) Upwork does not provide Freelancers with training or any equipment, labor, tools, or materials related to any Service Contract; (vii) Upwork does not provide the premises at which Freelancers will perform the work; (viii) unless otherwise agreed with their Client, Freelancers may use subcontractors or employees to perform Freelancer Services by delegating work on fixed-price contracts or by agreeing with their Clients to have hourly contracts for Freelancer’s subcontractor(s) or employee(s); and (ix) Upwork does not provide shipping services for any physical Work Product. If a Freelancer uses subcontractors or employees, Freelancer further agrees and acknowledges that this Section applies to Upwork’s relationship, if any, with Freelancer’s subcontractors and employees as well and Freelancer is solely responsible for Freelancer’s subcontractors and employees.
Without limiting the foregoing paragraph, if you are an Agency or Agency Member, you expressly acknowledge, agree, and understand that: (1) the Agency is solely responsible for paying its Agency Members for work performed on behalf of the Agency and that such payments will not be made through the Site; (2) Upwork is not a party to any agreement between the Agency and its Agency Members and does not have any liability or obligations under or related to any such agreement, even if the Agency or Agency Member defaults; (3) neither Agencies nor Agency Members are employees or agents of Upwork; (4) Upwork does not, in any way, supervise, direct, or control the Agency or Agency Members; (5) Upwork does not set Agencies’ or Agency Members’ contract terms amongst themselves or with Clients (including determining whether the contract will be hourly or fixed price), fees, pricing, work hours, work schedules, or location of work; (6) Upwork does not provide Agencies or Agency Members with training or any equipment, labor, tools, or materials needed for any Service Contract; (7) Upwork does not provide the premises at which the Agency or Agency Members will perform the work; and (8) Upwork makes no representations as to the reliability, capability, or qualifications of any Agency or Agency Member or the ability or willingness of any Agency to make payments to or fulfill any other obligations to Agency Members, and Upwork disclaims any and all liability relating thereto.
Nothing in this Agreement is intended to prohibit or discourage (nor should be construed as prohibiting or discouraging) any User from engaging in any other business activities or providing any services through any other channels they choose, provided, if applicable, Users comply with the Opt Out provisions described in Section 7. Users are free at all times to engage in such other business activities and services and are encouraged to do so.
2.2 TAXES AND BENEFITS
Freelancer acknowledges and agrees that Freelancer is solely responsible (a) for all tax liability associated with payments received from Freelancer’s Clients and through Upwork, and that Upwork will not withhold any taxes from payments to Freelancer; (b) to obtain any liability, health, workers’ compensation, disability, unemployment, or other insurance needed, desired, or required by law, and that Freelancer is not covered by or eligible for any insurance from Upwork; (c) for determining whether Freelancer is required by applicable law to issue any particular invoices for the Freelancer Fees and for issuing any invoices so required; (d) for determining whether Freelancer is required by applicable law to remit to the appropriate authorities any value added tax or any other taxes or similar charges applicable to the Freelancer Fees and remitting any such taxes or charges to the appropriate authorities, as appropriate; and (e) if outside of the United States, for determining if Upwork is required by applicable law to withhold any amount of the Freelancer Fees and for notifying Upwork of any such requirement and indemnifying Upwork for any requirement to pay any withholding amount to the appropriate authorities (including penalties and interest). In the event of an audit of Upwork, Freelancer agrees to promptly cooperate with Upwork and provide copies of Freelancer’s tax returns and other documents as may be reasonably requested for purposes of such audit, including but not limited to records showing Freelancer is engaging in an independent business as represented to Upwork.
2.3 MARKETPLACE FEEDBACK AND USER CONTENT
You hereby acknowledge and agree that Users publish and request Upwork to publish on their behalf information on the Site about the User, such as feedback, composite feedback, geographical location, or verification of identity or credentials. However, such information is based solely on unverified data that Freelancers or Clients voluntarily submit to Upwork and does not constitute and will not be construed as an introduction, endorsement, or recommendation by Upwork; Upwork provides such information solely for the convenience of Users.
You acknowledge and agree that User feedback benefits the marketplace, all Users, and the efficiency of the Site and you specifically request that Upwork post composite or compiled feedback about Users, including yourself, on User Profiles and elsewhere on the Site. You acknowledge and agree that feedback results for you, including your Job Success Score, wherever referenced, and other User Content highlighted by Upwork on the Site or otherwise (“Composite Information”), if any, may include User comments, User ratings, indicators of User satisfaction, and other feedback left exclusively by other Users. You further acknowledge and agree that Upwork will make Composite Information available to other Users, including composite or compiled feedback. Upwork provides its feedback system as a means through which Users can share their opinions of other Users publicly, and Upwork does not monitor, influence, contribute to or censor these opinions. You acknowledge and agree that posted composite or compiled feedback and any other Composite Information relates only to the business advertised in the Profile and not to any individual person. You agree not to use the Composite Information to make any employment, credit, credit valuation, underwriting, or other similar decision about any other User.
Upwork does not generally investigate any remarks posted by Users or other User Content for accuracy or reliability and does not guarantee that User Content is accurate. You are solely responsible for your User Content, including the accuracy of any User Content, and are solely responsible for any legal action that may be instituted by other Users or third parties as a result of or in connection with your User Content. Upwork is not legally responsible for any feedback or comments posted or made available on the Site by any Users or third parties, even if that information is defamatory or otherwise legally actionable. In order to protect the integrity of the feedback system and protect Users from abuse, Upwork reserves the right (but is under no obligation) to remove posted feedback or information that, in Upwork’s sole judgment, violates the Terms of Service or negatively affects our marketplace, diminishes the integrity of the feedback system or otherwise is inconsistent with the business interests of Upwork. You acknowledge and agree that you will notify Upwork of any error or inaccurate statement in your feedback results, including the Composite Information, and that if you do not do so, Upwork may rely on the accuracy of such information.
3. CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CLIENT AND FREELANCER
Section 3 discusses the relationship you may decide to enter into with another User, including Service Contracts between Users, as detailed below.
3.1 SERVICE CONTRACTS
If a Client and Freelancer decide to enter into a Service Contract, the Service Contract is a contractual relationship directly between the Client and Freelancer. Client and Freelancer have complete discretion both with regard to whether to enter into a Service Contract with each other and with regard to the terms of any Service Contract. You acknowledge, agree, and understand that Upwork is not a party to any Service Contract, that the formation of a Service Contract between Users will not, under any circumstance, create an employment or other service relationship between Upwork and any User or a partnership or joint venture between Upwork and any User.
With respect to any Service Contract, Clients and Freelancers may enter into any written agreements that they deem appropriate (e.g., confidentiality agreements, invention assignment agreements, assignment of rights, etc.) provided that any such agreements do not conflict with, narrow, or expand Upwork’s rights and obligations under the Terms of Service, including this Agreement and the applicable Escrow Instructions. The parties to a Service Contract can, if the parties prefer, agree to the Optional Service Contract Terms in whole or in part, in addition to or instead of other such agreements. Only to the extent that they have not entered into another agreement or terms with respect to a Service Contract, the parties to a Service Contract agree that the Optional Service Contract Terms apply to their Service Contract.
The Optional Service Contract Terms are provided as a sample only and may not be appropriate for all jurisdictions or all contracts. Users are responsible for complying with any local requirements, including applicable laws, rules, and regulations. Upwork does not assume any responsibility for any consequence of using the Optional Service Contract Terms. The Optional Service Contract Terms are not intended to and do not (a) constitute legal advice, (b) create an attorney-client relationship, or (c) constitute advertising or a solicitation of any type. Each situation is highly fact-specific and requirements vary by situation and jurisdiction and therefore any party should seek legal advice from a licensed attorney in the relevant jurisdictions. Upwork expressly disclaims any and all liability with respect to actions or omissions based on the Optional Service Contract Terms.
3.2 DISPUTES AMONG USERS
For disputes arising between Clients and Freelancers, you agree to abide by the dispute process that is explained in the Escrow Instructions that apply to your particular Service Contract. If the dispute process does not resolve your dispute, you may pursue your dispute independently, but you acknowledge and agree that Upwork will not and is not obligated to provide any dispute assistance beyond what is provided in the Escrow Instructions.
If Freelancer or Client intends to obtain an order from any arbitrator or any court that might direct Upwork, Upwork Escrow, or our Affiliates to take or refrain from taking any action with respect to an Escrow Account, that party will (a) give us at least five business days’ prior notice of the hearing; (b) include in any such order a provision that, as a precondition to obligation affecting Upwork or Upwork Escrow, we be paid in full for any amounts to which we would otherwise be entitled; and (c) include in any such order a provision that, as a precondition to any obligation affecting Upwork or Upwork Escrow, Upwork be paid for the reasonable value of the services to be rendered pursuant to such order.
3.3 CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
Users may agree to any terms they deem appropriate with respect to confidentiality, including those set forth in the Optional Service Contract Terms. If and to the extent that the Users do not articulate any different agreement with regard to confidentiality, then they agree that this Section 3.3 (Confidential Information) applies.
To the extent a User provides Confidential Information to another User, the recipient will protect the secrecy of the discloser’s Confidential Information with the same degree of care as it uses to protect its own Confidential Information, but in no event with less than due care. On a User’s written request, the party that received Confidential Information will promptly destroy or return the disclosing party’s Confidential Information and any copies thereof contained in or on its premises, systems, or any other equipment otherwise under its control.
4. WORKER CLASSIFICATION AND UPWORK PAYROLL
Section 4 discusses what you agree to concerning whether a Freelancer is an employee or independent contractor and when you agree to use Upwork Payroll, as detailed below.
4.1 WORKER CLASSIFICATION
Nothing in this Agreement is intended to or should be construed to create a partnership, joint venture, franchisor/franchisee or employer-employee relationship between Upwork and a User.
Client is solely responsible for and has complete discretion with regard to selection of any Freelancer for any Project. Client is solely responsible for and assumes all liability for determining whether Freelancers should be engaged as independent contractors or employees of Client and engaging them accordingly and, if applicable, for complying with the UK tax legislation known as “IR35”, also sometimes called the “Off-Payroll Working Rules” (“IR35”), including, without limitation, providing Upwork and/or the Freelancer with a designation or a Status Determination Statement (SDS) required under IR35. Any designation provided to Upwork must be emailed to legalnotices@upwork.com and include all the details of the engagement; Client specifically acknowledges and agrees that providing a designation to Upwork through any other means is not sufficient to satisfy its obligations under this Section 4.1. Client warrants its decisions regarding classification are correct and its manner of engaging Freelancers complies with applicable laws, regulations, and rules. Upwork will have no input into, or involvement in, worker classification as between Client and Freelancer and Users agree that Upwork has no involvement in and will have no liability arising from or relating to the classification of a Freelancer generally or with regard to a particular Project.
4.2 UPWORK PAYROLL SERVICES
Client agrees to enroll in Upwork Payroll if it will receive services from a Freelancer under terms and conditions that would give rise to an employment relationship, including, if applicable, if the Freelancer is subject to taxation under IR35 (unless Client elects instead to pay the Conversion Fee (see Section 7)). When the Client enrolls in Upwork Payroll, Client will engage Upwork’s third-party staffing vendor (the “Staffing Provider”), which is an Agency on Upwork, through the Site. The Staffing Provider will hire Freelancer at the request of Client and Freelancer according to the terms described on the Site and otherwise agreed to by the Staffing Provider and Client and/or Freelancer, and subject to the Upwork Payroll Agreement. For all purposes with Upwork Payroll, the employer of Freelancer will be the Staffing Provider and not Upwork under any circumstances.
Freelancer, acknowledges, understands, and agrees that Upwork will have no control over, or involvement in determining or influencing, the terms and conditions of any employment relationship that may arise between Freelancer and Staffing Provider or Client, including the selection of an employee, pay rate, work hours, employment dates and working conditions. Freelancer will not have any contract on the Site or contact with Upwork regarding such employment terms. Where Freelancer and Client have enrolled in Upwork Payroll, the Site is provided for, and Users agree to use the Site for, the sole purpose of enabling Freelancer to communicate with the Staffing Provider and the Client.
5. UPWORK FEES
Section 5 describes what fees you agree to pay to Upwork in exchange for Upwork providing the Site and Site Services to you and what taxes Upwork may collect, as detailed below.
5.1 FEES FOR FREELANCERS
Service Fees. As set forth in the Fee and ACH Authorization Agreement and the Direct Contract Terms, Freelancers will pay Upwork a service fee for the use of the Site Services, including the communication, invoicing, reporting, dispute resolution and payment services, including facilitating arbitration services and Hourly Payment Protection, as described in the applicable Escrow Instructions (the “Service Fees”). The Service Fees (to use the Site Services) are paid solely by Freelancer. When a Client pays a Freelancer for a Project or when funds related to a Project are otherwise released to a Freelancer as required by the applicable Escrow Instructions (See Section 6.1), Upwork Escrow will credit the Freelancer Escrow Account for the full amount paid or released by the Client, and then subtract and disburse to Upwork the Service Fee. Freelancer hereby irrevocably authorizes and instructs Upwork Escrow to deduct the Service Fee from the Freelancer Escrow Account and pay Upwork on Freelancer’s behalf. In the event the Freelancer chooses to withdraw funds in a currency other than U.S. dollars, there may also be a foreign currency conversion charge imposed by Upwork Escrow or an affiliate and the rate may differ from rates that are in effect on the date of the payment and you may be able to obtain a better rate from your bank or financial institution.
Membership Fees and Connects. Freelancers may subscribe to different levels of participation and privileges on the Site to access additional features and Site Service, by payment of subscription membership fees and by purchasing "Connects" as described in and subject to the terms of the Freelancer Membership Agreement.
Disbursement Fees. Freelancers will pay Upwork a disbursement fee for remitting payments to their preferred payment method (“Disbursement Fee”). The Disbursement Fee is paid to Upwork in consideration of costs incurred and administration of disbursements via the disbursement method requested by Freelancer and varies by disbursement method. The Disbursement Fee for each disbursement method is listed under Fees and Schedules on the Site as revised from time to time.
In addition to fees charged by Upwork, your disbursement method may also charge activation, maintenance, or other account fees.
5.2 CLIENT FEES
Clients pay Upwork a fee for payment processing and administration related to the Freelancer Fees they pay to Freelancers they engage through the Site, as described in the Fee and ACH Authorization Agreement.
Clients may also choose to pay for a premium membership plan to access additional features and Site Services, as described in the Fee and ACH Authorization Agreement.
Clients do not pay fees if they use the Site solely for Direct Contracts.
5.3 VAT AND OTHER TAXES
Upwork may be required by applicable law to collect taxes or levies including, without limitation, withholding income tax or VAT (while some countries may refer to VAT using other terms, e.g. GST, we’ll just refer to VAT, GST and any local sales taxes collectively as “VAT”) in the jurisdiction of the Freelancer (the "Taxes"). In such instances, any amounts Upwork is required to collect or withhold for the payment of any such Taxes shall be collected in addition to the fees owed to Upwork under the Terms of Service.
5.4 NO FEE FOR INTRODUCING OR FOR FINDING PROJECTS
Upwork does not introduce Clients to Freelancers and does not help Freelancers secure Projects. Upwork merely makes the Site and Site Services available to enable Freelancers to do so themselves and may from time to time highlight Projects that may be of interest. Therefore, Upwork does not charge a fee when a Freelancer finds a suitable Client or finds a Project. In addition, Upwork does not charge any fee or dues for posting public feedback and composite or compiled feedback, including Composite Information.
6. PAYMENT TERMS AND ESCROW SERVICES
Section 6 discusses your agreement to pay Freelancer Service Fees on Service Contracts, and describes how Upwork’s Escrow Services work, what happens if a Client doesn’t pay, and related topics, as detailed below.
6.1 ESCROW SERVICES
Upwork Escrow provides escrow services to Users to deliver, hold, and/or receive payment for a Project, and to pay fees to Upwork (“Escrow Services”). Upwork Escrow is a Delaware corporation and a licensed Internet escrow agent that holds California Department of Business Oversight License No. 963 5086. The Escrow Services are intended for business use, and you agree to use the Escrow Services only for business purposes and not for consumer, personal, family, or household purposes.
6.1.1 ESCROW INSTRUCTIONS
Upwork Escrow will use and release funds deposited in an Escrow Account only in accordance with this Agreement and the applicable Escrow Instructions. You acknowledge and agree that Upwork Escrow acts merely as an Internet escrow agent. Upwork Escrow has fully delivered the Escrow Services to you if Upwork Escrow provides the Escrow Services described in this Agreement and the applicable Escrow Instructions. Upwork Escrow is only obligated to perform those duties expressly described in this Agreement and any applicable Escrow Instructions. If you authorize or instruct Upwork Escrow to release or make a payment of funds from an Escrow Account associated with you, Upwork Escrow may release or pay those funds as instructed in reliance on your authorization, this Agreement, and the applicable Escrow Instructions or as required by applicable law.
Fixed-Price Projects. If Users choose fixed-price compensation, then the Users agree that they will be bound by, and Upwork Escrow will follow, the Fixed-Price Escrow Instructions.
Hourly Projects, Bonus Payments, or Expense Payments. If Users choose hourly compensation, and/or if the Client makes bonus or expense payments, then the Users agree that they will be bound by, and Upwork Escrow will follow, the Hourly, Bonus and Expense Payment Agreement with Escrow Instructions.
Direct Contracts. If Users enter into a Direct Contract, then the Users agree that they will be bound by, and Upwork Escrow will follow, the Direct Contract Escrow Instructions.
Upwork Payroll Engagements. If Users use Upwork Payroll (Section 4) for a particular Project, then the Staffing Employee is paid directly by the Staffing Provider. A Client will be invoiced through the Site by the Staffing Provider, and the applicable Escrow Instructions will apply. However, the Client will not be able to dispute hours reported by the Staffing Employee and there is no waiting period for the disbursement of funds to the Staffing Employee.
6.1.2 ESCROW ACCOUNTS
Upwork Escrow will use and release funds deposited in an Escrow Account only in accordance with this Agreement and the applicable Escrow Instructions. Depending on your needs and the applicable Escrow Instructions, Upwork Escrow will establish and maintain one of three different types of Escrow Accounts:
(a) Client Escrow Account. After entering into a Service Contract, the first time a Client makes a payment for a Project, Upwork Escrow will establish and maintain a “Client Escrow Account” to hold funds for the Client to use to make payments for Projects, to receive refunds in connection with Projects, and to make payments to Upwork.
(b) Freelancer Escrow Account. After entering into a Service Contract, the first time a Freelancer uses the Site to receive payment for a Project, Upwork Escrow will establish and maintain a “Freelancer Escrow Account” for Freelancer to receive payments for Projects, withdraw payments, make payments to Upwork and issue refunds to Clients.
(c) Fixed-Price Escrow Account. When you enter into a Fixed-Price Contract, Upwork Escrow will establish and maintain a “Fixed-Price Escrow Account” to receive, hold, and release payments pursuant to the Fixed-Price Escrow Instructions for the Project that is the subject of that Fixed-Price Contract.
(d) Direct Contract Escrow Account. When you enter into a Direct Contract, Upwork Escrow will establish and maintain a “Direct Contract Escrow Account” to receive, hold, and release payments pursuant to the Direct Contract Escrow Instructions for the Project that is the subject of that Direct Contract.
You hereby authorize and instruct Upwork Escrow to act as escrow agent in connection with the Escrow Accounts and the payment, holding, and receipt of funds for each Project and other specified purposes in accordance with the Terms of Service and the applicable Escrow Instructions. Client and Freelancer may access current information regarding the status of an Escrow Account on the Site.
6.1.3 FREELANCER APPOINTMENT OF UPWORK ESCROW AND SUBSIDIARIES AS AGENT
If you are a Freelancer and you request payment related to an Hourly Contract or the release of funds from a Fixed-Price Escrow Account, you hereby appoint Upwork Escrow and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, as your agent to obtain funds on your behalf and credit them to your Freelancer Escrow Account as applicable. Because Upwork Escrow is Freelancer’s agent, Freelancer must, and hereby does, fully discharge and credit Freelancer’s Client for all payments and releases that Upwork Escrow receives on Freelancer’s behalf from or on behalf of such Client.
6.1.4 TITLE TO FUNDS
Upwork, Upwork Escrow and our Affiliates are not banks. Upwork Escrow deposits and maintains all Escrow Account funds in an escrow trust account at a bank insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and approved to receive, hold, and deliver escrow funds under applicable laws and regulations. The escrow trust account is separate from the operating accounts of Upwork and each of our Affiliates. Upwork Escrow will not voluntarily make funds deposited in the escrow trust account available to its creditors, or the creditors of its Affiliates, in the event of a bankruptcy, or for any other purpose. As provided in United States Bankruptcy Code, § 541(d), Upwork Escrow holds only legal title to, and not any equitable interest in, the escrow trust account and any funds deposited therein. This Agreement is supplementary to the Service Contract and to any other agreement between Client and Freelancer concerning the Project, as provided in 11 United States Bankruptcy Code, § 365(n).
6.1.5 NO INTEREST
You agree that you will not receive interest or other earnings on the funds held in your Escrow Account. Upwork, Upwork Escrow, or our Affiliates may charge or deduct fees, may receive a reduction in fees or expenses charged, and may receive other compensation in connection with the services they provide as provided in Section 5 and the Fee and ACH Authorization Agreement.
6.1.6 ESCROW AGENT DUTIES
We undertake to perform only such duties as are expressly set forth in this Agreement, the applicable Escrow Instructions, and the other Terms of Service, and no other duties will be implied. We have no liability under, and no duty to inquire as to, the provisions of any agreement, other than the Terms of Service, including this Agreement and the applicable Escrow Instructions. We will be under no duty to inquire about or investigate any agreement or communication between Client and Freelancer, even if posted to the Site. We have the right to rely upon, and will not be liable for acting or refraining from acting upon, any written notice, instruction, or request furnished to us by Client or Freelancer in accordance with this Agreement or the applicable Escrow Instructions, if we reasonably believe that such notice, instruction, or request is genuine and that it is signed or presented by the proper party or parties. We have no duty to inquire about or investigate the validity, accuracy, or content of any such notice, instruction, or request. We have no duty to solicit any payments or releases that may be due to or from any Escrow Account. We may execute any of our powers and perform any of our duties under this Agreement and the applicable Escrow Instructions directly or through agents or attorneys (and will be liable only for the careful selection of any such agent or attorney) and may consult with counsel, accountants, and other skilled persons to be selected and retained by us. To the extent permitted by applicable law, we will not be liable for anything done, suffered, or omitted in good faith by us in accordance with the advice or opinion of any such counsel, accountants, or other skilled persons. If we are uncertain as to our duties or rights hereunder or receive instructions, claims, or demands from any party hereto that, in our opinion, conflict with any of the provisions of this Agreement or the applicable Escrow Instructions, we will be entitled to refrain from taking any action, and our sole obligation will be to keep safely all property held in the Escrow Account until we are directed otherwise in writing by Client and Freelancer or by a final order or judgment of an arbitrator or court of competent jurisdiction.
6.1.7 ESCROW AGENT RIGHT
We have the right, in our sole discretion, but not the obligation, to institute arbitration or, if no arbitration provision applies, other legal proceedings, including depositing funds held in the Escrow Account with a court of competent jurisdiction, and to resolve any dispute between Client and Freelancer related to the Escrow Account. Any provision of this Agreement and the applicable Escrow Instructions to the contrary notwithstanding and regardless whether we are identified as a party in interest in any dispute, arbitration, or other legal proceeding, nothing herein will be construed to limit our legal and equitable rights, including, but not limited to, depositing funds held in the Escrow Account with a court of competent jurisdiction. Any corporation or association into which Upwork Escrow may be merged or converted or with which Upwork Escrow may be consolidated, or any corporation or association to which all or substantially all the escrow business of Upwork Escrow may be transferred will succeed to all the rights and obligations of Upwork Escrow as escrow holder and escrow agent under this Agreement and the applicable Escrow Instructions without further act to the extent permitted by applicable law.
6.2 CLIENT PAYMENTS ON SERVICE CONTRACTS
Hourly Contracts. Freelancer will invoice Client for Freelancer Fees on a weekly basis through Upwork, and Client will pay invoices consistent with the Hourly Escrow Instructions. When Client approves an Hourly Invoice for an Hourly Contract, Client automatically and irrevocably authorizes and instructs Upwork or its Affiliate, Upwork Escrow or Elance Ltd., to charge Client’s Payment Method for the Freelancer Fees.
Fixed-Price Contracts. Client becomes obligated to pay applicable amounts into the Escrow Account immediately upon sending a Fixed-Price Contract offer (for the full amount or for the first milestone, if milestones are used) or upon activating any additional milestone. When Client authorizes the payment of the Freelancer Fees for a Fixed-Price Contract on the Site, Client automatically and irrevocably authorizes and instructs Upwork or its Affiliates, Upwork Escrow or Elance Ltd., to charge Client’s Payment Method for the Freelancer Fees.
Client acknowledges and agrees that for both Hourly Contracts and Fixed-Price Contracts, failure by Client to decline or dispute an Hourly Invoice or request for payment is an authorization and instruction to release payment, as described more fully in the applicable Escrow Instructions.
6.3 DISBURSEMENTS TO FREELANCERS ON SERVICE CONTRACTS
Under the relevant Escrow Instructions, Upwork Escrow disburses funds that are available in the applicable Freelancer Escrow Account and payable to a Freelancer upon Freelancer’s request. A Freelancer can request disbursement of available funds any time on a one-time basis or by setting up an automatic disbursement schedule. If Freelancer does not request a disbursement, Upwork will automatically disburse available funds no more than 90 days after the Freelancer Fees are released to the Freelancer Escrow Account, unless the amount in the Escrow Account is less than the Minimum Threshold. For purposes of the Terms of Service, a “Minimum Threshold” is either (a) $100 for Freelancers within the United States, or (b) $1,000 for Freelancers outside the United States. When the funds in the Freelancer Escrow Account are below the Minimum Threshold, the automatic disbursement schedule is paused and the available and payable funds are released on the earlier of: (i) Freelancer’s request; (ii) on the first scheduled automatic disbursement occurring after the amount exceeds the Minimum Threshold; or (iii) 180 days after the funds are available in the Freelancer Escrow Account.
Hourly Contracts. Freelancer Fees become available to Freelancers following the expiration of the dispute period and the five-day security period.
Fixed-Price Contracts. Freelancer Fees become available to Freelancers following the expiration of the five-day security period after the funds are released as provided in the applicable Escrow Instructions. The security period begins after Client accepts and approves work submitted by Freelancer.
Notwithstanding any other provision of the Terms of Service or the Escrow Instructions, Upwork Escrow, in its sole discretion and except as prohibited by applicable law, may refuse to process, may hold the disbursement of the Freelancer Fees or any other amounts and offset amounts owed to us, or take such other actions with respect to the Escrow Account as we deem appropriate in our sole discretion if: (a) we require additional information, such as Freelancer’s tax information, government-issued identification or other proof of identity, address, or date of birth; (b) we have reason to believe the Freelancer Fees may be subject to dispute or chargeback; (c) we suspect a User has committed or attempted to commit fraud or other illicit acts on or through the Site; (d) we believe there are reasonable grounds for insecurity with respect to the performance of obligations under this Agreement or other Terms of Service; or (e) we deem it necessary in connection with any investigation or required by applicable law. If, after investigation, we determine that the hold on the disbursement of the Freelancer Fees is no longer necessary, Upwork Escrow will release such hold as soon as practicable.
In addition, notwithstanding any other provision of the Terms of Service or the Escrow Instructions and to the extent permitted by applicable law, we reserve the right to seek reimbursement from you, and you will reimburse us, if we: (i) suspect fraud or criminal activity associated with your payment, withdrawal, or Project; (ii) discover erroneous or duplicate transactions; or (iii) have supplied our services in accordance with this Agreement yet we receive any chargeback from the Payment Method used by you, or used by your Client if you are a Freelancer, despite our provision of the Site Services in accordance with this Agreement. You agree that we have the right to obtain such reimbursement by instructing Upwork Escrow to (and Upwork Escrow will have the right to) charge the applicable Escrow Account, and any other accounts you hold with us, offsetting any amounts determined to be owing, deducting amounts from future payments or withdrawals, charging your Payment Method, or obtaining reimbursement from you by any other lawful means. If we are unable to obtain such reimbursement, we may, in addition to any other remedies available under applicable law, temporarily or permanently revoke your access to the Site and Site Services and close your Account.
6.4 NON-PAYMENT
If Client is in “default”, meaning the Client fails to pay the Freelancer Fees or any other amounts when due under the Terms of Service, or a written agreement for payment terms incorporating the Terms of Service (signed by an authorized representative of Upwork), Upwork will be entitled to the remedies described in this Section 6.4 in addition to such other remedies that may be available under applicable law or in such written agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, Client will be deemed to be in default on the earliest occurrence of any of the following: (a) Client fails to pay the Freelancer Fees when due; (b) Client fails to pay a balance that is due or to bring, within a reasonable period of time but no more than 30 days after accrual of the charge, an account current after a credit or debit card is declined or expires; (c) Client fails to pay an invoice issued to the Client by Upwork within the time period agreed or, if no period is agreed, within 30 days; (d) Client initiates a chargeback with a bank or other financial institution resulting in a charge made by Upwork for Freelancer Fees or such other amount due being reversed to the Client; or (e) Client takes other actions or fails to take any action that results in a negative or past-due balance on the Client’s account.
If Client is in default, we may, without notice, temporarily or permanently close Client’s Account and revoke Client’s access to the Site and Site Services, including Client’s authority to use the Site to process any additional payments, enter into Service Contracts, or obtain any additional Freelancer Services from other Users through the Site. However, Client will remain responsible for any amounts that accrue on any open Projects at the time a limitation is put on the Client’s Account as a result of the default. Without limiting other available remedies, Client must pay Upwork upon demand for any amounts owed, plus interest on the outstanding amount at the lesser of one and one-half percent (1.5%) per month or the maximum interest allowed by applicable law, plus attorneys’ fees and other costs of collection to the extent permitted by applicable law.
At our discretion and to the extent permitted by applicable law, Upwork or its Affiliates, Upwork Escrow or Elance Ltd., may, without notice, charge all or a portion of any amount that is owed on any Account to Upwork or as Freelancer Fees or otherwise to any Payment Method on file on the Client’s Account; set off amounts due against other amounts received from Client or held by for Client by Upwork, Upwork Escrow or another Affiliate; make appropriate reports to credit reporting agencies and law enforcement authorities; and cooperate with credit reporting agencies and law enforcement authorities in any investigation or prosecution.
Upwork does not guarantee that Client is able to pay or will pay Freelancer Fees and Upwork is not liable for Freelancer Fees if Client is in default. Freelancer may use the dispute process as described in the applicable Escrow Instructions in order to recover funds from Client in the event of a default or may pursue such other remedies against Client as Freelancer chooses. If Upwork recovers funds from a Client in default pursuant to this Section 6.4, Upwork will disburse any portion attributable to Freelancer Fees to the applicable Freelancer to the extent not already paid by Client or credited by Upwork through any Payment Protection program.
6.5 NO RETURN OF FUNDS AND NO CHARGEBACKS
Client acknowledges and agrees that Upwork or its Affiliates, Upwork Escrow or Elance Ltd., will charge or debit Client’s designated Payment Method for the Freelancer Fees incurred as described in the applicable Escrow Instructions and the Fee and ACH Authorization Agreement and that once Upwork or its Affiliates, Upwork Escrow or Elance Ltd., charges or debits the Client’s designated Payment Method for the Freelancer Fees, the charge or debit is non-refundable, except as otherwise required by applicable law. Client also acknowledges and agrees that the Terms of Service provide a dispute resolution process as a way for Client resolve disputes. To the extent permitted by applicable law, Client therefore agrees not to ask its credit card company, bank, or other Payment Method provider to charge back any Freelancer Fees or other fees charged pursuant to the Terms of Service for any reason. A chargeback in breach of the foregoing obligation is a material breach of the Terms of Service. If Client initiates a chargeback in violation of this Agreement, Client agrees that Upwork or its Affiliates, Upwork Escrow or Elance Ltd., may dispute or appeal the chargeback and institute collection action against Client and take such other action it deems appropriate.
6.6 PAYMENT METHODS
In order to use certain Site Services, Client must provide account information for at least one valid Payment Method.
Client hereby authorizes Upwork, Upwork Escrow, and Elance Ltd., as applicable, to run credit card authorizations on all credit cards provided by Client, to store credit card and banking or other financial details as Client’s method of payment consistent with our Privacy Policy, and to charge Client’s credit card (or any other Payment Method) for the Freelancer Fees and any other amounts owed under the Terms of Service. To the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to our Privacy Policy, you acknowledge and agree that we may use certain third-party vendors and service providers to process payments and manage your Payment Method information.
By providing Payment Method information through the Site and authorizing payments with the Payment Method, Client represents, warrants, and covenants that: (a) Client is legally authorized to provide such information; (b) Client is legally authorized to make payments using the Payment Method(s); (c) if Client is an employee or agent of a company or person that owns the Payment Method, that Client is authorized by the company or person to use the Payment Method to make payments on Upwork; and (d) such actions do not violate the terms and conditions applicable to Client’s use of such Payment Method(s) or applicable law.
When Client authorizes a payment using a Payment Method via the Site, Client represents and warrants that there are sufficient funds or credit available to complete the payment using the designated Payment Method. To the extent that any amounts owed under this Agreement or the other Terms of Service cannot be collected from Client’s Payment Method(s), Client is solely responsible for paying such amounts by other means.
Upwork is not liable to any User if Upwork does not complete a transaction as a result of any limit by applicable law or your financial institution, or if a financial institution fails to honor any credit or debit to or from an account associated with such Payment Method. Upwork will make commercially reasonable efforts to work with any such affected Users to resolve such transactions in a manner consistent with this Agreement and any applicable Escrow Instructions.
6.7 U.S. DOLLARS AND FOREIGN CURRENCY CONVERSION
The Site and the Site Services operate in U.S. Dollars. If a User's Payment Method is denominated in a currency other than U.S. Dollars and requires currency conversion to make or receive payments in U.S. Dollars, the Site may display foreign currency conversion rates that Upwork, Upwork Escrow, or our Affiliates currently make available to convert supported foreign currencies to U.S. Dollars. These foreign currency conversion rates adjust regularly based on market conditions. Please note that the wholesale currency conversion rates at which we or our Affiliates obtain foreign currency will usually be different than the foreign currency conversion rates offered on the Site. Each User, at its sole discretion and risk, may authorize the charge, debit, or credit of its Payment Method in a supported foreign currency and the conversion of the payment to U.S. Dollars at the foreign currency conversion rate displayed on the Site. A list of supported foreign currencies is available on the Site. If foreign currency conversion is required to make a payment in U.S. Dollars and Upwork or its Affiliate, Upwork Escrow or Elance Ltd., as applicable, does not support the foreign currency or the User does not authorize the conversion of such payment at the foreign currency conversion rate displayed on the Site, Upwork Escrow or one of our Affiliates will charge, debit, or credit the User's Payment Method in U.S. Dollars and the User's Payment Method provider will convert the payment at a foreign currency conversion rate selected by the User's Payment Method provider. The User's Payment Method provider may also charge fees directly to the Payment Method even when no currency conversion is involved. The User's authorization of a payment using a foreign currency conversion rate displayed on the Site is at the User's sole risk. Upwork, Upwork Escrow, Elance Ltd., and our Affiliates are not responsible for currency fluctuations that occur when billing or crediting a Payment Method denominated in a currency other than U.S. Dollars. Upwork, Upwork Escrow, Elance Ltd., and our Affiliates are not responsible for currency fluctuations that occur when receiving or sending payments to and from the Escrow Account.
7. NON-CIRCUMVENTION
Section 7 discusses your agreement to make and receive payments only through Upwork for two years from the date you first identify or meet your Client or Freelancer on the Site, unless you pay a Conversion Fee; violating this Section 7 is a serious breach and your Account may be permanently suspended for violations, as detailed below.
7.1 MAKING PAYMENTS THROUGH UPWORK
You acknowledge and agree that a substantial portion of the compensation Upwork receives for making the Site available to you is collected through the Service Fee described in Section 5.1 and that in exchange a substantial value to you is the relationships you make with other Users when you identify or are identified by another person through the Site or Site Services (the “Upwork Relationship”). Upwork only receives the Service Fee when a Client and a Freelancer pay and receive payment through the Site. Therefore, except as set out in Section 7.2, for 24 months from the start of an Upwork Relationship (the “Non-Circumvention Period”), you agree to use the Site as your exclusive method to request, make, and receive all payments for work directly or indirectly with that person or arising out of your relationship with that person and not to circumvent the Payment Methods offered on the Site unless you pay a fee to take the relationship off of the Site (the “Conversion Fee”). For the avoidance of doubt, if you, or the business you represent, did not identify and were not identified by another person through the Site, such as if you and another User worked together before meeting on the Site, then the Non-Circumvention Period does not apply. If you use the Site as an employee, agent, or representative of another business, then the Non-Circumvention Period applies to you and other employees, agents, or representatives of the business or its successor when acting in that capacity with respect to the other User.
By way of illustration and not in limitation of the foregoing, you agree not to:
• Offer or solicit or accept any offer or solicitation from parties identified through the Site to contract, hire, invoice, pay, or receive payment in any manner other than through the Site.
• Invoice or report on the Site or in a Conversion Fee request an invoice or payment amount lower than that actually agreed, made, or received between Users.
• Refer a User you identified on the Site to a third-party who is not a User of the Site for purposes of making or receiving payments other than through the Site.
You agree to notify Upwork immediately if a person suggests to you making or receiving payments other than through the Site in violation of this Section 7 or if you receive unsolicited contact outside of the Site. If you are aware of a breach or potential breach of this non-circumvention agreement, please submit a confidential report to Upwork here.
You acknowledge and agree that a violation of any provision in this Section 7.1 is a material breach of the Terms of Service. Your Account may be permanently suspended and charged the Conversion Fee (defined above) if you violate this Section 7.1. If you refuse to accept any new version of the Terms of Service or elect not to comply with certain conditions of using the Site, such as minimum rates supported on the Site, and therefore choose to cease using the Site, you may pay the Conversion Fee for each other User you wish to continue working with on whatever terms you agree after you cease using the Site.
7.2 COMMUNICATING THROUGH THE SITE; NOT SHARING CONTACT DETAILS
The provisions of this Section 7.2 apply to any interaction between Users where the Client has a Basic or Plus Account. The provisions of this Section 7.2 do not apply to any interaction between Users where the Client is an Enterprise Client. For purposes of the Terms of Service, “Enterprise Client ” means a Client, including a legacy Enterprise client or an Upwork Business Client, that has the following “Enterprise” badge displayed on its job post or search tile:
For Users subject to this Section 7.2, Users agree to use the communication services available on the Site to communicate with other Users prior to entering into a Service Contract. You agree that prior to entering into a Service Contract, you (a) will use Upwork as the sole manner to communicate with other Users; (b) will not provide your Means of Direct Contact (defined below) to any other User or another person that you identified or were identified by through the Site; (c) will not use Means of Direct Contact of another user to attempt to or to communicate with, solicit, contact, or find the contact information of a User outside of Upwork; (d) will not ask for, provide, or attempt to identify through public means the contact information of another User; and (e) you will not include any Means of Direct Contact (defined below) or means by which your contact information could be discovered in any profile, proposal, job posting, invitation, or pre-hire communication through the Site’s communications services (including in each case in any attached file), except as otherwise provided on the Site.
For purposes of the Terms of Service “Means of Direct Contact” means any information that would allow another person to contact you directly, including, without limitation, phone number, email address, physical address, a link to a contact form or form requesting contact information, any link to an applicant management system or means to submit a proposal or application outside of the Site, or any information that would enable a user to contact you on social media or other website or platform or application that includes a communications tool, such as Skype, Slack, Wechat, or Facebook. For the avoidance of doubt, information is a Means of Direct Contact if it would enable another user to identify any of the information above through other sources, such as going to a website that included an email address or identifying you on social media, such as through Facebook or LinkedIn.
You acknowledge and agree that a violation of any provision of this Section 7.2 is a material breach of the Terms of Service. Your Account may be permanently suspended if you violate this Section 7.2.
7.3 OPTING OUT
You may opt out of the obligations in Section 7.1 with respect to each Upwork Relationship only if the Client or Freelancer pays Upwork a Conversion Fee which is a minimum of $1,000 USD and up to $50,000 USD for each Upwork Relationship.
You agree that the Conversion Fee is 12% of the estimated earnings over a twelve (12) month period, which is calculated by taking the Hourly Rate (defined below) and multiplying it by 2,080. “Hourly Rate” means the highest of (a) the highest hourly rate charged by the Freelancer on any Service Contract, if any; (b) the highest hourly rate proposed by the Freelancer in any proposal, if any; or (c) the hourly rate in the Freelancer’s profile.
The Conversion Fee may be calculated differently for Upwork Relationships when the Client is an Enterprise Client if the Enterprise Client contract with Upwork provides for different terms.
You understand and agree that if Upwork determines, in its sole discretion, that you have violated Section 7, Upwork or its Affiliates may, to the maximum extent permitted by law (x) charge your Payment Method the Conversion Fee (including interest) if permitted by law or send you an invoice for the Conversion Fee (including interest), which you agree to pay within 30 days, (y) close your Account and revoke your authorization to use the Site and Site Services, and/or (z) charge you for all losses and costs (including any and all time of Upwork’s employees) and reasonable expenses (including attorneys’ fees) related to investigating such breach and collecting such fees.
8. RECORDS OF COMPLIANCE
Section 8 discusses your agreement to make and keep all required records, as detailed below.
Users will each (a) create and maintain records to document satisfaction of their respective obligations under this Agreement, including, without limitation, their respective payment obligations and compliance with tax and employment laws, and (b) provide copies of such records to Upwork upon request. Nothing in this subsection requires or will be construed as requiring Upwork to supervise or monitor a User’s compliance with this Agreement, the other Terms of Service, or a Service Contract. You are solely responsible for creation, storage, and backup of your business records. This Agreement and any registration for or subsequent use of the Site will not be construed as creating any responsibility on Upwork’s part to store, backup, retain, or grant access to any information or data for any period.
9. WARRANTY DISCLAIMER
Section 9 discusses your agreement and understanding that the Site and Site Services may not always be available or work perfectly, as detailed below.
YOU AGREE NOT TO RELY ON THE SITE, THE SITE SERVICES, ANY INFORMATION ON THE SITE OR THE CONTINUATION OF THE SITE. THE SITE AND THE SITE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND ON AN “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS. UPWORK MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THE SITE, THE SITE SERVICES, WORK PRODUCT, USER CONTENT, OR ANY ACTIVITIES OR ITEMS RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TERMS OF SERVICE. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, UPWORK DISCLAIMS ALL EXPRESS AND IMPLIED CONDITIONS, REPRESENTATIONS, AND WARRANTIES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, ACCURACY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. SOME JURISDICTIONS MAY NOT ALLOW FOR ALL OF THE FOREGOING LIMITATIONS ON WARRANTIES, SO TO THAT EXTENT, SOME OR ALL OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. SECTION 13 (AGREEMENT TERM AND TERMINATION) STATES USER’S SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY AGAINST UPWORK WITH RESPECT TO ANY DEFECTS, NON-CONFORMANCES, OR DISSATISFACTION.
10. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
Section 10 discusses your agreement that Upwork usually will not have to pay you damages relating to your use of the Site and Site Services and, if it is, at most it will be required to pay you $2,500, as detailed below.
Upwork is not liable, and you agree not to hold us responsible, for any damages or losses arising out of or in connection with the Terms of Service, including, but not limited to:
- your use of or your inability to use our Site or Site Services;
- delays or disruptions in our Site or Site Services;
- viruses or other malicious software obtained by accessing, or linking to, our Site or Site Services;
- glitches, bugs, errors, or inaccuracies of any kind in our Site or Site Services;
- damage to your hardware device from the use of the Site or Site Services;
- the content, actions, or inactions of third parties’ use of the Site or Site Services;
- a suspension or other action taken with respect to your Account;
- your reliance on the quality, accuracy, or reliability of job postings, Profiles, ratings, recommendations, and feedback (including their content, order, and display), Composite Information, or metrics found on, used on, or made available through the Site; and
- your need to modify practices, content, or behavior or your loss of or inability to do business, as a result of changes to the Terms of Service.
ADDITIONALLY, IN NO EVENT WILL UPWORK, OUR AFFILIATES, OUR LICENSORS, OR OUR THIRD-PARTY SERVICE PROVIDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY, OR INDIRECT COSTS OR DAMAGES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LITIGATION COSTS, INSTALLATION AND REMOVAL COSTS, OR LOSS OF DATA, PRODUCTION, PROFIT, OR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES. THE LIABILITY OF UPWORK, OUR AFFILIATES, OUR LICENSORS, AND OUR THIRD-PARTY SERVICE PROVIDERS TO ANY USER FOR ANY CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE OTHER TERMS OF SERVICE WILL NOT EXCEED THE LESSER OF: (A) $2,500; OR (B) ANY FEES RETAINED BY UPWORK WITH RESPECT TO SERVICE CONTRACTS ON WHICH USER WAS INVOLVED AS CLIENT OR FREELANCER DURING THE SIX-MONTH PERIOD PRECEDING THE DATE OF THE CLAIM. THESE LIMITATIONS WILL APPLY TO ANY LIABILITY, ARISING FROM ANY CAUSE OF ACTION WHATSOEVER ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE OTHER TERMS OF SERVICE, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH COSTS OR DAMAGES AND EVEN IF THE LIMITED REMEDIES PROVIDED HEREIN FAIL OF THEIR ESSENTIAL PURPOSE. SOME STATES AND JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW FOR ALL OF THE FOREGOING EXCLUSIONS AND LIMITATIONS, SO TO THAT EXTENT, SOME OR ALL OF THESE LIMITATIONS AND EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.
11. RELEASE
Section 11 discusses your agreement not to hold us responsible for any dispute you may have with another User, as detailed below.
In addition to the recognition that Upwork is not a party to any contract between Users, you hereby release Upwork, our Affiliates, and our respective officers, directors, agents, subsidiaries, joint ventures, employees and service providers from claims, demands, and damages (actual and consequential) of every kind and nature, known and unknown, arising out of or in any way connected with any dispute you have with another User, whether it be at law or in equity that exist as of the time you enter into this agreement. This release includes, for example and without limitation, any disputes regarding the performance, functions, and quality of the Freelancer Services provided to Client by a Freelancer and requests for refunds based upon disputes. Procedures regarding the handling of certain disputes between Users are discussed in the Escrow Instructions.
TO THE EXTENT APPLICABLE, YOU HEREBY WAIVE THE PROTECTIONS OF CALIFORNIA CIVIL CODE § 1542 (AND ANY ANALOGOUS LAW IN ANY OTHER APPLICABLE JURISDICTION) WHICH SAYS: “A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS THAT THE CREDITOR OR RELEASING PARTY DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS OR HER FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE AND THAT, IF KNOWN BY HIM OR HER, WOULD HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS OR HER SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR OR RELEASED PARTY.”
This release will not apply to a claim that Upwork failed to meet our obligations under the Terms of Service.
12. INDEMNIFICATION
Section 12 discusses your agreement to pay for any costs or losses we have as a result of a claim brought against us related to your use of the Site or Site Services or your illegal or harmful conduct, as detailed below.
You will indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Upwork, our Affiliates, and our respective directors, officers, employees, representatives, and agents (each an “Indemnified Party”) for all Indemnified Claims (defined below) and Indemnified Liabilities (defined below) relating to or arising out of: (a) the use of the Site and the Site Services by you or your agents, including any payment obligations or default (described in Section 6.4 (Non-Payment)) incurred through use of the Site Services; (b) any Work Product or User Content developed, provided, or otherwise related to your use of the Site Services; (c) any Service Contract entered into by you or your agents, including, but not limited to, the classification of a Freelancer as an independent contractor or non-compliance with IR35 including for the failure to provide Upwork with a designation including accurate information on the applicability of IR35; the classification of Upwork as an employer or joint employer of Freelancer; any employment-related claims, such as those relating to employment termination, employment discrimination, harassment, or retaliation; and any claims for unpaid wages or other compensation, overtime pay, sick leave, holiday or vacation pay, retirement benefits, worker’s compensation benefits, unemployment benefits, or any other employee benefits; (d) failure to comply with the Terms of Service by you or your agents; (e) failure to comply with applicable law by you or your agents; (f) negligence, willful misconduct, or fraud by you or your agents; and (g) defamation, libel, violation of privacy rights, unfair competition, or infringement of Intellectual Property Rights or allegations thereof to the extent caused by you or your agents. For purposes of this Section 12, your agents includes any person who has apparent authority to access or use your account demonstrated by using your username and password.
“Indemnified Claim” means any and all claims, damages, liabilities, costs, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and all related costs and expenses) arising from or relating to any claim, suit, proceeding, demand, or action brought by you or a third party or other User against an Indemnified Party.
“Indemnified Liability” means any and all claims, damages, liabilities, costs, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and all related costs and expenses) arising from or relating to any claim, suit, proceeding, demand, or action brought by an Indemnified Party against you or a third party or other User.
13. AGREEMENT TERM AND TERMINATION
Section 13 discusses your and Upwork’s agreement about when and how long this Agreement will last, when and how either you or Upwork can end this Agreement, and what happens if either of us ends the Agreement, as detailed below.
13.1 TERMINATION
Unless both you and Upwork expressly agree otherwise in writing, either of us may terminate this Agreement in our sole discretion, at any time, without explanation, upon written notice to the other, which will result in the termination of the other Terms of Service as well, except as otherwise provided herein. You may provide written notice to legalnotices@upwork.com. In the event you properly terminate this Agreement, your right to use the Site and Site Services is automatically revoked, and your Account will be closed. Upwork is not a party to any Service Contract between Users. Consequently, User understands and acknowledges that termination of this Agreement (or attempt to terminate this Agreement) does not terminate or otherwise impact any Service Contract or Project entered into between Users. If you attempt to terminate this Agreement while having one or more open Projects, you agree (a) you hereby instruct Upwork to close any open contracts; (b) you will continue to be bound by this Agreement and the other Terms of Service until all such Projects have closed on the Site; (c) Upwork will continue to perform those Site Services necessary to complete any open Project or related transaction between you and another User; and (d) you will continue to be obligated to pay any amounts accrued but unpaid as of the date of termination or as of the closure of any open Service Contracts, whichever is later, to Upwork for any Site Services or such other amounts owed under the Terms of Service and to any Freelancers for any Freelancer Services.
Without limiting Upwork’s other rights or remedies, we may, but are not obligated to, temporarily or indefinitely revoke or limit access to the Site or Site Services, deny your registration, or permanently revoke your access to the Site and refuse to provide any or all Site Services to you if: (i) you breach the letter or spirit of any terms and conditions of this Agreement or any other provisions of the Terms of Service; (ii) we suspect or become aware that you have provided false or misleading information to us; (iii) we believe, in our sole discretion, that your actions may cause legal liability for you, our Users, or Upwork or our Affiliates; may be contrary to the interests of the Site or the User community; or may involve illicit or illegal activity; or (iv) we are required to by law, legal process, or law enforcement. If your Account is temporarily or permanently closed, you may not use the Site under the same Account or a different Account or re-register under a new Account without Upwork’s prior written consent. If you attempt to use the Site under a different Account, we reserve the right to reclaim available funds in that Account and/or use an available Payment Method to pay for any amounts owed by you to the extent permitted by applicable law.
You acknowledge and agree that the value, reputation, and goodwill of the Site depend on transparency of User’s Account status to all Users, including both yourself and other Users who have entered into Service Contracts with you. You therefore agree as follows: IF UPWORK DECIDES TO TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY CLOSE YOUR ACCOUNT, UPWORK HAS THE RIGHT WHERE ALLOWED BY LAW BUT NOT THE OBLIGATION TO: (A) NOTIFY OTHER USERS THAT HAVE ENTERED INTO SERVICE CONTRACTS WITH YOU TO INFORM THEM OF YOUR CLOSED ACCOUNT STATUS, (B) PROVIDE THOSE USERS WITH A SUMMARY OF THE REASONS FOR YOUR ACCOUNT CLOSURE. YOU AGREE THAT UPWORK WILL HAVE NO LIABILITY ARISING FROM OR RELATING TO ANY NOTICE THAT IT MAY PROVIDE TO ANY USER REGARDING CLOSED ACCOUNT STATUS OR THE REASON(S) FOR THE CLOSURE.
13.2 ACCOUNT DATA ON CLOSURE
Except as otherwise required by law, if your Account is closed for any reason, you will no longer have access to data, messages, files, or other material you keep on the Site and any closure of your Account may involve deletion of any content stored in your Account for which Upwork will have no liability whatsoever. Upwork, in its sole discretion and as permitted or required by law, may retain some or all of your Account information.
13.3 SURVIVAL
After this Agreement terminates, the terms of this Agreement and the other Terms of Service that expressly or by their nature contemplate performance after this Agreement terminates or expires will survive and continue in full force and effect. For example, the provisions requiring arbitration, permitting audits, protecting intellectual property, requiring non-circumvention, indemnification, payment of fees, reimbursement and setting forth limitations of liability each, by their nature, contemplate performance or observance after this Agreement terminates. Without limiting any other provisions of the Terms of Service, the termination of this Agreement for any reason will not release you or Upwork from any obligations incurred prior to termination of this Agreement or that thereafter may accrue in respect of any act or omission prior to such termination.
14. DISPUTES BETWEEN YOU AND UPWORK
Section 14 discusses your agreement with Upwork and our agreement with you about how we will resolve any disputes, including that we will both first try to resolve any dispute informally and, if you are in the United States, that we both agree to use arbitration instead of going to court or using a jury if we can’t resolve the dispute informally, as detailed below.
14.1 DISPUTE PROCESS, ARBITRATION, AND SCOPE
If a dispute arises between you and Upwork or our Affiliates, our goal is to resolve the dispute quickly and cost-effectively. Accordingly, unless you opt out as provided in Section 14.4.4 below, you, Upwork, and our Affiliates agree to resolve any claim, dispute, or controversy that arises out of or relates to this Agreement, the other Terms of Service, your relationship with Upwork (including without limitation any claimed employment with Upwork or one of our Affiliates or successors), the termination of your relationship with Upwork, or the Site Services (each, a “Claim”) in accordance with this Section 14 (sometimes referred to as the “Arbitration Provision”).
Claims covered by this Arbitration Provision include, but are not limited to, all claims, disputes, or controversies arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the Site, Site Services, the Terms of Service, any Service Contract, escrow payments or agreements, any payments or monies you claim are due to you from Upwork or our Affiliates or successors, trade secrets, unfair competition, false advertising, consumer protection, privacy, compensation, classification, minimum wage, seating, expense reimbursement, overtime, breaks and rest periods, termination, discrimination, retaliation or harassment and claims arising under the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016, Civil Rights Act of 1964, Rehabilitation Act, Civil Rights Acts of 1866 and 1871, Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, Americans With Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Family Medical Leave Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, Employee Retirement Income Security Act (except for claims for employee benefits under any benefit plan sponsored by the Company and (a) covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 or (b) funded by insurance), Affordable Care Act, Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act, Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, Older Workers Benefits Protection Act of 1990, Occupational Safety and Health Act, Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, False Claims Act, state statutes or regulations addressing the same or similar subject matters, and all other federal or state legal claims arising out of or relating to your relationship with Upwork or the termination of that relationship.
Disputes between the parties that may not be subject to predispute arbitration agreement as provided by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Public Law 111-203) or as provided by an Act of Congress or lawful, enforceable Executive Order, are excluded from the coverage of this Agreement.
14.2 CHOICE OF LAW
The Site Terms of Use, the other Terms of Service, and any Claim will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of law provisions and excluding the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG); provided, however, that any Claims made by any Freelancer located within the United States will be governed by the law of the state in which such Freelancer resides. However, notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, this Arbitration Provision is governed by the Federal Arbitration Act (9 U.S.C. §§ 1 et seq.).
14.3 INFORMAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Before serving a demand for arbitration of a Claim, you and Upwork agree to first notify each other of the Claim. You agree to notify Upwork of the Claim at Attn: Legal, 655 Montgomery ST STE 490, DPT 17022, San Francisco, CA 94111-2676 or by email to legalnotices@upwork.com, and Upwork agrees to provide to you a notice at your email address on file (in each case, a “Notice”). You and Upwork then will seek informal voluntary resolution of the Claim. Any Notice must include pertinent account information, a brief description of the Claim, and contact information, so that you or Upwork, as applicable, may evaluate the Claim and attempt to informally resolve the Claim. Both you and Upwork will have 60 days from the date of the receipt of the Notice to informally resolve the other party’s Claim, which, if successful, will avoid the need for further action.
14.4 BINDING ARBITRATION AND CLASS ACTION/JURY TRIAL WAIVER (DOES NOT APPLY TO USERS LOCATED OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES AND ITS TERRITORIES)
This Arbitration Provision applies to all Users except Users located outside of the United States and its territories.
In the unlikely event the parties are unable to resolve a Claim within 60 days of the receipt of the applicable Notice, you, Upwork, and our Affiliates agree to resolve the Claim by final and binding arbitration before an arbitrator from JAMS, instead of a court or jury. JAMS may be contacted at www.jamsadr.com.
14.4.1. SCOPE OF ARBITRATION AGREEMENT AND CONDUCT OF ARBITRATION
This Arbitration Provision applies to any Claim (defined above) the parties may have and survives after your relationship with Upwork ends. Claims covered by this Arbitration Provision include, but are not limited to, all claims, disputes or controversies arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the Terms of Service and the Upwork Payroll Agreement. This Arbitration Provision is intended to apply to the resolution of disputes that otherwise would be resolved in a court of law or before a forum other than arbitration. If for any reason JAMS will not administer the arbitration, either party may apply to a court of competent jurisdiction with authority over the location where the arbitration will be conducted for appointment of a neutral arbitrator.
Except as otherwise provided herein, arbitration will be conducted in Santa Clara County, California in accordance with the JAMS Comprehensive Arbitration Rules and Procedures’ Optional Expedited Arbitration Procedures then in effect. Arbitration of disputes brought by a User that allege a violation of a consumer protection statute also will be subject to the JAMS Consumer Arbitration Minimum Standards, and such arbitrations will be conducted in the same state and within 25 miles of where the User is located. Claims by Freelancers that allege employment or worker classification disputes or will be conducted in the state and within 25 miles of where Freelancer is located in accordance with the JAMS Employment Arbitration Rules and Procedures then in effect. The applicable JAMS arbitration rules may be found at www.jamsadr.com or by searching online for “JAMS Comprehensive Arbitration Rules and Procedures,” “JAMS Employment Arbitration Rules,” or “JAMS Consumer Arbitration Minimum Standards.” Any dispute regarding the applicability of a particular set of JAMS rules shall be resolved exclusively by the arbitrator. Any party will have the right to appear at the arbitration by telephone and/or video rather than in person.
You and Upwork will follow the applicable JAMS rules with respect to arbitration fees. In any arbitration under the JAMS Employment Arbitration Rules and Procedures, the Freelancer will pay JAMS arbitration fees only to the extent those fees are no greater than the filing or initial appearance fees applicable to court actions in the jurisdiction where the arbitration will be conducted, with Upwork to make up the difference, if any. In any arbitration under the JAMS Comprehensive Arbitration Rules and Procedures’ Optional Expedited Arbitration Procedures then in effect in which a User makes a claim under a consumer protection statute, the User will pay JAMS arbitration fees only to the extent those fees are no greater than the filing or initial appearance fees applicable to court actions in the jurisdiction where the arbitration will be conducted, or $250.00, whichever is less, with Upwork to make up the difference, if any. The arbitrator must follow applicable law and may award only those remedies that would have applied had the matter been heard in court. Judgment may be entered on the arbitrator’s decision in any court having jurisdiction.
This Arbitration Provision does not apply to litigation between Upwork and you that is or was already pending in a state or federal court or arbitration before the expiration of the opt-out period set forth in Section 14.4.4, below. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, no amendment to this Arbitration Provision will apply to any matter pending in an arbitration proceeding brought under this Section 14 unless all parties to that arbitration consent in writing to that amendment.
This Arbitration Provision also does not apply to claims for workers compensation, state disability insurance or unemployment insurance benefits.
Nothing in this Arbitration Provision prevents you from making a report to or filing a claim or charge with a government agency, including without limitation the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, National Labor Relations Board, or Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. Nothing in this Arbitration Provision prevents the investigation by a government agency of any report, claim or charge otherwise covered by this Arbitration Provision. This Arbitration Provision also does not prevent federal administrative agencies from adjudicating claims and awarding remedies based on those claims, even if the claims would otherwise be covered by this Arbitration Provision. Nothing in this Arbitration Provision prevents or excuses a party from satisfying any conditions precedent and/or exhausting administrative remedies under applicable law before bringing a claim in arbitration. Upwork will not retaliate against you for filing a claim with an administrative agency or for exercising rights (individually or in concert with others) under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act.
14.4.2. INTERPRETATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THIS ARBITRATION PROVISION
This Arbitration Provision is the full and complete agreement relating to the formal resolution of Claims. Except as otherwise provided in this Arbitration Provision, this Arbitration Provision covers, and the arbitrator shall have exclusive jurisdiction to decide, all disputes arising out of or relating to the interpretation, enforcement, or application of this Arbitration Provision, including the enforceability, revocability, scope, or validity of the Arbitration Provision or any portion of the Arbitration Provision. All such matters shall be decided by an arbitrator and not by a court. The parties expressly agree that the arbitrator and not a court will decide any question of whether the parties agreed to arbitrate, including but not limited to any claim that all or part of this Arbitration Provision, this Agreement, or any other part of the Terms of Service is void or voidable.
In the event any portion of this Arbitration Provision is deemed unenforceable, the remainder of this Arbitration Provision will be enforceable. If any portion of the Class Action Waiver in Section 14.4.3, below, of this Arbitration Provision is deemed to be unenforceable, you and Upwork agree that this Arbitration Provision will be enforced to the fullest extent permitted by law.
14.4.3. CLASS AND COLLECTIVE WAIVER
Private attorney general representative actions under the California Labor Code are not arbitrable, not within the scope of this Arbitration Provision and may be maintained in a court of law. However, this Arbitration Provision affects your ability to participate in class or collective actions. Both you and Upwork agree to bring any dispute in arbitration on an individual basis only, and not on a class or collective basis on behalf of others. There will be no right or authority for any dispute to be brought, heard or arbitrated as a class or collective action, or as a member in any such class or collective proceeding (“Class Action Waiver”). Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or the JAMS rules, disputes regarding the enforceability, revocability, scope, or validity or breach of the Class Action Waiver may be resolved only by a civil court of competent jurisdiction and not by an arbitrator. In any case in which (1) the dispute is filed as a class or collective action and (2) there is a final judicial determination that all or part of the Class Action Waiver is unenforceable, the class or collective action to that extent must be litigated in a civil court of competent jurisdiction, but the portion of the Class Action Waiver that is enforceable shall be enforced in arbitration. You and Upwork agree that you will not be retaliated against, disciplined or threatened with discipline as a result of your filing or participating in a class or collective action in any forum. However, Upwork may lawfully seek enforcement of this Arbitration Provision and the Class Action Waiver under the Federal Arbitration Act and seek dismissal of such class or collective actions or claims.
14.4.4. RIGHT TO OPT OUT OF THE ARBITRATION PROVISION
You may opt out of the Arbitration Provision contained in this Section 14 by notifying Upwork in writing within 30 days of the date you first registered for the Site. To opt out, you must send a written notification to Upwork at Attn: Legal, 655 Montgomery ST STE 490, DPT 17022, San Francisco, CA 94111-2676 that includes (a) your Account username, (b) your name, (c) your address, (d) your telephone number, (e) your email address, and (f) a statement indicating that you wish to opt out of the Arbitration Provision. Alternatively, you may send this written notification to legalnotices@upwork.com. Opting out of this Arbitration Provision will not affect any other terms of this Agreement.
If you do not opt out as provided in this Section 14.4.4, continuing your relationship with Upwork constitutes mutual acceptance of the terms of this Arbitration Provision by you and Upwork. You have the right to consult with counsel of your choice concerning this Agreement and the Arbitration Provision.
14.4.5. Enforcement of this Arbitration Provision.
This Arbitration Provision replaces all prior agreements regarding the arbitration of disputes and is the full and complete agreement relating to the formal resolution of disputes covered by this Arbitration Provision. In the event any portion of this Arbitration Provision is deemed unenforceable, the remainder of this Arbitration Provision will be enforceable. If any portion of the Class Action Waiver in Section 14.4.3, above, is deemed to be unenforceable, you and Upwork agree that this Arbitration Provision will be enforced to the fullest extent permitted by law.
15. GENERAL
Section 15 discusses additional terms of the agreement between you and Upwork, including that the Terms of Service contain our full agreement, how the agreement will be interpreted and applied, and your agreement not to access the Site from certain locations, as detailed below.
15.1 ENTIRE AGREEMENT
This Agreement, together with the other Terms of Service, sets forth the entire agreement and understanding between you and Upwork relating to the subject matter hereof and thereof and cancels and supersedes any prior or contemporaneous discussions, agreements, representations, warranties, and other communications between you and us, written or oral, to the extent they relate in any way to the subject matter hereof and thereof. The section headings in the Terms of Service are included for ease of reference only and have no binding effect. Even though Upwork drafted the Terms of Service, you represent that you had ample time to review and decide whether to agree to the Terms of Service. If an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation of the Terms of Service arises, no presumption or burden of proof will arise favoring or disfavoring you or Upwork because of the authorship of any provision of the Terms of Service.
15.2 MODIFICATIONS; WAIVER
No modification or amendment to the Terms of Service will be binding upon Upwork unless they are agreed in a written instrument signed by a duly authorized representative of Upwork or posted on the Site by Upwork. Email will not constitute a written instrument as contemplated by this Section 15.2. Our failure to act with respect to a breach by you or others does not waive our right to act with respect to subsequent or similar breaches. We do not guarantee we will take action against all breaches of this User Agreement.
15.3 ASSIGNABILITY
User may not assign the Terms of Service, or any of its rights or obligations hereunder, without Upwork’s prior written consent in the form of a written instrument signed by a duly authorized representative of Upwork. Upwork may freely assign this Agreement and the other Terms of Service without User’s consent. Any attempted assignment or transfer in violation of this subsection will be null and void. Subject to the foregoing restrictions, the Terms of Service are binding upon and will inure to the benefit of the successors, heirs, and permitted assigns of the parties.
15.4 SEVERABILITY; INTERPRETATION
If and to the extent any provision of this Agreement or the other Terms of Service is held illegal, invalid, or unenforceable in whole or in part under applicable law, such provision or such portion thereof will be ineffective as to the jurisdiction in which it is illegal, invalid, or unenforceable to the extent of its illegality, invalidity, or unenforceability and will be deemed modified to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law so as to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties. The illegality, invalidity, or unenforceability of such provision in that jurisdiction will not in any way affect the legality, validity, or enforceability of such provision in any other jurisdiction or of any other provision in any jurisdiction.
15.5 FORCE MAJEURE
The parties to this Agreement will not be responsible for the failure to perform, or any delay in performance of, any obligation hereunder for a reasonable period due to labor disturbances, accidents, fires, floods, telecommunications or Internet failures, strikes, wars, riots, rebellions, blockades, acts of government, governmental requirements and regulations or restrictions imposed by law or any other conditions beyond the reasonable control of such party.
15.6 PREVAILING LANGUAGE AND LOCATION
The English language version of the Terms of Service will be controlling in all respects and will prevail in case of any inconsistencies with translated versions, if any. The Site is controlled and operated from our facilities in the United States.
15.7 ACCESS OF THE SITE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES
Upwork makes no representations that the Site is appropriate or available for use outside of the United States. Those who access or use the Site from other jurisdictions do so at their own risk and are entirely responsible for compliance with all applicable foreign, United States, state, and local laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, export and import regulations, including the Export Administration Regulations maintained by the United States Department of Commerce and the sanctions programs maintained by the Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control. You must not directly or indirectly sell, export, re-export, transfer, divert, or otherwise dispose of any software or service to any end user without obtaining any and all required authorizations from the appropriate government authorities. You also warrant that you are not prohibited from receiving U.S. origin products, including services or software.
In order to access or use the Site or Site Services, you must and hereby represent that you are not: (a) a citizen or resident of a geographic area in which access to or use of the Site or Site Services is prohibited by applicable law, decree, regulation, treaty, or administrative act; (b) a citizen or resident of, or located in, a geographic area that is subject to U.S. or other sovereign country sanctions or embargoes; or (c) an individual, or an individual employed by or associated with an entity, identified on the U.S. Department of Commerce Denied Persons or Entity List, the U.S. Department of Treasury Specially Designated Nationals or Blocked Persons Lists, or the U.S. Department of State Debarred Parties List or otherwise ineligible to receive items subject to U.S. export control laws and regulations or other economic sanction rules of any sovereign nation. You agree that if your country of residence or other circumstances change such that the above representations are no longer accurate, that you will immediately cease using the Site and Site Services and your license to use the Site or Site Services will be immediately revoked.
15.8 CONSENT TO USE ELECTRONIC RECORDS
In connection with the Site Terms of Use, you may be entitled to receive, or we may otherwise provide, certain records from Upwork or our Affiliates, such as contracts, notices, and communications, in writing. To facilitate your use of the Site and the Site Services, you give us permission to provide these records to you electronically instead of in paper form.
16. DEFINITIONS
Section 16 gives you some definitions of capitalized terms that appear in the Terms of Service but other capitalized terms are defined above, which you can tell because the term is put in quotation marks and bold font.
Capitalized terms not defined below or above have the meanings described in the Site Terms of Use or elsewhere in the Terms of Service.
“Client” means any authorized User utilizing the Site or Site Services, including Direct Contract Services, to seek and/or obtain Freelancer Services, including from another User.
“Confidential Information” means any material or information provided to, or created by, a User to evaluate a Project or the suitability of another User for the Project, regardless of whether the information is in tangible, electronic, verbal, graphic, visual, or other form. Confidential Information does not include material or information that: (a) is generally known by third parties as a result of no act or omission of Freelancer or Client; (b) was lawfully received by User without restriction from a third party having the right to disseminate the information; (c) was already known by User prior to receiving it from the other party and was not received from a third party in breach of that third party’s obligations of confidentiality; or (d) was independently developed by User without use of another person’s Confidential Information.
“Escrow Account” means Client Escrow Account, Freelancer Escrow Account, or Fixed-Price Escrow Account.
“Escrow Instructions” means the Fixed-Price Escrow Instructions or the Hourly, Bonus, and Expense Payment Agreement with Escrow Instructions.
“Fixed-Price Contract” means a Service Contract for which Client is charged a fixed fee agreed between a Client and a Freelancer, prior to the commencement of a Service Contract, for the completion of all Freelancer Services contracted by Client for such Service Contract.
“Freelancer” means any authorized User utilizing the Site or Site Services, including Direct Contract Services, to advertise or provide Freelancer Services to Clients, including Freelancer Accounts that are Agency Accounts or, if applicable, Agency Members. A Freelancer is a customer of Upwork with respect to use of the Site and Site Services.
“Freelancer Fees” means: (a) for an Hourly Contract, the amount reflected in the Hourly Invoice (the number of hours invoiced by Freelancer, multiplied by the hourly rate charged by Freelancer); (b) for a Fixed-Price Contract, the fixed fee agreed between a Client and a Freelancer; and (c) any bonuses or other payments made by a Client to a Freelancer.
“Freelancer Services” means all services performed for or delivered to Clients by Freelancers.
“Hourly Contract” means a Service Contract for which Client is charged based on the hourly rate charged by Freelancer.
“Hourly Invoice” means the report of hours invoiced for a stated period by a Freelancer for Freelancer Services performed for a Client.
The term “including” as used herein means including without limitation.
“Intellectual Property Rights” means all patent rights, copyright rights, mask work rights, moral rights, rights of publicity, trademark, trade dress and service mark rights, goodwill, trade secret rights and other intellectual property rights as may now exist or hereafter come into existence, and all applications therefore and registrations, renewals and extensions thereof, in each case, under the laws of any state, country, territory or other jurisdiction.
“Payment Method” means a valid credit card issued by a bank acceptable to Upwork, a bank account linked to your Account, a PayPal account, a debit card, or such other method of payment as Upwork may accept from time to time in our sole discretion.
“Project” means an engagement for Freelancer Services that a Freelancer provides to a Client under a Service Contract on the Site.
“Staffing Employee” means a Freelancer enrolled in Upwork Payroll, accepted for employment by a Staffing Provider, and assigned by the Staffing Provider to provide Freelancer Services to one or more Client(s).
“Service Contract” means, as applicable, (a) the contractual provisions between a Client and a Freelancer governing the Freelancer Services to be performed by a Freelancer for Client for a Project; (b) a Direct Contract as defined in the Upwork Direct Contract Terms; or (c) if you use Upwork Payroll, the contractual provisions between Freelancer and the Staffing Provider for the provision of services to Client, if any.
“Substantial Change” means a change to the terms of the Terms of Service that reduces your rights or increases your responsibilities.
“Upwork App” means the online platform accessed using Upwork’s downloaded application or other software that enables time tracking and invoicing, chat, and screenshot sharing with other Users.
“User Content” means any comments, remarks, data, feedback, content, text, photographs, images, video, music, or other content or information that you or any Site Visitor or User post to any part of the Site or provide to Upwork, including such content or information that is posted as a result of questions.
“Work Product” means any tangible or intangible results or deliverables that Freelancer agrees to create for, or actually delivers to, Client as a result of performing the Freelancer Services, including, but not limited to, configurations, computer programs, or other information, or customized hardware, and any intellectual property developed in connection therewith.
Terms of Use
Version 4.2
Effective January 13, 2021
DownloadTable of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction
5. Definitions
1. INTRODUCTION
The Upwork Site Terms of Use describe when and the conditions under which you are allowed to access or use the Site (defined in Section 5 below). Please read these Site Terms of Use carefully before visiting our Site. Some visitors to our Site simply visit the publicly available portions of our Site or use the Public Site Services (defined in Section 5 below) (“you” or “Site Visitors”). By accessing and/or using our Site or Services, you agree to these Site Terms of Use.If you do not agree to these Site Terms of Use, you may not visit, use, or access the Site or Site Services as a Site Visitor, User or otherwise and may not click to accept the Terms of Service when prompted on the Site.
2. LICENSES AND THIRD-PARTY CONTENT
2.1 UPWORK’S PROVISION OF THE SITE AND LIMITED SITE LICENSE
Section 2.1 discusses the rights we give to you to allow you to use the Site, as detailed below:
As we describe in this Section 2.1, Upwork grants you a limited license to access the Site and Site Services. This license is subject to and conditioned on compliance with the Site Terms of Use and, to the extent applicable, the rest of the Terms of Service.
We try to keep our Site and the Site Services safe, secure, and functioning properly, but we cannot guarantee the continuous operation of or access to our Services. In fact, we might even stop providing the Site or Site Services completely or stop providing certain features without notice.
2.2 TERMINATION OF THE LIMITED SITE LICENSE
Section 2.2 explains that we can stop allowing you to use the Site, as detailed below:
Upwork may terminate any license it has granted to any Site Visitor or User to access the Site and Site Services by providing notice, and the termination of such license shall be effective immediately upon Upwork providing such notice.
2.3 UPWORK'S INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Section 2.3 explains that even though we let you use the Site, we still retain all our rights, as detailed below:
Upwork and our licensors retain all right, title, and interest in and to all Intellectual Property Rights related in and to the Site and the Site Services. The Upwork logos and names are trademarks of Upwork and are registered in certain jurisdictions. All other product names, company names, marks, logos, and symbols on the Site or Site Services may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Nothing in the Terms of Service grants you a right to use any Upwork Marks.
2.4 YOUR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
2.4.1 YOUR OBLIGATIONS AND YOUR INDEMNIFICATION OF UPWORK
Section 2.4.1 explains that you are solely responsible for your use of the Site and any content you post on the Site, and that if someone makes a claim against Upwork because of your content that you will pay Upwork for our fees and expenses, as detailed below:
When you post User Content on the Site or through the Site Services or provide Upwork with User Content, you understand and acknowledge that you are solely responsible for such User Content. Further, you represent and warrant that you have the right, power, and authority to (a) post that User Content without violating the rights of third parties, and (b) grant the licenses specified below.
You acknowledge and agree that the poster of User Content, and not Upwork, is responsible for any User Content including any harms caused to you, another User, or a third party by such User Content.
You will indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Upwork, our Affiliates, and our respective directors, officers, employees, representatives, and agents (each an “Indemnified Party”) from any and all claims, damages, liabilities, costs, losses, and expenses (including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees and all related costs and expenses) arising from or relating to any claim, suit, proceeding, demand, or action brought by you or a third party or other User against an Indemnified Party relating to or arising out of any User Content you post.
2.4.2 YOUR RIGHTS AND LICENSE TO UPWORK AND OTHER SITE VISITORS
Section 2.4.2 explains that by posting content on the Site, you give others certain limited rights to that content, as detailed below:
You retain all ownership rights in any User Content you post on Upwork. To the extent permitted by applicable law, you also grant to Upwork and our successors and Affiliates a royalty-free, sub-licensable, transferable, perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive, worldwide license to use, reproduce, modify, publish, list information regarding, edit, translate, distribute, publicly perform, publicly display, and make derivative works of all such User Content and your name, voice, and/or likeness as contained in your User Content, in whole or in part, and in any form, media, or technology, whether now known or hereafter developed, for use in connection with the Site and Upwork’s, our successors’ and Affiliates’ businesses, including, without limitation, for promoting and redistributing part or all of the Site (and derivative works thereof) in any media formats and through any media channels. You also hereby grant each User and each Site Visitor a non-exclusive license to access your User Content through the Site and to use, reproduce, distribute, and display such User Content to the extent permitted through the normal functionality of the Site and subject to all applicable confidentiality and other provisions of the Terms of Service, our Privacy Policy, and applicable law.
2.4.3 YOUR COMMENTS AND IDEAS
Section 2.4.3 explains when you can and what happens if you send your ideas to Upwork, as detailed below:
You may submit comments or ideas about the Site and Site Services, including without limitation about how to improve the Site or Site Services (collectively, “Ideas”). By submitting any Ideas, you agree that: (a) your disclosure is voluntary, gratuitous, unsolicited, and without restriction and will not place Upwork under any fiduciary or other obligation, (b) your Ideas do not contain the confidential or proprietary information of third parties, and (c) you grant us a perpetual and royalty-free license to use the Ideas without any additional compensation to you and to disclose the Ideas on a non-confidential basis or otherwise to anyone. You further acknowledge and agree that, by acceptance of your submission, Upwork does not waive any rights to use similar or related ideas, including those known or developed by Upwork or obtained from sources other than you.
2.5 THIRD-PARTY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Section 2.5 explains that third parties, including other Users, are responsible for content posted or linked on the Site, as detailed below:
Any information or content expressed or made available by a third party or any other Site Visitor or User is that of the respective author(s) or distributor(s) and not of Upwork. Upwork neither endorses nor is responsible for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, advice, information, or statement made on the Site by anyone other than Upwork’s authorized agents acting in their official capacities.
The Site may contain links to third-party websites. The Site may also contain applications that allow you to access third-party websites via the Site. Such third-party websites or applications are owned and operated by the third parties and/or their licensors. The inclusion of any link or application on the Site does not imply that we endorse the linked site or application. You use the links and third-party websites at your own risk and agree that your use of an application or third-party website accessed via the Site is on an “as is” and “as available” basis without any warranty from Upwork for any purpose.
2.6 COMPLAINTS ABOUT COPYRIGHTED CONTENT ON THE SITE
Section 2.6 explains what to do if you think content on the Site infringes your rights, as detailed below:
Upwork is committed to complying with U.S. copyright and related laws and requires all Site Visitors and Users to comply with these laws. Accordingly, you may not use the Site to store any material or content, or disseminate any material or content, in any manner that constitutes an infringement of third party intellectual property rights, including rights granted by U.S. copyright law.
If you are the owner of any copyrighted work and believe your rights under U.S. copyright law have been infringed by any material on the Site, you may take advantage of certain provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (the "DMCA") by complying with Upwork’s Proprietary Rights Infringement Reporting Procedures.
3. PERMITTED SITE USES
Section 3 explains how you are allowed to use the Site, as detailed below:
Upwork offers the Site and Site Services for your business purposes only and not for personal, household, or consumer use. Upwork makes the Site and Site Services available for Users to find one another, enter into service relationships, make and receive payments through escrow, and receive and provide Freelancer Services. In addition, certain Visitor Site Services, such as the Upwork Blog and Hiring Headquarters, provide, and may be used to obtain, general information and articles that we believe may be of interest to Site Visitors and Users. While we try to ensure that any information we post is both timely and accurate, errors may appear from time to time. We do not make any representations or warranties with respect to any information that is posted on the Site by us or anyone else. In no event should any content be relied on or construed as tax or legal advice or otherwise. You should independently verify the accuracy of any content.
4. PROHIBITED SITE USES
Section 4 explains uses of the Site that are not allowed, as detailed below:
You may not use, or encourage, promote, facilitate, or instruct, induce, or otherwise influence or cause others: (1) to use the Site or Site Services for any activities that violate any law, statute, ordinance or regulation; for any other illegal or fraudulent purpose or any purpose that is harmful to others, or (2) to transmit, store, display, distribute or otherwise make available content that is illegal, fraudulent or harmful to others.
4.1 EXAMPLES OF PROHIBITED USES OF THE SITE
The following are examples of uses that are prohibited on the Site or when using the Site Services:
- Seeking, offering, promoting, supporting, or endorsing services, content, or activities that:
- are defamatory, illegal, violent, profane, vulgar, threatening, unlawfully discriminatory, illegal, pornographic, obscene, or sexually explicit in nature;
- would violate the intellectual property rights, such as and including copyrights, of another person, entity, service, product, or website;
- would violate (a) Upwork’s Terms of Service, (b) the terms of service of another website or any similar contractual obligations, or (c) the academic policies of any educational institution;
- regard the creation, purchase, and/or publication of a review for a third-party website;
- regard the creation, publication, or distribution of “fake news”, “hoax news”, Deep Fake content or similar content, which is, in Upwork's sole discretion, determined to be intended to mislead recipients for personal, financial, political or other gain or advantage;
- regard or promote in any way any escort services, prostitution, or sexual acts; or
- any conduct that is, in Upwork’s determination, violent or harassing toward another person or endorses or encourages violence or harassment towards others, including based on the individual's or group's inclusion in a protected class as defined by applicable law;
- Fraudulent or misleading uses or content, including:
- fraudulently billing or attempting to fraudulently bill any Client, including by (i) falsifying or manipulating or attempting to falsify or manipulate the hours, keystrokes, or mouse clicks recorded in the Upwork App, (ii) reporting, recording, or otherwise billing Clients for time that was not actually worked, or (iii) on an hourly contract, reporting, recording, or otherwise billing hours worked by another person as hours worked by you in a way that is misleading or false;
- misrepresenting your experience, skills, or information, including by representing another person’s profile, or parts of another person’s profile, as your own;
- using a profile photo that is not you, misrepresents your identity or represents you as someone else, or any other activity that misrepresents your identity;
- impersonating any person or entity, including, but not limited to, an Upwork representative, forum leader, or falsely stating or otherwise misrepresenting your affiliation with a person or entity;
- falsely stating or implying a relationship with another User, including an Agency continuing to use a Freelancer’s profile or information after the Freelancer no longer works with the Agency;
- falsely attributing statements to any Upwork representative, forum leader, guide or host;
- falsely stating or implying a relationship with Upwork or with another company with whom you do not have a relationship;
- allowing another person to use your account, which is misleading to other Users; or
- falsely stating that one Freelancer will perform the work on a job when another will in fact perform the work, including submitting a proposal on behalf of a Freelancer that is unable, unwilling, or unavailable to do the work;
- Expressing an unlawful preference in a job post or proposal or otherwise unlawfully discriminating on a protected basis;
- Inciting or encouraging violence;
- Posting identifying information concerning another person;
- Spamming other Users with proposals or invitations, including by making unsolicited contact of Users off the Upwork platform, or by posting the same job multiple times so that more than one version remains active at a given time;
- Making or demanding bribes or demanding other payments without the intention of or without actually providing services in exchange for the payment;
- Requesting or demanding free services, including requesting Freelancers to submit work as part of the proposal process for very little or no money or posting contests in which Freelancers submit work with no or very little pay, and only the winning submission is paid the full amount;
- Requesting a fee before allowing a User to submit a proposal;
- Attempting to or actually manipulating or misusing the feedback system, including by:
- withholding payment or Work Product or engaging in any other conduct for the purpose of obtaining positive feedback from another User;
- attempting to coerce another User by threatening to give negative feedback;
- expressing views unrelated to the work, such as political, religious, or social commentary, in the feedback system;
- providing anything of value to any person (including to a third-party who provides assistance in obtaining feedback) or using any service of any type in order to obtain feedback; or
- offering services for the sole purpose of obtaining positive feedback of any kind;
- Duplicating or sharing accounts;
- Selling, trading, or giving an account to another person without Upwork’s consent;
- Sharing or soliciting Means of Direct Contact with or from another User either directly through messages or by including Means of Direct Contact in a job post, profile, proposal or other User Content prior to entering into a Service Contract with such User, except as expressly allowed for Enterprise Clients;
- Directly or indirectly, advertising or promoting another website, product, or service or soliciting other Users for other websites, products, or services, including advertising on Upwork to recruit Freelancers and/or Clients to join an Agency or another website or company;
- Interfering or attempting to interfere with the proper operation of the Site or Site Services or any activities conducted on the Site, including by:
- bypassing any measures we may use to prevent or restrict access to the Site or any subparts of the Site, including, without limitation, features that prevent or restrict use or copying of any content or enforce limitations on use of the Site or the content therein;
- attempting to interfere with or compromise, or actually interfering with or compromising, the system integrity or security of the servers running the Site, or attempting to or deciphering any transmissions to or from the servers running the Site;
- using any robot, spider, scraper, or other automated means to access the Site for any purpose without our express written permission;
- collecting or harvesting any personally identifiable information, including Account names, from the Site;
- attempting to or imposing an unreasonable or disproportionately large load (as determined in Upwork’s sole discretion) on the Site’s infrastructure;
- introducing any invalid data, virus, worm, or other harmful or malicious software code, agent, hidden procedure, routine, or mechanism through or to the Site that is designed to or known to cause to cease functioning, disrupt, disable, harm, or otherwise impair in any manner, including aesthetic disruptions or distortions, the operation of (or to allow you or any other person to access or damage or corrupt data, storage media, programs, equipment, or communications or otherwise interfere with operations of or on) the Site or any software, firmware, hardware, computer system, or network of Upwork or any third party;
- accessing or attempting to access the Site or Site Services by any means or technology other than the interface provided; or
- framing or linking to the Site or Site Services except as permitted in writing by Upwork.
- Conduct or actions that could jeopardize the integrity of or circumvent the Site, Site Services or Upwork's proprietary information, including:
- attempting to or actually reverse engineering, modifying, adapting, translating, preparing derivative works from, decompiling, or interfering with the operation of, or otherwise attempting to derive source code from, any part of the Site or Site Services unless expressly permitted by applicable law or Upwork; or
- accessing or using the Site or Site Services to build a similar service or application, identify or solicit Upwork Users, or publish any performance or any benchmark test or analysis relating to the Site.
4.2 ENFORCEMENT
We reserve the right, but do not assume the obligation, to investigate any potential violation of this Section 4 or any other potential violation of these Site Terms of Use and to remove, disable access to, or modify any content on the Site. Our failure to act with respect to a breach by you or others does not waive our right to act with respect to subsequent or similar breaches. We do not guarantee we will take action against all breaches of these Terms of Use or the User Agreement.
4.3 REPORTING AND CORRECTING VIOLATIONS
If you become aware of any violation of these Site Terms of Use, you must immediately report it to Customer Service. You agree to assist us with any investigation we undertake and to take any remedial steps we require in order to correct a violation of these Site Terms of Use.
5. DEFINITIONS
Section 5 gives you some definitions of capitalized terms that appear in the Site Terms of Use but other capitalized terms are defined above or in the User Agreement, which you can tell because the term is put in quotation marks and bold font.
Capitalized terms not defined below have the meanings described in the Terms of Service.
“Affiliate” means any entity that, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with Upwork.
“Client” means any authorized User utilizing the Site to seek and/or obtain Freelancer Services from another User.
"Deep Fake" means media that is altered in order to replace a person in an existing image or video with someone else’s likeness in a realistic manner without permission or authorization of the person whose likeness is used.
“Freelancer” means any authorized User utilizing the Site to advertise and/or provide Freelancer Services to Clients, including Freelancer Accounts that are Agency Accounts or, if applicable, Agency Members. A Freelancer is a customer of Upwork with respect to use of the Site and Site services.
“Freelancer Services” means any services provided by Freelancers.
“Intellectual Property Rights” means all patent rights, copyright rights, mask work rights, moral rights, rights of publicity, trademark, trade dress and service mark rights, goodwill, trade secret rights and other intellectual property rights as may now exist or hereafter come into existence, and all applications therefore and registrations, renewals and extensions thereof, under the laws of any state, country, territory or other jurisdiction.
“Means of Direct Contact” has the meaning set forth in Section 7 of the User Agreement.
“Public Site Services” means, collectively, all services, applications and products that are accessible by any Site Visitor who has not become a User through the Site, to the extent they are accessible by a Site Visitor who has not become a User.
“Site” means, any and all Upwork platforms, including, collectively, our website located at www.upwork.com, all affiliated websites and applications, including mobile websites and Upwork Mobile Applications, owned and operated by us, our predecessors or successors in interest, or our Affiliates (defined in the User Agreement).
“Site Services” means, collectively, all services (except the Freelancer Services defined herein), applications and products that are accessible through the Site, including the Public Site Services, and all Upwork Mobile Applications.
“Upwork Mobile Applications” means all mobile applications published by Upwork or our Affiliates for access to or use of the Site or any Site Services.
“User Content” means any comments, remarks, data, feedback, content, text, photographs, images, video, music, or other information that you or any Site Visitor or User post to any part of the Site or provide to Upwork, including such information that is posted as a result of questions.
“You” means any person who accesses our Site, including a Site Visitor or User and including any entity or agency on whose behalf any such person accesses or uses our Site.
Direct Contracts Terms
Version 3.3
Effective April 27, 2021
DownloadTable of Contents
These Upwork Direct Contracts Terms (“Direct Contracts Terms”) define the terms and conditions under which Upwork offers and you agree to use Upwork’s Direct Contracts service, as described in these terms (“Direct Contracts Services”), and are part of and incorporate by reference the Upwork User Agreement and other Terms of Service. The Direct Contracts Terms are in addition to and, except where explicitly stated, do not supersede, replace, or limit other similar terms in the Terms of Service. Capitalized terms not defined herein are defined in the User Agreement or elsewhere in the Terms of Service.
IN ORDER TO USE UPWORK’S DIRECT CONTRACTS SERVICE YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THE DIRECT CONTRACT TERMS AND THE ARBITRATION AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER IN THE USER AGREEMENT. IF YOU DO NOT ACCEPT THESE TERMS, INCLUDING THE ARBITRATION AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER, YOU MAY NOT ACCESS OR USE ANY DIRECT CONTRACTS SERVICES.
1. HOW IT WORKS
With the Direct Contracts Service, a Freelancer can create and send fixed-price or hourly contract proposals to any eligible Client, or invite any eligible Client to create a fixed-price or hourly contract proposal. If either Client or Freelancer creates the contract proposal and the other party accepts the proposal through the Direct Contracts service, the Client and Freelancer will enter directly into a contract (the “Direct Contract”).
1.1 Fixed Price Direct Contracts
As described in the Fixed Price Direct Contract Escrow Instructions, once the Direct Contract has been accepted, the Client will place the Direct Contract project funds in escrow ("Direct Contract Funds”). When the work or a milestone is completed, the Freelancer will request that the Client release the Direct Contract Funds or portion of Direct Contract Funds for the milestone from escrow. If the Client approves the work, Upwork Escrow will release the Direct Contract Funds. Once the Direct Contract Funds are released from Escrow, the Direct Contract will end.
1.2 Hourly Direct Contracts
As described in the Hourly Direct Contract Escrow Instructions, once the Direct Contract has been accepted, the Client will fund a deposit equivalent to the hourly rate multiplied by the weekly hourly limit agreed to between Freelancer and Client (“Direct Contract Deposit”). Freelancer and Client agree and authorize Upwork to hold the Direct Contract Deposit in escrow through the term of the Hourly Direct Contract. Client agrees to separately fund payments to Freelancer on a weekly basis based on Freelancer’s submission of weekly invoices (“Direct Contract Weekly Funds”). If Client approves the submitted hours, Upwork Escrow will release the Direct Contract Weekly Funds to Freelancer.
2. ELIGIBILITY
Any Freelancer that is eligible to use the Site is eligible to use the Direct Contract Services, subject to the limitations on Client eligibility in this Section 2. A Client is eligible to create or accept a Direct Contract only if the Client does not and has not ever had an Account on Upwork (or its predecessor oDesk). Clients do not need to register for an Account to accept a Direct Contract.
3. FEES
3.1 Freelancer Fees
Solely with respect to fees charged on Direct Contracts, these Direct Contract Terms explicitly supersede and replace Section 2 (Fees Charged to Freelancers), Section 3 (Client Membership Fees), and Section 4 (Payment Processing Fees Charged to Client) in the Fee and ACH Authorization Agreement. The Fee and ACH Authorization Agreement otherwise remains in full force and effect, including, without limitation, on any Service Contract if a Freelancer or Client, who uses Direct Contracts, has a Service Contract (as defined in the User Agreement).
For any Direct Contract, the following fees apply: Freelancer pays a 3.4% payment processing and administration fee (“Direct Contract Payment Fee”). Freelancer authorizes and instructs Upwork to automatically charge and deduct the Direct Contract Payment Fee from the Direct Contract Funds or Direct Contract Hourly Funds.
3.2 Client Fees
Clients are generally charged a payment processing and administration fee on each payment made on a Direct Contract at the rate clearly displayed on the Site before entering into a Direct Contract ("Payment Fee"). If no fee is stated at the time of entering into a Direct Contract, then no Payment Fee will be charged. Clients also agree to Section 5 (Authorization for ACH Debits and Credits) of the Fee and ACH Authorization Agreement with respect to the payment or placement in escrow of any Payment Fee, Direct Contract Funds, or Direct Contract Weekly Funds.
4. ESCROW SERVICES
Freelancer and Client acknowledge and agree the Fixed Price Direct Contract Escrow Instructions apply to Fixed Price Direct Contracts. Freelancer and Client further acknowledge and agree that the Hourly Direct Contract Escrow Instructions apply to Hourly Direct Contracts.
5. ROLE OF UPWORK AND USER RESPONSIBILITIES
You understand and agree that Upwork is not a party to any Direct Contract, is not involved in or responsible for any work performed by Freelancers, is not involved in or responsible for any payment made under a Direct Contract, and has no control over any Freelancer or Client. Upwork does not have any power or authority to, and does not, determine any eligibility standards for any Direct Contract, select or contract any Freelancer to provide services to a Client, determine or control any term or condition of the Direct Contract or Project, or cause any Freelancer or Client to accept any Direct Contract or perform any Freelancer Services. Upwork Escrow provides escrow services, but does not guarantee that Freelancer will be paid.
6. OTHER TERMS
Together with the Upwork User Agreement and other Terms of Service, these Direct Contract Terms represent the entire agreement with Upwork and supersede all prior agreements and understandings with respect to the matters covered. You agree that you did not accept the Direct Contract Terms based on any representations, whether written or oral, other than those contained herein. No modification of or amendment to the Direct Contract Terms, nor any waiver of any rights, will be effective unless in writing signed by you and Upwork. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent permitted by applicable law, Upwork may amend the Direct Contract Terms with prior notice at any time. The posting of the amended Direct Contract Terms on Upwork’s Site will constitute notice. Your continued use of the Direct Contract Services after the effective date of a revised version of the Direct Contract Terms or notice to you of updated Direct Contract Terms constitutes your acceptance of its terms and agreement to be bound by its terms. In the event of a conflict between these Direct Contract Terms and the applicable escrow instructions, the applicable escrow instructions shall govern; in the event of a conflict between these Direct Contract Terms and any other agreement in the Terms of Service, these Direct Contract Terms shall govern.
Escrow Instructions
Version 3.4
Hourly, Bonus, and Expense Payment Agreement with Escrow Instructions
Version 3.1
Effective April 20, 2018
DownloadTable of Contents
If Client and Freelancer enter into an Hourly Contract, if Client makes a bonus or expense payment to Freelancer, or if you use Upwork Payroll, this Hourly, Bonus, and Expense Payment Agreement with Escrow Instructions (“Agreement”) applies.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, we may modify this Agreement, and the Escrow Instructions it contains, without prior notice to you, and any revisions to the Agreement will take effect when posted on the Site unless otherwise stated. Please check the Site often for updates.
This Agreement hereby incorporates by reference the Terms of Service. Capitalized terms not defined in this Agreement are defined in the User Agreement, elsewhere in the Terms of Service, or have the meanings given such terms on the Site. The Escrow Instructions in this Agreement do not apply to Fixed-Price Escrow Accounts, except that they govern the making and receiving of bonus, expense and other miscellaneous payments for Fixed-Price Contracts.
1. DIGITAL SIGNATURE
By clicking to accept an Hourly Contract or make a bonus payment, Client and Freelancer are deemed to have executed this Agreement electronically, effective on the date Freelancer clicks to accept an Hourly Contract, pursuant to California Civil Code section 1633.8 and the federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 7001, et seq., as amended from time to time (the "E-Sign Act"). Doing so constitutes an acknowledgement that you are able to electronically receive, download, and print this Agreement and the Escrow Instructions it contains.
2. MAKING OR RECEIVING AN HOURLY PAYMENT
2.1 WEEKLY HOURLY INVOICES
For Hourly Contracts, the weekly billing cycle starts Monday at 00:00 midnight UTC and ends Sunday at 23:59 UTC. Invoices for hours recorded on Upwork in the Work Diary are generated each Monday following the week in which the hours were billed (the "Hourly Invoice Deadline"). Freelancer irrevocably authorizes and instructs Upwork, as its agent, to (i) create an invoice on behalf of Freelancer for payment due based upon the hours that the freelancer recorded in the Work Diary before the Hourly Invoice Deadline (such invoice, the "Hourly Invoice"); and (ii) submit the Hourly Invoice on behalf of Freelancer to Freelancer's Client for payment. For the avoidance of doubt, the “Work Diary” is the section Upwork where hours can be recorded on an Hourly Contract.
By recording time in the Work Diary and allowing an Hourly Invoice to be created based on the time recorded, Freelancer represents and warrants that (y) Freelancer has completed the applicable Freelancer Services fully and satisfactorily; and (z) the hours Freelancer reports are true, accurate, and complete.
2.2 HOURLY INVOICE REVIEW
Client must review and approve or dispute the Hourly Invoice by 11:59 PM UTC of the Friday following submission of the Hourly Invoice. Payments will be held in escrow during the Dispute Period (defined below), providing four additional days to review and dispute the invoice before funds are released. During the Dispute Period, Client may initiate a Dispute as to some or all of the time invoiced on the Hourly Invoice.
On the Friday of the week following submission of the Hourly Invoice, Client will be deemed to have approved all undisputed amounts on the Hourly Invoice, and irrevocably instructed Upwork’s Affiliate, Upwork Escrow Inc. (“Upwork Escrow“), to release escrow funds as described in this Agreement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, all hours recorded and submitted by Payroll Employee on the Upwork website will be deemed approved by Client automatically, and Client authorizes and irrevocably instructs Upwork Escrow to release payments for those hours to be paid to the Staffing Provider by Client's account each Monday following the week in which the hours were worked. Client may not reject time or file a Dispute for Payroll Employee time worked.
3. MAKING OR RECEIVING A BONUS OR EXPENSE PAYMENT
Client may also make a bonus, tip, expense, or other miscellaneous payment to Freelancer using the Site. To make such a payment to a Freelancer, Client must follow the instructions and links on the Site and provide the information requested. If Client clicks to pay such a payment to Freelancer, Client irrevocably instructs Upwork Escrow to and Upwork Escrow will release escrow funds as described in this Agreement.
4. INSTRUCTIONS TO PAY IRREVOCABLE
Client’s instruction to Upwork Escrow and its wholly owned subsidiaries to pay a Freelancer is irrevocable. Such instruction is Client’s authorization to transfer funds to Freelancer from the Client Escrow Account or authorization to charge Client’s Payment Method. Such instruction is also Client’s representation that Client has received, inspected, and accepted the subject work or expense. Client acknowledges and agrees that upon receipt of Client’s instruction to pay Freelancer, Upwork Escrow will transfer funds to the Freelancer and that Upwork, Upwork Escrow, and other Affiliates have no responsibility to and may not be able to recover such funds. Therefore, and in consideration of services described in this Agreement, Client agrees that once Upwork Escrow or its subsidiary has charged Client’s Payment Method, the charge is non-refundable.
5. RELEASE AND DELIVERY OF AMOUNTS IN ESCROW
In addition, Upwork Escrow is authorized to and will release applicable portions of the Client Escrow Account (each portion, a “Release”) to the Freelancer Escrow Account, upon the occurrence of and in accordance with one or more Release Conditions provided below or as otherwise required by applicable law or the Terms of Service. The amount of the Release will be delivered to the Freelancer Escrow Account, in accordance with Freelancer’s and Client’s instructions, as applicable, these Escrow Instructions, and the other Terms of Service.
5.1 RELEASE CONDITIONS
As used in these Escrow Instructions, “Release Condition” means any of the following:
- Client and Freelancer have submitted joint written instructions for a Release.
- Client has approved all or a portion of the Freelancer's Hourly Invoice. This Release Condition will only apply to amounts invoiced by the Freelancer that Client has approved. Client’s failure to dispute an Hourly Invoice, or a portion of an Hourly Invoice, within the Dispute Period pursuant to this Agreement, or as otherwise provided in the Escrow Instructions, constitutes approval by the Client for purposes of this Release Condition.
- Freelancer is a Payroll Employee and has submitted an Hourly Invoice under a Services Contract that involves the use of Upwork Payroll.
- Upwork reviews Client's dispute of amounts invoiced on Freelancer's Hourly Invoice for an Hourly Contract with Work Diaries pursuant to this Agreement and determines that the time is related to the Hourly Contract requirements or Client's instructions.
- Client initiates a Dispute with respect to Freelancer's Hourly Invoice for an Hourly Contract without Work Diaries pursuant to this Agreement and Client and Freelancer resolve the dispute without the assistance of Upwork.
- Issuance of a final order of a court or arbitrator of competent jurisdiction from which appeal is not taken, in which case the funds will be released in accordance with such order.
- We believe, in our sole discretion, that fraud, an illegal act, or a violation of Upwork's Terms of Service has been committed or is being committed or attempted, in which case Client and Freelancer hereby irrevocably authorize and instruct Upwork Escrow to take such actions as we deem appropriate in our sole discretion and in accordance with applicable law, in order to prevent or remedy such acts, including without limitation to return the funds associated with such acts to their source of payment.
6. PAYMENT PROTECTION
Upwork provides limited payment protection to Users as detailed in this Section 6 ("Hourly Payment Protection").
6.1 FOR FREELANCERS
In the rare event that a Freelancer’s Client does not make payment for legitimate services performed by a Freelancer, Upwork will provide Hourly Payment Protection to the Freelancer as detailed in this Section 6.1 as a membership benefit to foster fairness, reward loyalty, and encourage the Freelancer to continue to use the Site Services for their business needs. Hourly Payment Protection will be offered to a Freelancer only if all of the following criteria are met in Upwork's sole discretion:
- Both Client and Freelancer must have agreed to use Work Diaries upon acceptance of the Hourly Contract, as part of the terms.
- Client must have an Account in good standing and a valid and verified Payment Method at the start of the Hourly Contract, and must agree to automatically pay for hours billed by Freelancer through Work Diaries.
- Freelancer's Account must be in good standing.
- Freelancer must have used Work Diaries enabled to document any and all hours covered by the Hourly Payment Protection for Freelancers.
- Prior to any Hourly Invoice being submitted, Freelancer must have annotated the screenshots documented in Work Diaries sufficient to demonstrate the work relates to the Hourly Contract.
- The screenshots documented by Work Diaries must be clearly related to the applicable Hourly Contract requirements or Client instructions.
- The number of hours billed in the Work Diaries must be within the hours authorized in the Hourly Contract for the week.
- Within five days after notification of rejected or unpaid time, Freelancer must submit a Dispute specifically identifying the documented work not otherwise paid for by their Client through the Escrow Services.
Upwork will investigate and determine in its sole discretion whether the above terms and conditions are met.
Hourly Payment Protection does not apply to: (a) hours invoiced for work not agreed to or authorized by Client; (b) bonus payments; (c) refunds; (d) manual time; (e) time added after Client has disputed a billing and before the resolution of that dispute; (6) Fixed-Price Contracts; (f) hours reported by Payroll Employees; (g) any payments on Hourly Contracts where the Hourly Contract or the services provided thereunder are prohibited by the Terms of Service; (h) hours billed by Freelancers whom Upwork believes, in its sole discretion, to be aware of or complicit in another User’s violation of this Agreement or the other Terms of Service; or (i) Freelancers whom Upwork believes, in its sole discretion, to be involved in actual fraudulent activities or abuse of this Payment Protection.
The maximum rate per hour protected by Upwork to Freelancer under the Hourly Payment Protection for Freelancers is the lesser of: (i) the rate provided in the Hourly Contract terms; (ii) the usual hourly rate billed by Freelancer on the Site across all Clients; and (iii) the going rate for the same skills on the Site in Freelancer's area (such determination to be made in Upwork's sole discretion). The maximum amount of coverage under the Hourly Payment Protection for Freelancers for the life of a relationship between the same Client and Freelancer is $2,500 or 50 hours logged in Work Diary, whichever is less.
6.2. FOR CLIENTS
Freelancer authorizes and instructs Upwork to adjust the Hourly Invoice to remove invoiced hours that are not (a) clearly related to either the Hourly Contract terms or work agreed to by the Client, and (b) within the hours authorized in the Hourly Contract for the week, subject to and conditioned on the following terms:
- Both Client and Freelancer must agree to use Work Diaries as part of the Hourly Contract terms.
- Client must have an Account in good standing and a valid and verified default Payment Method, and Client must agree to automatically pay for hours billed by Freelancer in the Hourly Invoices. Within the Hourly Invoice Review Period, Client must submit a Dispute specifically identifying the time billed that is not clearly related to either the Hourly Contract requirements or Client instructions in the Work Diaries.
Upwork will investigate and determine in its sole discretion whether the above terms and conditions are met.
Hourly Protection for Clients only protects Client from the obligation to pay for Freelancer’s work if the documented hours worked are not clearly related to the Hourly Contract requirements or Client instructions in the Work Diaries. If Client has requested that the Freelancer use functionality of the Site or third-party software that hides, blurs, or distorts images in the Work Diary, the screenshots will be deemed to be “clearly related” to the Hourly Contract requirements for purposes of the Client's eligibility for Hourly Payment Protection. Hourly Payment Protection for Clients does not create any warranties, express or implied, beyond those expressly stated in the User Agreement.
Hourly Protection for Clients does not apply to: (1) Fixed-Price Contracts; (2) Hourly Contracts using Upwork Payroll; or (3) hours billed by Freelancers who are aware of or complicit in another User's violation of this Agreement or the Terms of Service.
7. DISPUTES BETWEEN CLIENT AND FREELANCER
7.1 DISPUTES INITIATED VIA THE PLATFORM
For Hourly Contracts, Client may dispute Freelancer’s hours invoiced on the Hourly Invoice for the prior week (Sunday 12:00 a.m. midnight UTC to Sunday 11:59 p.m. UTC) during the five days following the close of the weekly invoice period (Monday 12:00 a.m. midnight UTC to Friday 11:59 p.m. UTC) (the “Dispute Period“). It is Client’s responsibility to review the Hourly Invoice of every Hourly Contract on a weekly basis and to file any disputes during the Dispute Period. Once the Dispute Period expires, Client will be deemed to have accepted the Freelancer Services and Freelancer Fees and can no longer dispute them. Disputes handled by Upwork can only address the hours billed, not the quality of the Freelancer Services or the Work Product provided under Hourly Contracts. If Client disputes Freelancer’s hours invoiced in the Hourly Invoice under an Hourly Contract during the Dispute Period, Client and Freelancer are encouraged to resolve the dispute between themselves. If Client and Freelancer fail to come to a resolution, Upwork will promptly investigate the Hourly Invoice and determine, in our sole discretion, whether an adjustment is appropriate consistent with Client’s and Freelancer’s instructions in these Escrow Instructions. Upwork's determination of such dispute shall be final.
If Client’s payment is unsuccessful, Upwork will review the Weekly Invoice to determine if it qualifies for Hourly Payment Protection. If Upwork, in its sole discretion, determines that the Weekly Invoice qualifies for Hourly Payment Protection, it will make payment to the Freelancer to cover the Hourly Invoice on behalf of the Client. In the event that Upwork makes payment on behalf of the Client, Freelancer hereby irrevocably assigns any right, title or interest in any payment from Client to Upwork for the amount paid by Upwork.
Client may choose to approve Freelancer’s Weekly Invoice prior to the end of the Dispute Period thereby releasing payment for the Weekly Invoice. If Client releases payment to Freelancer prior to the end of the Dispute Period, Client certifies that it approves the Weekly Invoice, accepts the work, and waives any further right to dispute the work or Weekly Invoice through Upwork's Dispute Assistance (defined below).
You acknowledge and agree that Upwork Escrow or its Affiliates may, at its sole discretion, withhold or delay payment in the event of dispute between a Client and a Freelancer. You further acknowledge and agree that Upwork and Affiliates are not and will not be a party to any dispute between a Client and Freelancer over an Hourly Invoice or Hourly Contract.
Clients may not dispute hours worked with respect to any worker engaged as an employee through Upwork Payroll. The Dispute Period does not apply and payments are released immediately upon completion of the Hourly Invoice for the prior week for Hourly Contracts where the Client has one or more Service Contracts using Upwork Payroll.
7.2 UPWORK DISPUTE ASSISTANCE
Non-binding dispute assistance (“Dispute Assistance”) is available within 30 days of the date of the last release of funds from Client to Freelancer. If Client or Freelancer contacts Upwork via support ticket within 30 days of the date of the last payment from Client to Freelancer and requests non-binding dispute assistance for any dispute among them (a “Dispute”), Upwork will attempt to assist Client and Freelancer by reviewing the Dispute and proposing a mutual, non-binding resolution. Upwork will only review the 30 days of work performed prior to the date a User requests Dispute Assistance.
- The Upwork Disputes team will notify Client and Freelancer via ticket by providing a notice of dispute along with a request for information and supporting documentation.
- If both Client and Freelancer respond to the notice and request for information, then the Disputes team will review the documentation submitted and any information available on the Site that pertains to the Dispute. After review, the Disputes team will propose a mutual, non-binding resolution based on the results of the review.
- The proposed resolution is non-binding; Client and Freelancer can choose whether or not to agree to it. If Client and Freelancer agree in writing to the proposed resolution, Client and Freelancer agree that Upwork Escrow is authorized and irrevocably instructed to immediately release Escrow funds in accordance with the proposed resolution.
- If Client or Freelancer rejects Upwork’s proposed, non-binding resolution then Client and/or Freelancer must pursue the Dispute independently.
- Upwork reserves the right to review the Freelancer’s work for 30 days prior to the date of the request for Dispute Assistance for compliance with Hourly Payment Protection requirements, and in its sole discretion, to make adjustments to invoices, and to direct Upwork Escrow to make appropriate releases to Client if it finds work that clearly does not relate Hourly Contract requirements or Client instructions in the Work Diaries or violations of the Terms of Service during its review of the work.
Dispute Assistance does not apply to Freelancer Services using Upwork Payroll.
8. NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR SERVICES OR PAYMENTS
Upwork and Affiliates merely provide a platform for Internet payment services. Upwork and Affiliates do not have any responsibility or control over the Freelancer Services that Client purchases. Nothing in this Agreement deems or will be interpreted to deem Upwork or any Affiliate as Client’s or Freelancer’s agent with respect to any Freelancer Services, or expand or modify any warranty, liability or indemnity stated in the Terms of Service. For example, Upwork does not guarantee the performance, functionality, quality, or timeliness of Freelancer Services or that a Client can or will make payments.
Fixed Price Service Contract Escrow Instructions
Version 3.3
Effective December 21, 2020
DownloadTable of Contents
*Upwork is committed to helping users experiencing hardships as a result of COVID-19. To that end, Upwork may extend or accommodate requests for extension of deadlines imposed by Section 6 of these Fixed-Price Escrow Instructions and related to disputes subject to the Dispute Assistance Program.*
If a Client and a Freelancer (defined below) enter into a Fixed-Price Contract on the Upwork site, these Fixed Price Service Contract Escrow Instructions (“Escrow Instructions”) apply. These Escrow Instructions govern Fixed-Price Escrow Accounts. If you have a Fixed-Price Contract and wish to make or receive a miscellaneous or bonus payment, those activities are governed by the Hourly, Bonus, and Expense Payment Agreement with Escrow Instructions. Fixed Price Direct Contracts are not governed by these Escrow Instructions and are instead governed by these Fixed Price Direct Contract Escrow Instructions.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, we may modify these Escrow Instructions without prior notice to you, and any revisions to these Escrow Instructions will take effect when posted on the Site unless otherwise stated. The version of these Escrow Instructions in effect on the date any Fixed-Price Contract is entered into apply to that contract. Please check the Site often for updates.
These Escrow Instructions hereby incorporate by reference the Terms of Service (“Terms of Service”). Capitalized terms not defined in these Escrow Instructions are defined in the User Agreement or elsewhere in the Terms of Service, or have the meanings given such terms on the Site. For purposes of these Escrow Instructions, the term “Freelancer” means a User with a Freelancer and/or Agency account.
1. DIGITAL SIGNATURE AND COMMUNICATIONS
By clicking to fund Escrow (a “Funding Approval”) or to accept a Fixed-Price Contract, Client and Freelancer are deemed to have executed these Escrow Instructions electronically, effective on the date Freelancer clicks to accept the engagement, pursuant to California Civil Code Section 1633.8 and the federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 7001, et seq., as may be amended from time to time (the "E-Sign Act"). Doing so constitutes an acknowledgement that you are able to electronically receive, download, and print these Escrow Instructions. All references to the Escrow in these Escrow Instructions will include the initial Funding Approval and any additional Funding Approval for a Fixed-Price Contract.
Client and Freelancer agree that any written communications required herein may be provided electronically, including by email or support ticket, if applicable. Any communication sent to Upwork via U.S. mail or similar service will be deemed timely if received by Upwork by the applicable deadline.
2. ACCEPTANCE OF ESCROW INSTRUCTIONS
Once a Client and Freelancer have agreed to a Service Contract, and the Client and Freelancer have selected “Agree” on the send offer, accept offer, or pages relating to the Service Contract to accept the Terms of Service (including these Escrow Instructions), these Escrow Instructions constitute a binding agreement between Client, Freelancer, and Upwork Escrow Inc. (“Upwork Escrow”) (collectively, the “Parties”). Client and Freelancer must execute (by digital signature or by a method mutually agreed upon by both parties), and Upwork Escrow must agree to, any supplemental instruction or addition, deletion or alteration thereto in writing (collectively the “Supplemental Escrow Instruction”). Upwork Escrow reserves the right to reject any Supplemental Escrow Instruction.
3. DEPOSIT OF FUNDS INTO ESCROW
By sending a contract offer to Freelancer or accepting a contract offer from Freelancer, Client agrees to deposit funds for the amount of the first Milestone (as defined on the Site), or, if there are no Milestones, the full amount of the Service Contract. Additional Milestones may be funded on the same contract by Client by selecting the button to add an additional Milestone or to activate the next Milestone on the Site. Funds deposited by Client remain in the Client Escrow Account until they are released to the Freelancer Escrow Account or released to Client Escrow Account. Upwork Escrow will release funds held in escrow pursuant to Section 4 of these Escrow Instructions (Release and Delivery of Amounts in Escrow).
4. RELEASE AND DELIVERY OF AMOUNTS IN ESCROW
Client and Freelancer irrevocably authorize and instruct Upwork Escrow to release applicable portions of the Fixed-Price Escrow Account (each portion, a “Release”) to the Freelancer Escrow Account or Client Escrow Account, as applicable, based on the instructions described in this Section 4 (each such instruction, a “Release Condition”), or as otherwise required by applicable law or expressly permitted by the Terms of Service. The amount of each Release will be delivered to the applicable Escrow Account in accordance with Freelancer’s or Client’s instructions, these Escrow Instructions, and the other Terms of Service. All funds released pursuant to these Escrow Instructions are subject to applicable fees as described in the Fee and ACH Authorization Agreement.
4.1 RELEASE OF FUNDS TO FREELANCER
Freelancer and Client authorize and instruct Upwork Escrow to immediately release funds to the Freelancer Escrow Account on the occurrence of any of the following Release Conditions, such authorization and instruction to be irrevocable except as expressly provided in these Escrow Instructions:
- Client affirmatively selects the option to release funds for a Milestone or Service Contract to Freelancer.
- Client does not take any action for 14 calendar days from the date of Freelancer’s Release request, in which case Freelancer and Client agree that Upwork Escrow is authorized and instructed to immediately release to Freelancer the amount associated with the applicable Milestone in connection with such Release request.
- Client and Freelancer have jointly submitted Supplemental Escrow Instructions in writing and signed by both Client and Freelancer to Upwork Escrow at legalnotices@upwork.com requesting a Release to Freelancer Escrow Account, and Upwork Escrow has agreed to the Supplemental Escrow Instructions.
- Client has declined Arbitration or failed to make its Arbitration Payment (defined below) pursuant to the Dispute Assistance Program, and Freelancer has agreed to Arbitration and submitted its Arbitration Payment.
- Client has failed timely to respond to a Notice of Dispute (defined below) or otherwise failed to comply with the Dispute Assistance Program, as required by the Escrow Disputes Team.
- Submittal of a final award of an arbitrator appointed pursuant to the Dispute Assistance Program in favor of Freelancer or to the extent the award is in favor of Freelancer.
- Issuance of an order by a court, arbitrator, or other judicial body of apparent competent jurisdiction in favor of Freelancer, in whole or in part, to the extent required by the order.
- A condition to release funds to Freelancer described elsewhere in these Escrow Instructions applies.
4.2 RELEASE OF FUNDS TO CLIENT
Freelancer and Client authorize and instruct Upwork Escrow to immediately release funds to the Client Escrow Account on the occurrence of any of the following Release Conditions, such authorization and instruction to be irrevocable except as expressly provided in these Escrow Instructions:
- Freelancer cancels the Service Contract or accepts Client’s request to cancel the Service Contract (as described in Section 4.4), and funds for a Milestone or the Service Contract are held in Escrow.
- Client and Freelancer have jointly submitted Supplemental Escrow Instructions in writing and signed by both Client and Freelancer to Upwork Escrow at legalnotices@upwork.com requesting a Release to the Client Escrow Account, and Upwork Escrow has agreed to the Supplemental Escrow Instructions.
- Client and Freelancer agree to close the Service Contract without release of funds to the Freelancer Escrow Account.
- Freelancer has declined Arbitration or failed to make its Arbitration Payment pursuant to the Dispute Assistance Program.
- Freelancer has failed to timely respond to a request for a refund submitted through the platform, Notice of Dispute, or otherwise failed to comply with the Dispute Assistance Program, as required by the Escrow Disputes Team.
- Submittal of a final award of an arbitrator appointed pursuant to the Dispute Assistance Program in favor of Client or to the extent the award is in favor of Client.
- Issuance of an order of a court, arbitrator, or other judicial body of apparent competent jurisdiction in favor of Client, in whole or in part, to the extent required by the order.
- A condition to release funds to Client described elsewhere in these Escrow Instructions applies.
- For Service Contracts entered through Project Catalog, Client has failed to respond to a request for project requirements within 48 hours, at which point any funds in escrow will be released to Client and the contract will be closed.
4.3 DORMANT ENGAGEMENTS
To be fair to Clients and Freelancers, Upwork has a procedure for Fixed-Price Contracts that appear to be Dormant Engagements (as defined below). For purposes of determining dormant status, “activity” means a change to the Service Contract, including Milestone updates or requests, Fixed-Price Escrow Funding, Fixed-Price Escrow Release, Fixed-Price Escrow Refunds, Funding requests, Release requests, requests to close the Fixed-Price Contract, or actions under the Dispute Assistance Program.
A "Dormant Engagement" is a Fixed-Price Contract that has a Fixed-Price Escrow Account with a balance but has had no activity for 90 consecutive calendar days after the last Milestone date contained in the Service Contract terms. Dormant Engagements are subject to the following rules:
- Upwork will notify Client when the Fixed-Price Contract becomes Dormant (“Dormant Date”).
- If no activity other than Release requests has occurred within 7 calendar days after the Dormant Date, Upwork will notify Freelancer that the Fixed-Price Contract is Dormant.
- If neither Freelancer nor Client take any action for 7 calendar days after the Dormant Date, Freelancer and Client authorize and irrevocably instruct Upwork Escrow to immediately release escrow funds to the Client Escrow Account.
- If Freelancer submits a Release request and Client does not take any action for 14 calendar days from the date of the Release request, Freelancer and Client authorize and irrevocably instruct Upwork Escrow to immediately release to Freelancer the amount related to the Milestone with the Release request.
4.4 REFUNDS AND CANCELLATIONS
Client and Freelancer are encouraged to come to a mutual agreement if refunds or cancellations are necessary. If there are no funds in Escrow, Client and Freelancer have the ability to cancel the Service Contract by clicking to close the Service Contract. If funds are held in Escrow, refunds and cancellations must be initiated by Client or Freelancer by following the steps in this Section.
4.4.1 REFUNDS AND CANCELLATIONS BY FREELANCER
If Freelancer wants to cancel a Service Contract with funds held in Escrow, Freelancer must select “End Contract” on the Upwork platform. When Freelancer ends the Service Contract on the Upwork platform, Freelancer and Client agree that Upwork Escrow is authorized and irrevocably instructed to immediately release to the Client Escrow Account all funds held in Escrow on the Service Contract at that time.
Freelancer may issue a refund to Client up to the amount paid on a Service Contract in the past 180 days by selecting “Give a Refund” on the Upwork platform. Freelancer may not issue a refund in an amount greater than the combined amount of funds held in Freelancer Escrow Account, funds for transactions pending to be placed in the Freelancer Escrow Account, and funds for submitted Milestones. By selecting the option to give a refund, Freelancer agrees that Upwork Escrow is authorized and irrevocably instructed to immediately release to the Client Escrow Account all Escrow funds currently held in the Freelancer Escrow Account and such funds as may be placed into the Freelancer Escrow Account once the funds are available, until the entire refund is provided to Client.
4.4.1 CANCELLATIONS BY CLIENT
If Client wants to cancel a Service Contract with funds held in Escrow, Client must select “End Contract” on the Upwork platform. Freelancer must select the option to either approve or dispute Client’s cancellation within 7 calendar days. If Freelancer approves the cancellation, Freelancer and Client agree that Upwork Escrow is authorized and irrevocably instructed to immediately release to the Client Escrow Account all funds held in Escrow on the Service Contract at that time. If Freelancer is using the Site on a mobile device and does not have the ability to select the option to approve or dispute the cancellation on the mobile website or application, Freelancer must dispute Client’s cancellation via support ticket within 7 calendar days. If Freelancer takes no action within 7 calendar days from the date notification of the cancellation is sent to Freelancer by Upwork, Freelancer and Client agree that Upwork Escrow is authorized and irrevocably instructed to immediately release to the Client Escrow Account all funds held in Escrow on the Service Contract at that time. If Freelancer disputes the cancellation, Freelancer and Client will be offered Upwork Dispute Assistance (as described in Section 6).
4.5 VIOLATION OF UPWORK TERMS OF SERVICE OR LAW
Freelancer and Client acknowledge and agree that if, in Upwork Escrow’s sole discretion, Upwork Escrow believes that fraud, illegal activity, or a violation of the Terms of Service has been committed or is being committed or attempted, then Client and Freelancer irrevocably authorize and instruct Upwork Escrow to take such actions as deemed appropriate, in Upwork Escrow’s sole discretion and in accordance with applicable law, in order to prevent or remedy such acts, including without limitation, to return the funds associated with such acts to their source of payment, as further described in Section 6.3 of the User Agreement. This Section 4.5 allows Upwork Escrow—as permitted by law but otherwise in its sole discretion—to return funds to Client’s Payment Method, continue to hold funds in Escrow, release funds to the Freelancer Escrow Account, or to turn funds over to third parties such as law enforcement.
5. INSTRUCTIONS IRREVOCABLE
Client and Freelancer are deemed to and hereby agree that the instruction to Upwork Escrow and its wholly owned subsidiaries to release funds is irrevocable, except as explicitly provided in these Escrow Instructions. Without limiting the foregoing, Client’s instruction to Upwork Escrow and its wholly owned subsidiaries to release payment to Freelancer is irrevocable. Such instruction is Client’s authorization to transfer funds to the Freelancer Escrow Account from the Client Escrow Account or authorization to charge Client’s Payment Method. Such instruction is also Client’s representation that Client has received, inspected, and accepted the subject work or expense. Client acknowledges and agrees that upon receipt of Client’s instruction to release payment to the Freelancer Escrow Account, Upwork Escrow will transfer funds to the Freelancer Escrow Account and that Upwork, Upwork Escrow, and other Affiliates have no responsibility to and may not be able to recover such funds. Therefore, and in consideration of the services described in these Escrow Instructions and the Terms of Service, Client agrees that once Upwork Escrow or its subsidiaries or Affiliates have charged Client’s Payment Method, the charge is non-refundable. Client and Freelancer further agree that the only manner in which an instruction to Upwork Escrow is revocable is if Client and Freelancer have jointly submitted Supplemental Escrow Instructions in writing and signed by both Client and Freelancer to Upwork Escrow at legalnotices@upwork.com requesting that Upwork Escrow take specific action with respect to the funds in its possession, and Upwork Escrow has agreed to the Supplemental Escrow Instructions.
6. DISPUTE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
If Client and Freelancer fail to come to a mutual resolution by way of the Refund and Cancellation process as stated in Section 4.4, Upwork provides the dispute assistance program administered by Upwork and described in this Section 6 (the “Dispute Assistance Program”) as a mechanism to resolve the dispute. If the funds in dispute are held in Escrow, the Dispute Assistance Program will proceed as described in Section 6.1. If the funds in dispute have been released, the Dispute Assistance Program will proceed as described in Section 6.2. The Dispute Assistance Program is not available for disputes filed or initiated past the Dispute Assistance deadlines, as set forth in Sections 6.1 and 6.2, as applicable. The Dispute Assistance Program is offered as a form of non-binding assistance to facilitate communication and potential resolution of disputes between clients and freelancers. The Dispute Assistance Program as administered by Upwork in this Section 6 does not evaluate the quality or functionality of work and cannot render binding judgment or determination as to the parties’ respective rights to the disputed funds. Fixed-Price Contracts with Enterprise Clients or Upwork Business Clients (defined in the Fee and ACH Authorization Agreement) are not subject to Sections 6 and 7, regarding Upwork’s Dispute Assistance Program and Arbitration, respectively.
6.1 DISPUTE OF FUNDS IN ESCROW
This Section applies to disputes filed by Clients or Freelancers over funds that are held in Escrow as of the date the dispute is filed (“Escrow Dispute”). The scope of the Escrow Dispute may cover the entirety of the Fixed-Price Contract and all Milestones previously funded, approved, and released. In the event of an Escrow Dispute, funds in Escrow will remain in Escrow while the Dispute Assistance Program or Arbitration, as applicable, is being administered. The Dispute Assistance Program for an Escrow Dispute will be administered as set forth below:
- Escrow Dispute Assistance Deadline: Escrow Disputes must be initiated before the funds in Escrow have been released in order to be eligible for the Dispute Assistance Program under this Section. Disputes over funds that have been released from Escrow may be eligible for the Dispute Assistance Program, as described more fully below in Section 6.2.
- Filing A Dispute
- Freelancers & Agencies: Freelancers and Agencies may initiate an Escrow Dispute when a Client ends the project with an escrow balance or a Client fails to release a Milestone payment, despite any purported delivery of work. More information on how to file a dispute on active or ended contracts can be found here.
- Clients: Clients may initiate an Escrow Dispute by requesting an Escrow refund on the platform or by releasing a partial milestone payment. If the Freelancer or Agency disputes the Escrow refund or offers a partial Escrow refund that is subsequently rejected by the Client, the case will be referred to the Dispute Assistance Program. More information on how to file a dispute on active or ended contracts can be found here.
- Notice of Escrow Dispute: Once a dispute has been filed, the Escrow dispute team that administers the Disputes Assistance Program (“Escrow Disputes Team”) will notify Client and Freelancer in writing of the Escrow dispute via ticket and request information and supporting documentation from the parties (“Notice of Escrow Dispute”).
- Lack of Participation: Client and Freelancer must respond to the Notice of Escrow Dispute within 5 calendar days. If one party does not timely respond to the Notice of Escrow Dispute, Client and Freelancer agree that the lack of timely response acts as an irrevocable authorization and instruction to Upwork Escrow to release the funds in Escrow from the non-responding party to the responding party.
- Non-Binding Assistance: After both Client and Freelancer respond to the Notice of Escrow Dispute, the Escrow Disputes Team will review the documentation submitted and any information available on the Site that pertains to the dispute. The Escrow Disputes Team will facilitate communication between the parties and help assess whether mutual resolution is possible. The Escrow Disputes Team does not evaluate the quality or functionality of work and cannot render binding judgment or determination as to the parties’ respective rights to the disputed funds.
- Resolution of Escrow Dispute: If the Escrow Disputes Team is able to facilitate a resolution between Client and Freelancer, and if Client and Freelancer agree in writing to the resolution, Client and Freelancer agree that Upwork Escrow is authorized and irrevocably instructed to immediately release Escrow funds in accordance with the agreed-upon resolution. This will result in a closure of the Escrow dispute ticket.
- No Resolution: If no resolution of the Escrow dispute has been reached within 21 calendar days of the Notice of Escrow Dispute, or if the Escrow Disputes Team determines in its sole discretion that no resolution between the parties is possible through the Dispute Assistance Program, the Escrow Disputes Team will issue a “Notice of Non-Resolution” and the Escrow dispute will be referred to Arbitration, as set forth in Section 7 below.
6.2 DISPUTE OF FUNDS RELEASED
This Section applies to disputes filed by Clients or Freelancers over funds that have been released from Escrow as of the date the dispute is filed (“Dispute Mediation”). The scope of the Dispute Mediation may cover any portion of or the entirety of the Fixed Price Contract and any Milestone previously funded, approved, and released. The Dispute Assistance Program for Dispute Mediation will be administered as set forth below:
- Dispute Mediation Deadline: Dispute Mediation must be initiated within 30 calendar days of the date that funds in Escrow have been released to the Freelancer in order to be eligible for the Dispute Assistance Program under this Section 6.2. Any dispute over funds that have been released from Escrow more than 30 days prior to the date the dispute is filed is no longer eligible for submission to the Dispute Assistance Program.
- Initiating Dispute Mediation:
- Requesting a Refund: Clients may initiate Dispute Mediation for disputes over funds that have been released from Escrow by requesting a refund on the platform. If the Freelancer rejects the request for a refund, grants a partial refund that is subsequently rejected by the Client, or takes no action, the dispute will be referred to the Dispute Assistance Program. More information on how to file a dispute on active or ended contracts can be found here.
- Contacting Support: In addition to the above method, any User may contact Upwork Support for assistance initiating Dispute Mediation.
- Notice of Dispute Mediation: Once a dispute has been initiated, the Upwork Dispute Mediation team (“Dispute Mediation Team”) will notify Client and Freelancer of the Dispute Mediation in writing and request information and supporting documentation from the parties (“Notice of Dispute Mediation”). Client and Freelancer must respond to the Notice of Dispute Mediation within 5 calendar days. Failure to respond to the Notice of Dispute Mediation within 5 calendar days will result in the suspension of the non-participating party’s User account, as defined in Section 1.4 of the User Agreement, which may impact the non-participating party’s ability to withdraw funds.
- Non-Binding Assistance: Once both Client and Freelancer respond to the Notice of Dispute Mediation, the Dispute Mediation Team will review the documentation submitted and any information available on the Site that pertains to the dispute. The Dispute Mediation Team will facilitate communication between the parties and help assess whether mutual resolution is possible. The Dispute Mediation Team does not evaluate the quality or functionality of work and cannot render binding judgment or determination as to the parties’ respective rights to the disputed funds.
- Resolution of Dispute Mediation: If the Dispute Mediation Team is able to facilitate a resolution between Client and Freelancer, and if Client and Freelancer agree in writing to the resolution, the Dispute Mediation Team will send the applicable party instructions on transferring payment, if any, to an Escrow Account. By agreeing in writing to the resolution, Client and Freelancer agree that Upwork Escrow is authorized and irrevocably instructed to immediately release Escrow funds in accordance with the agreed-upon resolution. This will result in the closure of the Dispute Mediation ticket.
- No Resolution: If no resolution of the dispute has been reached within 21 calendar days of the Notice of Dispute Mediation, or if the Dispute Mediation Team determines in its sole discretion that no resolution between the parties is possible through the Dispute Assistance Program, the Dispute Mediation Team will issue a “Notice of Non-Resolution,” and the dispute will be referred to Arbitration, as set forth in Section 7 below.
7. ARBITRATION
After a “Notice of Non-Resolution” is issued from the Upwork Dispute Assistance Program, Freelancer and Client each has the right to demand Arbitration of a Fixed-Price Contract if the Fixed-Price Escrow associated with the Fixed-Price Contract has been funded at least once. The demand for Arbitration must be communicated to the Escrow Disputes Team or Dispute Mediation Team, as applicable, within 7 calendar days of the date of the Notice of Non-Resolution. In any Arbitration, each of you and the other User is a “Dispute Party,” and collectively you are the “Dispute Parties.”
Any Arbitration under this Section 7 will be conducted by a neutral third-party Arbitration service, the American Arbitration Association (the “AAA”), unless Upwork chooses another Arbitration service. The Arbitration rules and fees are set out in Appendix A to these Escrow Instructions.
7.1 ARBITRATION INITIATION PROCEDURE
- Notice of Arbitration Demand: Client and Freelancer have 7 calendar days after receiving the Notice of Non-Resolution to notify Upwork via a dispute ticket of their intent to initiate Arbitration. The Upwork Dispute Team will then provide a “Notice of Arbitration Demand” to both Client and Freelancer and provide the Dispute Parties with information on how to submit Client’s or Freelancer’s applicable portion of the costs of Arbitration (the “Arbitration Payment”). To proceed with Arbitration, Client and Freelancer must each make the Arbitration Payment within 5 calendar days of the Notice of Arbitration Demand.
- Upwork Escrow Disputes:
- Rejection of Arbitration or non-participation by both parties: If both Dispute Parties decline to take the matter to Arbitration or do not make the Arbitration Payment within 5 calendar days of the Notice of Arbitration Demand, Client and Freelancer agree that Upwork Escrow is authorized and irrevocably instructed to immediately release the funds in Escrow, if any, to the Client’s primary payment method on file. This will close the Escrow Dispute ticket. To the extent the parties wish to take legal action to enforce their contractual rights, Upwork may provide contact information on file for Client or Freelancer, consistent with Upwork’s Privacy Policy.
- Rejection of Arbitration or non-participation by one party: If one party elects to take the matter to Arbitration and has submitted the Arbitration Payment (“Participating Party”), and the other party rejects Arbitration, fails to submit the Arbitration Payment or does not respond within 5 calendar days of the Notice of Arbitration Demand (“Non-Participating Party”), Freelancer and Client agree that Upwork Escrow is authorized and irrevocably instructed to immediately release the funds in Escrow, if any, to the Participating Party. This will close the Escrow Dispute ticket. To the extent the parties wish to take legal action to enforce their contractual rights, Upwork may provide contact information on file for Client or Freelancer, consistent with Upwork’s Privacy Policy.
- Upwork Dispute Mediation
- Rejection of Arbitration or non-participation by both parties: If both Dispute Parties decline to take the matter to Arbitration or do not respond to Upwork’s Notice of Arbitration Demand within 5 calendar days, the Dispute Mediation ticket will be closed. To the extent the parties wish to take legal action to enforce their contractual rights, Upwork may provide contact information on file of Client or Freelancer, consistent with Upwork’s Privacy Policy.
- Rejection of Arbitration or non-participation by one party: If one party elects to take the matter to Arbitration and has submitted the Arbitration Payment, and the other party rejects Arbitration, fails to submit the Arbitration Payment or does not respond within 5 calendar days of the Notice of Arbitration Demand, Upwork will suspend the Non-Participating Party’s User account, as defined in Section 1.4 of the User Agreement, which may impact the Non-Participating Party’s ability to withdraw funds.
- Arbitration Instructions: If both parties timely submit the Arbitration Payment, Upwork will instruct the parties on the process for initiating the Arbitration with the Arbitration service provider. After the parties have initiated the Arbitration, Upwork will provide the arbitrator with relevant documentation, including information collected in the Escrow Dispute or Dispute Mediation process and contents of the Contract Room. The scope of Arbitration may cover the entirety of the Fixed-Price Contract and all Milestones previously funded, approved, and released.
7.2 AUTHORIZATION TO COLLECT ARBITRATION FEES
When you electronically authorize payment of the invoice for the Arbitration Payment as emailed to you by Upwork, you irrevocably authorize and instruct (i) Upwork Escrow or its Affiliates, as your agent, to charge your Payment Method for the amount of the payment for credit to your Escrow Account; and (ii) Upwork Escrow, as escrow agent, to immediately release that amount from your Escrow Account and pay it to Upwork. If Upwork Escrow or its Affiliates cannot collect sufficient funds to fulfill the Escrow release instructions for any reason, Upwork Escrow has no obligation with respect to making the payment to Upwork on your behalf, and you will be considered as not having paid the Arbitration Payment as required by this Section 7.2.
7.3 LIMITATIONS PERIOD FOR ARBITRATIONS
If both Client and Freelancer fail to demand Arbitration within 7 calendar days of the Notice of Non-Resolution, fail to timely submit the Arbitration Payments, or fail to respond to the Notice of Arbitration Demand within 5 calendar days, then the dispute is no longer eligible for Arbitration under this process, and Client and Freelancer will be deemed to have irrevocably authorized and instructed Upwork Escrow to, and Upwork Escrow will, release all funds in the Fixed-Price Escrow Account to the Client’s Escrow Account.
7.4 ARBITRATION AWARD
Client and Freelancer agree that the arbitrator is authorized to decide the Escrow Dispute or Dispute Mediation within its discretion. You agree that the arbitrator’s award is final, that it may be entered in and enforced by any court of competent jurisdiction, and that if the arbitrator delivers notice of any award to Upwork, then Upwork and Upwork Escrow have the right to treat such notice as conclusive and act in reliance thereon.
8. SERVICE FEES FOR ESCROW FUNDS RELEASED FOLLOWING DISPUTE ASSISTANCE
All Escrow funds released under the Dispute Assistance Program are subject to the normal Service Fees associated with Escrow Accounts, as detailed in the User Agreement and these Escrow Instructions.
9. NOTICES
All notices to a User required by these Escrow Instructions will be made via email sent by Upwork to the User’s registered email address. Users are solely responsible for maintaining a current, active email address registered with Upwork, for checking their registered email address and for responding to notices sent by Upwork to the User’s registered email address.
10. COOPERATION WITH THE DISPUTE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
All claims, disputes or other disagreements between you and another User that are covered by the Dispute Assistance Program must be resolved in accordance with the terms in the Dispute Assistance Program. All claims filed or brought contrary to the Dispute Assistance Program will be considered improperly filed, unless otherwise required by law, and Upwork will have the right to take any other action, including suspension or termination of your User Account, as defined in Section 1.4 of the User Agreement, which may impact your ability to withdraw funds, and any other legal action as Upwork deems appropriate in its sole discretion.
11. ABUSE
Upwork, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to suspend or terminate your User Account, as defined in Section 1.4 of the User Agreement, immediately upon giving notice to you if Upwork believes you may be abusing the Dispute Assistance Program or as otherwise permitted by the Terms of Service, which may impact your ability to withdraw funds. However, any disputes for any Fixed-Price Contracts that existed prior to termination will be subject to the Terms of Service.
APPENDIX A
RULES AND FEES FOR ARBITRATIONS CONDUCTED BY THE AMERICAN ARBITRATION ASSOCIATION
This Appendix A summarizes certain pertinent contractual terms that the American Arbitration Association (the "AAA") has agreed to in providing arbitration services to Clients and Freelancers who choose the AAA as their arbitrator under the Fixed-Price Escrow Instructions. The AAA is solely a third-party arbitration service provider. Upwork and its Affiliates have no direct or indirect affiliate, partnership, joint venture, ownership or control relationship with or interest in the AAA. Upwork and its Affiliates assume no responsibility or liability for the services of the AAA.
Appointment of the Arbitrator
All Arbitrations by the AAA are conducted by a single arbitrator.
The AAA will provide the parties the opportunity to participate in arbitrator selection through a strike-and-rank process of pre-qualified arbitrators.
- Each party will be provided with an identical list of five potential arbitrators and may have up to 3 calendar days to strike two potential arbitrators and rank the remaining in order of preference. If any party does not return the list within 5 calendar days, all persons named therein will be deemed acceptable.
- From among the arbitrators approved on both lists and in accordance with the designated order of mutual preference, the AAA will invite the arbitrator to serve. If for any reason the appointment cannot be made according to this procedure, the AAA will have the power to make the appointment without submission of additional lists.
- Any arbitrator will be impartial and independent, will perform his or her duties with diligence and in good faith, and will be subject to disqualification for any grounds provided by applicable law.
- Neither Upwork nor any party or party representative will communicate ex parte with an arbitrator or candidate for arbitrator concerning the Arbitration. Notwithstanding the above, Upwork and an arbitrator may communicate ex parte solely for the purpose of enabling the arbitrator to access and use the Site, and the Contract Room, and the information contained therein, associated with the Fixed-Price Contract in dispute.
RULES OF THE PROCEEDINGS
- The amount at issue in any claims or counterclaims relating to a Fixed-Price Contract will be limited to the sum still held in Escrow and the sum previously released from Escrow for the Fixed-Price Contract.
- The Arbitration Plaintiff may submit a statement of the case (“Initial Statement”), not to exceed 1,500 words, within 3 business days of being notified that the case has been filed with the AAA. The Arbitration Plaintiff will post the Initial Statement to the Contract Room.
- The Arbitration Respondent may submit a response (“Response Statement”), not to exceed 1,500 words, within 3 business days of receiving the Initial Statement. The Arbitration Respondent will post the Response Statement to the Contract Room.
- Either party may elect to use its dispute notice form or dispute response (as applicable) in lieu of creating a separate Initial Statement or Response Statement for the Arbitration. No party may submit new or different claims after the case has been initiated.
- All proceedings will be “on documents” and the evidence admissible will consist solely and exclusively of Contract Room contents at the time the Dispute was submitted to the Upwork dispute resolution process. Any communication taking place outside the Contract Room must have been posted to the Contract Room within 24 hours of the original transmission of that communication in order to be admissible. Once Arbitration is initiated, the arbitrator can make an award based solely on the Contract Room contents and material submitted to initiate the Arbitration. The failure of one party or the other to respond to an arbitrator request or otherwise continue to participate in the Arbitration will not prevent the arbitrator from making an award.
- The language of the Arbitration will be English.
- At the arbitrator’s sole discretion, the arbitrator may permit or require the submission of additional written statements from the parties (“Additional Arguments”). The arbitrator is not required to permit Additional Arguments. If the arbitrator permits Additional Arguments, the arbitrator will establish the schedule and rules for the submission of such Additional Arguments, including any limits on the length of such Additional Arguments.
- The Arbitration will conclude within 30 calendar days from the date of submission to the AAA, and the arbitrator may grant an extension for good cause not to exceed 14 calendar days.
- Communications by either party to the arbitrator will be shared with all parties.
- All awards will be final, non-appealable and enforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction.
- Neither the AAA nor any arbitrator in a proceeding under these rules and procedures is a necessary or proper party in judicial proceedings relating to the Arbitration. The parties to an Arbitration under these rules and procedures will be deemed to have consented that neither the AAA nor any arbitrator will be liable to any party in any action for damages or injunctive relief for any act or omission in connection with any Arbitration under these rules and procedures.
The Award
The AAA will provide Upwork and the parties with a written award promptly upon the conclusion of the Arbitration, and in no event later than 14 calendar days after conclusion of the Arbitration. At the arbitrator’s sole discretion, the arbitrator may provide, but is not required to provide, written reasons for the Award to the parties.
Fees
The fee for Arbitrations by the AAA is $875, regardless of the amount at issue.
Each of the Dispute Parties and Upwork will share the cost equally ($291 each).
Client and Freelancer will solely bear and pay any other costs each incurs related to the Arbitration.
Fixed Price Direct Contract Escrow Instructions
Version 2.0
Effective October 19, 2020
DownloadTable of Contents
If a Client and a Freelancer enter into a Fixed Price Direct Contract, these Fixed Price Direct Contract Escrow Instructions (“Escrow Instructions”) apply. These Escrow Instructions govern Escrow Accounts for Fixed Price Direct Contracts. Service Contracts are governed by the applicable escrow instructions.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, we may modify these Escrow Instructions without prior notice to you, and any revisions to these Escrow Instructions will take effect when posted on the Site unless otherwise stated. Please check the Site often for updates.
These Escrow Instructions hereby incorporate by reference the Terms of Service (“Terms of Service”). Capitalized terms not defined in these Escrow Instructions are defined in the User Agreement, elsewhere in the Terms of Service, or have the meanings given such terms on the Site. These Escrow Instructions do not apply to Fixed-Price Contracts or Hourly Contracts.
1. DIGITAL SIGNATURE
By clicking to accept a Direct Contract, Client and Freelancer are deemed to have executed these Escrow Instructions electronically, effective on the date Client clicks to accept the Direct Contract, pursuant to California Civil Code section 1633.8 and the federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 7001, et seq., as may be amended from time to time (the "E-Sign Act"). Doing so constitutes an acknowledgement that you are able to electronically receive, download, and print these Escrow Instructions.
2. FUNDING ESCROW
By accepting a Direct Contract, Client agrees to deposit funds for the amount of the first milestone (as defined on the Site) or the full amount of the Direct Contract if there is only one milestone. Additional milestones, if any, may be funded on the same contract by the Client by selecting the button to add an additional milestone or to activate the next milestone. Funds deposited by Clients remain in the Client Escrow Account until they are released to the Freelancer Escrow Account or released to the Client. Upwork Escrow will not release funds held in escrow except as described in these Escrow Instructions.
3. RELEASE AND DELIVERY OF AMOUNTS IN ESCROW
Client and Freelancer irrevocably authorize and instruct Upwork Escrow Inc. (“Upwork Escrow“) to release applicable portions of the Direct Contract Escrow Account (each portion, a “Release”) to their Freelancer Escrow Account or Client Escrow Account, as applicable, upon the occurrence of and in accordance with one or more Release Conditions provided below or as otherwise required by applicable law or the Terms of Service. If the funds are released to the Client Escrow Account, they will be automatically returned to the Client’s Payment Method that was charged to fund escrow. The amount of the Release will be delivered to the applicable Escrow Account in accordance with Freelancer’s or Client’s instructions, as applicable, these Escrow Instructions, and the other Terms of Service.
3.1 RELEASE CONDITIONS
As used in these Escrow Instructions, “Release Condition” means any of the following:
- Client clicks to release funds to Freelancer.
- Client does not take any action for 14 days from the date of a Freelancer’s Release request, in which case Freelancer and Client agree that Upwork Escrow is authorized and irrevocably instructed to immediately release to Freelancer the amount associated with the applicable milestone in connection with such Release request.
- Freelancer or Client cancels the contract before a payment has been released to Freelancer, in which case the funds are to be returned to the Client.
- Issuance of the final order of a court or arbitrator of competent jurisdiction from which appeal is not taken, in which case the funds will be released in accordance with such order.
- We believe, in our sole discretion, that fraud, an illegal act, or a violation of Upwork's Terms of Service has been committed or is being committed or attempted, in which case Client and Freelancer irrevocably authorize and instruct Upwork Escrow to take such actions as we deem appropriate in our sole discretion and in accordance with applicable law, in order to prevent or remedy such acts, including without limitation to return the funds associated with such acts to their source of payment.
4. INSTRUCTIONS IRREVOCABLE
On the occurrence of a Release Condition, Client and Freelancer are deemed to and hereby agree that the instruction to Upwork Escrow and its wholly owned subsidiaries to release funds is irrevocable. Without limiting the foregoing, Client’s instruction to Upwork Escrow and its wholly owned subsidiaries to pay a Freelancer is irrevocable. Such instruction is Client’s authorization to transfer funds to Freelancer from the Client Escrow Account or authorization to charge Client’s Payment Method. Such instruction is also Client’s representation that Client has received, inspected and accepted the subject work or expense. Client acknowledges and agrees that upon receipt of Client’s instruction to pay Freelancer, Upwork Escrow will transfer funds to the Freelancer and that Upwork, Upwork Escrow, and other Affiliates have no responsibility to and may not be able to recover such funds. Therefore, and in consideration of services described in this Agreement, Client agrees that once Upwork Escrow or its subsidiary has charged Client’s Payment Method, the charge is non-refundable.
5. DORMANT ENGAGEMENTS
To be fair to Clients and Freelancers, Upwork has a procedure for Direct Contracts that appear Dormant (as defined below). For purposes of determining Dormant status, “activity” means business term or milestone updates or requests, Direct Contract Escrow Funding, Release requests, or requests to close the Contract.
A "Dormant Engagement" is a Direct Contract that has a Direct Contract Escrow Account with a balance but has had no activity for 90 consecutive days after the last milestone date contained in the business terms. Dormant Engagements are subject to the following rules:
- Upwork will notify Client when the Direct Contract becomes dormant (“Dormant Date”).
- If no activity other than Release requests has occurred within 7 days after the Dormant Date, Upwork will notify the Freelancer that the Direct Contract is Dormant.
- If neither Freelancer nor Client take any action for 7 days after the Dormant Date, Freelancer and Client agree that Upwork Escrow is authorized and irrevocably instructed to immediately release escrow funds to Client.
- If Freelancer submits a Release request and client does not take any action for 14 days from the date of the Release request, Freelancer and Client agree that Upwork Escrow is authorized and irrevocably instructed to immediately release to Freelancer the amount related to the milestone with Release request.
- All funds released to Freelancer under this Section, Dormant Engagements, will be subject to the applicable Fees as described in the Direct Contract Terms.
6. REFUNDS AND CANCELLATIONS
Client and Freelancer are encouraged to come to a mutual agreement if refunds or cancellations are necessary. If there are no funds in escrow, Freelancer may issue a refund up to the full amount paid on the Direct Contract.
7. NOTICES
All notices to a User required by these Escrow Instructions will be made via email sent by Upwork to the User’s registered email address. Users are solely responsible for maintaining a current, active email address registered with Upwork, for checking their email and for responding to notices sent by Upwork to the User’s registered email address.
8. ABUSE
Upwork, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to suspend or terminate your Account immediately upon giving notice to you if Upwork believes you may be abusing the Dispute Assistance Program or as otherwise permitted by the Terms of Service. However, any Disputes for any Fixed-Price Contracts that existed prior to termination will be subject to the Terms of Service.
Hourly Direct Contract Escrow Instructions
Version 1.0
Effective October 19, 2020
DownloadTable of Contents
If Client and Freelancer enter into an Hourly Direct Contract, these Hourly Direct Contract Escrow Instructions apply. These Hourly Direct Contract Escrow Instructions govern Direct Contract Escrow Accounts for Hourly Direct Contracts. All other contracts, including Fixed-Price Direct Contracts and Service Contracts (as defined in the User Agreement), are governed by the applicable escrow instructions.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, we may modify these Hourly Direct Contract Escrow Instructions without prior notice to you, and any revisions to these Escrow Instructions will take effect when posted on the Site unless otherwise stated. Please check the Site often for updates.
These Escrow Instructions hereby incorporate by reference the Terms of Service (“Terms of Service”). Capitalized terms not defined in these Escrow Instructions are defined in the User Agreement, elsewhere in the Terms of Service, or have the meanings given such terms on the Site. These Hourly Direct Contract Escrow Instructions do not apply to Fixed-Price Direct Contracts or Service Contracts.
1. DIGITAL SIGNATURE
By clicking to send an offer for or to accept an Hourly Direct Contract, Client and Freelancer are deemed to have executed this Agreement electronically, effective on the date Client clicks to accept an Hourly Direct Contract, pursuant to California Civil Code section 1633.8 and the federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 7001, et seq., as amended from time to time (the “E-Sign Act”). Doing so constitutes an acknowledgement that you are able to electronically receive, download, and print these Hourly Direct Contract Escrow Instructions.
2. FUNDING ESCROW
By accepting an Hourly Direct Contract, Client agrees to deposit funds totaling the Freelancer’s hourly rate as agreed to by the parties multiplied by the weekly hourly limit agreed to by the parties (“Direct Contract Deposit”). Client authorizes Upwork Escrow Inc. (“Upwork Escrow”) to hold the Direct Contract Deposit in escrow through the term of the Hourly Direct Contract and further authorizes Upwork Escrow to release funds from the Direct Contract Deposit to the Freelancer in any instance(s) where the Freelancer invoices hours of work and the invoice is neither disputed or funded for payment by Client in accordance with these Hourly Escrow Instructions. In any such instance(s), Client agrees that Upwork Escrow may charge to Client’s Payment Method or Client will otherwise deposit additional funds into the Client Escrow Account to replenish the Direct Contract Deposit. Freelancer and Client agree and authorize Upwork Escrow to hold an amount equal to the Direct Contract Deposit in escrow through the termination of the Direct Contract, at which point the parties agree the Direct Contract Deposit will be released to Client if all payments due under the Hourly Direct Contract have been paid to Freelancer.
In addition to the Direct Contract Deposit, Client agrees to fund through Client Escrow Account payments to Freelancer on a weekly basis for the amount of Freelancer’s applicable weekly invoices (“Direct Contract Weekly Funds”). If Client approves the submitted invoices in accordance with the below provisions, Upwork Escrow will release the Direct Contract Weekly Funds to Freelancer.
2.1 WEEKLY HOURLY INVOICES
For Hourly Direct Contracts, the weekly billing cycle starts Monday at 00:00 midnight UTC and ends Sunday at 23:59 UTC. Invoices for hours recorded by the Freelancer on Upwork within the weekly billing cycle (the "Hourly Invoice Deadline") will be generated each Monday following the week in which the hours were billed (such invoice, the "Hourly Invoice"). Freelancer irrevocably authorizes and instructs Upwork, as its agent, to (i) create an invoice on behalf of Freelancer for payment due based upon the hours that the freelancer recorded before the Hourly Invoice Deadline; and (ii) submit the Hourly Invoice on behalf of Freelancer to Freelancer's Client for payment.
By recording time on Upwork and allowing an Hourly Invoice to be created based on the time recorded, Freelancer represents and warrants that (y) Freelancer has completed the applicable Freelancer Services fully and satisfactorily; and (z) the hours Freelancer reports are true, accurate, and complete.
2.2 HOURLY INVOICE REVIEW
Client must review and approve or dispute the Hourly Invoice by 11:59 PM UTC of the Thursday following the Sunday deadline for submission of the Hourly Invoice. Payments will be held in escrow during the Dispute Period (defined below), providing four days for Client to review and dispute the Hourly Invoice before funds are released. During the Dispute Period, Client may initiate a Dispute as to some or all of the time invoiced on the Hourly Invoice.
On the Friday following the Sunday deadline for submission of the Hourly Invoice, Client will be deemed to have approved all undisputed amounts on the Hourly Invoice, and irrevocably instructed Upwork’s Affiliate, Upwork Escrow, to release escrow funds as described in these Hourly Direct Contract Escrow Instructions.
3. INSTRUCTIONS TO RELEASE FUNDS IRREVOCABLE
Client’s instruction to Upwork Escrow and its wholly owned subsidiaries to release funds to a Freelancer is irrevocable. Such instruction is Client’s authorization to transfer funds to Freelancer from the Client Escrow Account or authorization to charge Client’s Payment Method. Such instruction is also Client’s representation that Client has received, inspected, and accepted the subject work or expense. Client acknowledges and agrees that upon receipt of Client’s instruction to pay Freelancer, Upwork Escrow will release funds to the Freelancer and that Upwork, Upwork Escrow, and other Affiliates have no responsibility to and may not be able to recover such funds. Therefore, and in consideration of services described herein, Client agrees that once Upwork Escrow has charged Client’s Payment Method, the charge is non-refundable and any funds will only be returned pursuant to a Release Condition (see below).
4. RELEASE AND DELIVERY OF AMOUNTS IN ESCROW
Upwork Escrow is authorized to and will release applicable portions of the Client Escrow Account (each portion, a “Release”) to the Freelancer Escrow Account, upon the occurrence of and in accordance with one or more Release Conditions provided below or as otherwise required by applicable law or the Terms of Service. The amount of the Release will be delivered to the Freelancer Escrow Account, in accordance with Freelancer’s and Client’s instructions (as applicable), these Hourly Direct Contract Escrow Instructions, and the other Terms of Service.
4.1 RELEASE CONDITIONS
As used in these Escrow Instructions, “Release Condition” means any of the following:
- Client and Freelancer have submitted joint written instructions for a Release.
- Client has approved all or a portion of the Freelancer's Hourly Invoice. This Release Condition will only apply to amounts invoiced by the Freelancer that Client has approved. Client’s failure to dispute an Hourly Invoice, or a portion of an Hourly Invoice, within the Dispute Period pursuant to these Hourly Direct Contract Escrow Instructions, constitutes approval by the Client for purposes of this Release Condition.
- Upwork makes a determination with respect to the funds and determines that the time is related to the Hourly Direct Contract requirements or Client’s instruction, if Client initiates a Dispute with respect to Freelancer's Hourly Invoice pursuant to these Hourly Direct Contract Escrow Instructions.
- Pursuant to the agreement of Client and Freelancer, if Client initiates a Dispute with respect to Freelancer's Hourly Invoice pursuant to these Hourly Direct Contract Escrow Instructions and Client and Freelancer resolve the dispute without the assistance of Upwork. In any such instance, Client and Freelancer authorize and agree that Upwork Escrow will release funds in accordance with Client and Freelancer’s agreed resolution.
- Issuance of a final order of a court or arbitrator of competent jurisdiction from which appeal is not taken, in which case the funds will be released in accordance with such order.
- We believe, in our sole discretion, that fraud, an illegal act, or a violation of Upwork's Terms of Service has been committed or is being committed or attempted, in which case Client and Freelancer hereby authorize and instruct Upwork Escrow to take such actions as we deem appropriate in our sole discretion and in accordance with applicable law, in order to prevent or remedy such acts, including without limitation to return the funds associated with such acts to their source of payment.
5. MAKING OR RECEIVING A BONUS OR EXPENSE PAYMENT
Client may also make a bonus, tip, expense, or other miscellaneous payment to Freelancer using the Site. To make such a payment to a Freelancer, Client must follow the instructions and links on the Site and provide the information requested. If Client clicks to pay such a payment to Freelancer, Client irrevocably instructs Upwork Escrow to and Upwork Escrow will release escrow funds to Freelancer.
6. DISPUTES BETWEEN CLIENT AND FREELANCER
For Hourly Direct Contracts, Client may dispute Freelancer’s hours invoiced on the Hourly Invoice for the prior week (Monday 12:00 a.m. midnight UTC to Sunday 11:59 p.m. UTC) during the four days following the close of the weekly invoice period (Monday 12:00 a.m. midnight UTC to Thursday 11:59 p.m. UTC) (the “Dispute Period“). It is Client’s responsibility to review the Hourly Invoice of every Hourly Direct Contract on a weekly basis and to file any disputes during the Dispute Period. Once the Dispute Period expires, Client will be deemed to have accepted the Freelancer Services and Freelancer Fees and can no longer dispute them. Disputes handled by Upwork can only address the hours billed, not the quality of the Freelancer Services or the Work Product provided under Hourly Direct Contracts.
If Client disputes Freelancer’s hours invoiced in the Hourly Invoice under an Hourly Direct Contract during the Dispute Period, Client and Freelancer are encouraged to resolve the dispute between themselves. If Client and Freelancer fail to come to a resolution, Upwork will promptly review the Hourly Invoice and determine, in our sole discretion, whether an adjustment is appropriate consistent with Client’s and Freelancer’s instructions in these Escrow Instructions. Upwork's determination of such dispute shall be final unless Client and Freelancer pursue legal proceedings, in which case funds will be released according to the final order from which appeal is not taken in accordance with Section 5.1 of these Hourly Direct Contract Escrow Instructions.
You acknowledge and agree that Upwork Escrow or its Affiliates may, at its sole discretion, withhold or delay payment in the event of dispute between a Client and a Freelancer. You further acknowledge and agree that Upwork, Upwork Escrow, and other Affiliates are not and will not be a party to any dispute between a Client and Freelancer over an Hourly Invoice or Hourly Direct Contract.
7. NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR SERVICES OR PAYMENTS
Upwork and Affiliates merely provide a platform for Internet payment services. Upwork and Affiliates do not have any responsibility or control over the Freelancer Services that Client purchases. Nothing in this Agreement deems or will be interpreted to deem Upwork or any Affiliate as Client’s or Freelancer’s agent with respect to any Freelancer Services, or expand or modify any warranty, liability or indemnity stated in the Terms of Service. For example, Upwork does not guarantee the performance, functionality, quality, or timeliness of Freelancer Services or that a Client can or will make payments.
8. REFUNDS AND CANCELLATIONS
Client and Freelancer are encouraged to come to a mutual agreement if refunds or cancellations are necessary. If there are no funds in escrow, Freelancer may issue a refund via the Upwork platform up to the full amount paid on the Hourly Direct Contract.
9. NOTICES
All notices to a User required by these Escrow Instructions will be made via email sent by Upwork to the User’s registered email address. Users are solely responsible for maintaining a current, active email address registered with Upwork, for checking their email and for responding to notices sent by Upwork to the User’s registered email address.
10. ABUSE
Upwork, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to suspend or terminate your Account immediately upon giving notice to you if Upwork believes you may be abusing the Dispute Assistance Program or as otherwise permitted by the Terms of Service. However, any Disputes for any Hourly Direct Contracts that existed prior to termination will be subject to the Terms of Service.
Upwork Escrow Inc.
Version 1.0
Effective September 1, 2016
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Upwork Escrow Inc. provides escrow services solely to Users of Upwork and Elance. We provide these escrow services solely to deliver, hold, or receive payment for jobs for services engaged through, and to pay fees including service, membership and payment processing and administration fees to, Upwork. These escrow services are intended for business use, and the Users agree to use these escrow services only for business purposes and not for consumer, personal, family, or household purposes.
UPWORK ESCROW INC. DOES NOT PROVIDE ESCROW SERVICES TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
This escrow company holds California Department of Business Oversight License No. 963 5086.
Fee and ACH Authorization Agreement
Version 6.1
Effective July 13, 2020
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This Fee and ACH Authorization Agreement (this “Agreement”) is between you and Upwork Global Inc. or Elance Inc. as described below in Section 1 (Parties). This Agreement provides information on the fees Upwork Global Inc. ("Upwork Global") and its Affiliates Elance Limited ("Elance Ltd.") and Upwork Escrow Inc. (“Upwork Escrow”) charge for use of the Site’s communication, invoicing, dispute resolution and payment services, including Payment Protection, and includes eligible Users’ authorization for debits and credits from and to their designated bank accounts via the automated clearing house network (“ACH”). This Agreement is part of the Terms of Service. Capitalized terms not defined in this Agreement are defined in the User Agreement, Site Terms of Use, or elsewhere in the Terms of Service.
By clicking to accept the Terms of Service on the Site or by continuing to use the Site or the Site Services on or after the effective date noted above, you accept and agree to this Agreement. To the extent permitted by applicable law and except as otherwise provided in the Terms of Service, we may modify this Agreement without prior notice to you, and any revisions to this Agreement will take effect when posted on the Site unless otherwise stated. However, we will provide advance notice of any increase in prices or fees affecting current Users. Please check the Site often for updates.
1. Parties
You are entering into this Agreement with Upwork (also referred to as “we” and “us”).
If you reside in the United States, you are entering into this Agreement with Upwork Global. If you reside outside the United States, you are entering into this Agreement with Elance Ltd.
2. Fees Charged to Freelancers
Pursuant to the User Agreement, we charge Freelancers a Service Fee for each payment their Client makes to the Freelancer on a Service Contract. Depending on certain features of the Service Contract, the Service Fees will be charged either as "tiered" or "straight" pricing, as discussed in further detail in this Section 2. Where applicable, Upwork Global, Elance Ltd., or Upwork Escrow may also collect taxes (such as value added tax (VAT) in Europe) on Service Fees.
Pursuant to the Freelancer Membership Agreement, we charge Freelancers a Membership Fee. These Membership Fees automatically renew until they are cancelled as described on the Site.
Additionally, the use of various Payment Methods offered through the Site and the Site Services may incur added fees or charges. All Payment Methods will be posted on the Site along with any associated fees or charges, which we may update from time to time at our sole discretion. You hereby authorize us to charge to you and to collect from you (consistent with this Agreement, the User Agreement, or elsewhere in the Terms of Service) any fees, charges, or taxes described in this Section 2.
2.1 Tiered Pricing
We will charge you a Service Fee based on the total Freelancer Fees collected by you from your Client (less any refunds or reversals) for the duration of your relationship with your Client (the “Engagement Relationship”). Unless different pricing described in Section 2.2, 2.3, or 2.4 applies, the Service Fee rates decrease as the total Freelancer Fees you have collected from your Client for the Engagement Relationship meet certain thresholds as follows (“Tiered Pricing ”):
TOTAL FREELANCER FEES COLLECTED FROM CLIENT (per Engagement Relationship) | SERVICE FEE RATES |
$500.00 and below | 20% |
| $500.01 to $10,000.00 | 10% |
| $10,000.01 and up | 5% |
Below are some examples of Tiered Pricing.
Example 1. Fixed-Price Contract; Repeat Service Contracts
If a Freelancer and a Client who have never entered into a Service Contract together before agree to a $600 Fixed-Price Contract, the Service Fee will be calculated as follows:
FREELANCER FEES | SERVICE FEE RATES | SERVICE FEES |
$500 | 20% | $100 ($500 x 20%) |
| $100 | 10% | $10 ($100 x 10%) |
| Total Freelancer Fees: $600 (Total Engagement Relationship Fees: $600) | Total Service Fees: $110 |
Note: The Service Fee will appear as a single amount in your Account, rather than separate amounts as shown in the example above. Examples in this Agreement are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not binding. Because of rounding, the Service Fees charged may differ slightly.
If the same Freelancer and Client agree to another $600 Fixed-Price Contract, the Service Fee will be calculated as follows:
FREELANCER FEES | SERVICE FEE RATE | SERVICE FEES |
$600 | 10% | $60 ($600 x 10%) |
Total Freelancer Fees: $600 (Total Engagement Relationship Fees: $1,200) | Total Service Fees: $60 |
If the same Freelancer and Client enter into additional Fixed-Price Contracts for different Service Contracts, the Freelancer Fees for each Service Contract will count toward the total Freelancer Fees collected for purposes of determining the Tiered Pricing that applies to the Service Fees. If the Freelancer collects $10,000 in Freelancer Fees from the Client, then the Service Fee on any additional Freelancer Fees for the Engagement Relationship with the Client will be 5% of the Freelancer Fees. For example, if the Freelancer has collected a total of $15,000 in Freelancer Fees during the Engagement Relationship and the Freelancer and Client enter into a new Fixed-Price Contract for $1,000, the Service Fee would be determined as follows:
FREELANCER FEES | SERVICE FEE RATE | SERVICE FEES |
$1,000 | 5% | $50 ($1,000 x 5%) |
Total Freelancer Fees: $1,000 (Total Engagement Relationship Fees: $16,000) | Total Service Fees: $50 |
Example 2. Hourly Contract
If a Freelancer and Client enter into an Hourly Contract for $50 per hour, and the Freelancer works 400 hours, the Service Fees will be calculated as follows:
HOURS WORKED | FREELANCER FEES (hours x freelancer rate) | SERVICE FEE RATES | SERVICE FEES |
First 10 hours | $500 | 20% | $100 |
190 (Hour 11 to 200) | $9,500 | 10% | $950 |
200 (Hour 200 to 400) | $10,000 | 5% | $500 |
| Total Hours: 400 | Total Freelancer Fees: $20,000 | Total Service Fees: $1,550 |
Note: The Service Fee will appear as a single amount in your Account, rather than separate amounts as shown in the example above. Examples in this Agreement are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not binding. Because of rounding, the Service Fees charged may differ slightly.
2.2 Freelancers Working on Enterprise Client Contracts
If you are a Freelancer with a Service Contract entered into with an Enterprise Client, the Service Fee rate is 10% of the Freelancer Fees, unless otherwise provided in the Enterprise Client contract. If you are a Freelancer with an active Contract with a Client whose Account is being converted to an Enterprise Client Account, then only on any Service Contract that is active at the time of the conversion, Upwork will honor the lower of (a) the Tiered Service Fee in effect at the time of the conversion, or (b) the Service Fee rate in the Enterprise Client contract for that Account. For purposes of the Terms of Service, “Enterprise Client ” means a Client, including a legacy Enterprise client or an Upwork Business Client, whose profile displays the following “Enterprise” badge:
2.3 Alternate Pricing
Alternate Pricing (defined below) only applies to Service Contracts when any of the following are true:
(a) you entered into the Service Contract before Upwork first started charging Tiered Pricing;
(b) you entered into the Service Contract pursuant to a feature of the Site where we advertised a different Service Fee, such as our Featured Job Post for Clients; or
(c) the Service Contract is with a Client who is not an Enterprise Client, but who has a legacy arrangement for lower fees that apply to the Service Contract.
As described in this Section 2.3, if Alternate Pricing applies, we will typically charge you a Service Fee of a fixed percent (“Alternate Pricing ”), as shown in the examples below. The Service Fee under Alternate Pricing is a flat 10% unless other rates for Alternate Pricing are expressly communicated to you, including by communications through the Site.
CONTRACT TYPE | SERVICE FEE | FREELANCER FEES | SERVICE FEES |
Fixed-Price | 10% | $500 | $50 |
Hourly | 10% | $50 per hour | $5 per hour |
Note: Examples in this Agreement are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not binding. Because of rounding, the Service Fees charged may differ slightly.
For certain Service Contracts, the Alternate Pricing may be a lower flat percentage (such as through a “bring your own” program) or may have a different tiered fee rates (such as for a Featured Job Post), in each case as clearly stated on the Site at the time the Service Contract was or is entered into. When there is a different tiered fee rate, the initial rate will be as clearly stated on the Site, and once the Service Fees on the Engagement Relationship exceed $10,000, the Service Fee will be reduced to 5%, unless otherwise clearly communicated to you, including by communications through the Site.
2.4 Other Fees
Freelancers may also choose a membership with an associated membership fee (the “Freelancer Membership Fee”) and choose to purchase “Connects”, in each case as described in the Freelancer Membership Agreement and on the Site.
3. Client Membership Fees
Upwork offers several membership plans for Clients, and each includes access to certain features and services of the Site, as described on the Site here (each plan a “Client Membership Plan”). Current Client Membership Plans are Upwork Basic, Upwork Plus and Upwork Business. Upwork Basic is free and does not require a monthly membership fee. Fees for Client Membership Plans, if any, automatically renew until they are cancelled as described on the Site and this Agreement.
Upwork reserves the right to change membership fees, change the features and services included in each Client Membership Plan, change the membership fees or fees for certain premium services or options, or institute new fees at any time, in each case upon reasonable notice posted in advance on the Site for existing Users. No refunds of fees already paid will be given. If Upwork exercises its right to cancel a membership, Upwork will not refund the membership fee already paid unless otherwise required by law.
3.1 Taxes
Where applicable, Upwork Global, Elance Ltd., or Upwork Escrow may also collect taxes (such as value added tax (VAT) in Europe) on membership fees and the cost for premium services or features, as set forth in the User Agreement.
3.2 Automatic Membership Renewal
You must pay your Upwork membership fees through your Upwork Escrow Account. The membership billing period begins on the date that we receive payment. Upwork membership fees are calculated from the beginning of that billing period. After any free membership period, we automatically renew your Upwork monthly membership, and you irrevocably authorize and instruct us to make the required monthly payments to Upwork on your behalf. Automatic renewal occurs on the first day after the expiration date.
If you have an Upwork Plus plan and your Account is suspended, then your Account will be downgraded to a free membership plan at the next membership renewal. If your Account is reinstated after the downgrade, we may resubscribe you to the Upwork Plus plan at the time of reinstatement and charge you the applicable membership fee. You may change your Client Membership Plan at any time pursuant to Section 3.3.
3.3 Changes to Membership Plans
If you change your Client Membership Plan, the new program and new billing period will be based upon the date we receive payment of the new membership fee. If you upgrade a membership, it will result in a new billing date effective upon the date of payment of the additional fees and, if applicable, will result in a credit of the unused portion of the existing category membership fees. If you downgrade a membership, you will not receive a refund or credit for the fees already paid. The downgrade will go into effect at the beginning of the next billing period. Upwork reserves the right to modify its Client Membership Plans at any time, upon reasonable notice posted in advance on the Site.
For more information on upgrading, downgrading, or canceling your membership, check the Site or contact Customer Support.
4. Payment Processing Fees Charged to Client
Regardless of the type of Payment Method used and Membership Plan selected, we charge Clients a Payment Processing Fee (defined below) as described in this Section 4.
Upwork charges Clients on the Upwork Basic plan a payment processing and administration fee of 3% on each payment made by the Client through Upwork (the “Payment Processing Fee”).
For Clients on an Upwork Plus plan, their monthly membership fee includes the payment processing and administration fee for each payment made when the following criteria are all met:
(a) the Client has been a user of Upwork for at least 90 days;
(b) the Client has made payments of (i) at least $1,000.00 within the last year, and (ii) at least $25.00 more than 90 days ago;
(c) the Client has not had any late or defaulted payments in the prior 12 months;
(d) the Client has an Account in good standing, without violations of the Terms of Service; and
(e) the Client uses a U.S. bank account as a Payment Method for the payment.
If payments made by a Client are released to the Client Escrow Account for any reason or refunded by a Freelancer, the Payment Processing Fee will not be refunded.
Upwork Business and Enterprise Clients are charged the rate(s) provided in the applicable Business or Enterprise Client contract and are not charged a separate Payment Processing Fee, unless otherwise provided in the applicable Enterprise Client contract.
5. Authorization for Automatic Payment of Recurring Client Fees
You must pay the Client Membership Plan fees, if any, through your Client Escrow Account. Each Client Membership Plan fee, if any, and each Flat Payment Processing Fee, if applicable, covers a monthly billing period beginning on the date that you first make payment and ending one month later. For example, if you select the Upwork Plus plan and are charged on the 15th of the month, the billing period will end on the 14th of the next month. You irrevocably authorize and instruct us to automatically charge the fees for the Client Membership Plan, if any, to your Client Escrow Account at the beginning of each billing period. This authorization will remain in full force and effect until you change your settings in your Profile to change your Client Membership Plan, otherwise notify us that you wish to revoke your authorization by contacting Customer Support, or cancel your Account.
You can switch between Client Membership Plans at any time, but you will not receive a refund or a credit for any of the Client Membership Plan fee for a given month if you downgrade your membership, including by switching to a free Client Membership Plan, before the end of a billing period. However, if you switch to a free Client Membership Plan, you will still have your paid Client Membership Plan until the end of the billing period.
6. Authorization for ACH Debits and Credits and other Transactions
If and to the extent permitted by Upwork in its sole discretion, Users may pay Freelancer Fees, Membership Fees, fees for Client Membership Plans, Payment Processing Fees, and other fees owed under the Terms of Service from their designated bank accounts. Subject to Upwork’s eligibility requirements, if you elect to pay Freelancer Fees or any other amounts owed under the Terms of Service via ACH transfers from your designated bank account, you hereby authorize us to electronically debit and, if necessary, electronically credit your designated bank account via ACH for such amounts pursuant to the Terms of Service, and you agree to comply with the ACH rules issued by the National Automated Clearing House (“NACHA”) and all applicable laws, including, but not limited to, the federal Bank Secrecy Act, the U.S.A. Patriot Act, and economic sanctions overseen by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Your authorization for ACH transfers contained in this Section 5 will remain in full force and effect until you notify us that you wish to revoke your authorization by removing your bank account information from you Profile or by contacting Customer Support. You understand that we require at least one (1) business day’s prior notice in order to cancel your authorization for ACH transfers contained in this Section 6.
You must notify us of any change in your designated bank account’s information at least five (5) business days before any such change by updating your bank account information in your Profile or by contacting Customer Support. If we do not receive notice at least five (5) days before any such change, we may attempt, in our sole discretion, to implement such change prior to any ACH debit or credit transfer performed pursuant to your authorization provided in this Section 6. However, we assume no responsibility for our failure to do so.
You may view a history of your Account transactions by logging in to the Site. You are solely responsible for promptly reconciling your Account transaction history with the transaction records for your bank account. You must notify us of any errors or discrepancies in your Account transaction history (each, an “Error”) within 30 days of when the Error could be viewed in your Account transaction history on the Site. If you do not notify us of an Error within 30 days of when the Error could be viewed in your Account transaction history on the Site, you will forfeit the right to contest the Error, except to the extent such forfeiture is prohibited by applicable law or the NACHA rules.
Subject to the foregoing notice requirement: (a) if and to the extent an Error is caused by us, we will correct the Error and (b) if an Error is caused by you, we may, but are under no obligation to, attempt to correct the Error and will offset any costs we incur from any funds returned to your bank account or your Client Escrow Account, as applicable.
Freelancer Membership Agreement
Version 5.1
Effective December 1, 2020
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This Freelancer Membership Agreement (“Agreement”) is between you and Upwork Global Inc. ("Upwork Global") or Elance Limited ("Elance Ltd.") as described below in Section 1 (Parties). This Agreement is part of and incorporates by reference the User Agreement and the other Terms of Service. You will be provided advance notice of any material change to this Agreement and your continued participation in a membership program after the last modified date will signify your acceptance of this Agreement. Capitalized terms not defined in this Agreement are defined in the Site Terms of Use, User Agreement, or elsewhere in the Terms of Service.
1. PARTIES
You are entering into this Agreement with Upwork (also referred to as “we” and “us”).
If you reside in the United States, you are entering into this Agreement with Upwork Global. If you reside outside the United States, you are entering into this Agreement with Elance Ltd.
2. FREELANCER MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMS
Upwork offers several membership programs for Freelancers and Agencies. For purposes of this Agreement, “Member” or “you” means a Freelancer or Agency participating in a membership program.
Each membership program includes a certain number of “Connects,” which reserve monthly capacity for you to submit proposals for Clients' posted Projects, as described on the Site here. If your membership program does not include Connects or your membership otherwise gives you the right to purchase additional Connects, you may do so for the price advertised on the Site at the time of the purchase, subject to a cap determined by your membership program, if applicable. Connects that you do not use will be rolled over to the next month as described on the Site. The conditions under which unused Connects will rollover into the next month may vary from time to time and will depend on your membership program. For the details on Connects, please visit the Upwork Support page.
Upwork reserves the right to change membership fees, change the monthly number of Connects included in each membership program, change the price for Connects or institute new fees at any time, in each case upon reasonable notice posted in advance on the Site. No refunds of fees already paid will be given. If Upwork exercises its right to cancel a membership, we will not refund the membership fee already paid.
3. TAXES
Where applicable, Upwork Global, Elance Ltd., or Upwork Escrow may also collect Taxes (such as value added tax (VAT) in Europe) on membership fees and the cost for Connects.
4. AUTOMATIC MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
You must pay your Upwork membership fees and Connects through your Upwork Escrow Account. The membership billing period begins on the date that we receive payment. Upwork membership fees are calculated from the beginning of that billing period. Upwork automatically renews your Upwork monthly membership, and you irrevocably authorize and instruct us to make the required monthly payments to Upwork on your behalf. This authorization will remain in full force and effect until you change your settings in your Profile to change your membership plan, otherwise notify us that you wish to revoke your authorization by contacting Customer Support, or cancel your Account.
5. CHANGES TO MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM
You can change your membership program at any time, including by moving to an unpaid plan, by going to the Site here. If you change your membership program, the new program and new billing period will be based upon the date Upwork receives payment of the new membership fee. If you upgrade a membership, it will result in a new billing date effective upon the date of payment of the additional fees and, if applicable, will result in a credit of the unused portion of the existing category membership fees. If you downgrade a membership, you will not receive a refund or credit for the fees already paid; instead your membership will continue to the end of your current billing period but will not renew. If your Account is suspended at the beginning of your billing period or you do not pay your membership fees, your Account will be automatically downgraded to an unpaid membership plan. If your Account is reinstated, you may change your membership plan as described in this Agreement. Upwork reserves the right to modify its membership programs at any time, upon reasonable notice posted in advance on the Site.
For more information on upgrading, downgrading, or canceling your membership, check the Site or contact Customer Support.
Optional Service Contract Terms
Version 1.3
Effective December 22, 2020
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Users who enter into a Service Contract on the Site with another User are free to agree to these Optional Service Terms in whole or in part, or to agree to different or additional terms for their Service Contract(s). However, if and to the extent that the Users who are party to a Service Contract have not agreed to different terms, then they agree to incorporate these Optional Terms. Users may not, by agreement amongst themselves, alter the rights or responsibilities of Upwork or Upwork Escrow, including any provision of the Escrow Instructions, or agree to any terms that would violate the Terms of Service. Neither Upwork, Upwork Escrow, nor any affiliate of Upwork is a party to any Service Contract by or between Users regardless of whether these Optional Terms are incorporated.
You acknowledge and agree that Users have discretion whether to contract with each other and will negotiate and determine the specific terms of their Service Contracts with each other. The Optional Service Terms is a sample only, which may not be appropriate for all Service Contracts and which may be adjusted and added to as Users deem appropriate. Users choose whether to use the Optional Service Terms in whole or in part.
1. PARTIES
Client and Freelancer identified on the Site under the Service Contract are the parties to the Services Contract. The address of each party is the address entered under the tax information on the Site. Upwork is not a party to the Service Contract.
2. SERVICES
Client and Freelancer agree that the Freelancer is performing services as an independent contractor and that Freelancer is not an employee or agent of Client. Freelancer will perform the Freelancer Services in a professional and workmanlike manner and will timely deliver any agreed upon Work Product. The manner and means of performing the Freelancer Services will be determined and controlled solely by Freelancer, which is engaged by Client as an independent contractor.
The terms concerning the services to be performed under the Service Contract described on the Site form part of the Service Contract. Users agree that, once accepted, the terms of the Service Contract cannot be modified by a User without obtaining the consent of the other before making changes to the Service Contract, including by adding additional or different milestones, by closing a Service Contract, or making other changes to the Service Contract on the Site. If consent of the other party is not first obtained, the other party may reject such changes by terminating the Service Contract or accept such changes by continuing to work on the Service Contract.
3. RESPONSIBILITY FOR EMPLOYEES AND SUBCONTRACTORS, INCLUDING AGENCY MEMBERS
If a User subcontracts with or employs third parties to perform Freelancer Services on behalf of the User for any Engagement, the User represents and warrants that it does so as a legally recognized entity or person and in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Further, at all times a User that agreed to perform services under a Services Contract remains responsible for the quality of the services and represents and warrants that User has entered into agreements with any such employees and subcontractors on confidentiality and intellectual property at least as strong as those in these Optional Service Terms.
4. CLIENT PAYMENTS AND BILLING
Freelancer agrees to accurately report hourly invoices by billing hours worked under the Account of the User that worked the hours, including, if applicable, Agencies billing their Clients for hourly work done by Agency Members.
5. TERMINATION OF A SERVICE CONTRACT
Under Hourly Contracts, either Client or Freelancer has the right to terminate the Service Contract after providing any agreed-upon notice, or immediately on the end date specified in the Service Contract terms and/or upon completion of the Freelancer Services, in the event of a material breach, or with the consent of the other party. Except as required by law or as otherwise may be agreed to by the Parties, Client remains obligated to pay the Freelancer Fees for any Freelancer Services provided prior to termination of the Hourly Contract.
Under Fixed-Price Contracts, once a Client’s Payment Method has been charged to fund the escrow account for the Engagement, absent a full refund to Client by Freelancer, the Service Contract does not terminate until the Freelancer Services are completed. However, either Client or Freelancer has the right to terminate a Fixed-Price Contract at any time with the consent of the other party or in the event of a material breach. If a Fixed-Price Contract is terminated, Client does not have the right to recover any payments already released to Freelancer from the escrow account for the Engagement.
6. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
6.1 THIRD-PARTY RIGHTS
Freelancer represents and warrants that Freelancer will not incorporate or use the materials of any third party including those of any other client or any employer, in performing the Freelancer Services that are not generally available for use by the public or have not been legally transferred to the Client.
6.2 BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY
Freelancer will disclose in the Engagement terms any Background Technology which Freelancer proposes to incorporate into Work Product or upon which use or distribution of the Work Product will depend. If Freelancer discloses no Background Technology, Freelancer warrants that it will not incorporate any Background Technology into Work Product provided pursuant thereto. Freelancer will separately provide, with each delivery of Work Product to Client, a bill of materials that identifies all Background Technology and other third-party materials that have been incorporated into the Work Product and provides, for each item of Background Technology identified, (a) the name and any associated version number, (b) the applicable license or licensing terms, (c) whether the item has been modified by Freelancer, and (d) how the item has been incorporated into, is used by, or is relied upon by the Work Product. Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise agreed in the Engagement terms, Freelancer agrees that it will not incorporate into Work Product or otherwise deliver to Client any software code for which the use or distribution of the code will create (or purport to create) obligations for Client to grant any rights or immunities under Client intellectual property to a third-party, including without limitation any obligation that the Work Product or Client software combined with, derived from, or distributed with such Work Product (x) be disclosed or distributed in source code form, (y) be licensed for the purpose of making derivative works, or (z) be redistributable at no charge.
6.3 CLIENT MATERIALS
Client grants Freelancer a limited, non-exclusive, revocable (at any time, at Client’s sole discretion) right to use the Client Materials as necessary solely for the performance of the Freelancer Services under the applicable Service Contract. Client reserves all other rights and interest, including, without limitation, all Intellectual Property Rights, in and to the Client Materials. Upon completion or termination of the Service Contract, or upon Client’s written request, Freelancer will immediately return all Client Materials to Client and further agrees to destroy all copies of Client Materials and Deliverables (except for Background Technology as permitted by the Service Contract) contained in or on Freelancer’s premises, systems, or any other equipment or location otherwise under Freelancer’s control. Within ten days of such request from Client, Freelancer agrees to provide written certification to Client that Freelancer has returned or destroyed all Client Materials and Work Product as provided in this subsection.
6.4 OWNERSHIP OF WORK PRODUCT AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Upon Freelancer’s receipt of full payment from Client, the Work Product (except for any Background Technology), including without limitation all Intellectual Property Rights in the Work Product (except for any Background Technology), will be the sole and exclusive property of Client, and Client will be deemed to be the author thereof. If Freelancer has any Intellectual Property Rights to the Work Product that are not owned by Client upon Freelancer’s receipt of payment from Client, Freelancer hereby automatically irrevocably assigns to Client all right, title and interest worldwide in and to such Intellectual Property Rights. Except as set forth above, Freelancer retains no rights to use, and will not challenge the validity of Client’s ownership in, such Intellectual Property Rights. Freelancer hereby waives any moral rights, rights of paternity, integrity, disclosure and withdrawal or inalienable rights under applicable law in and to the Work Product. If payment is made only for partial delivery of Work Product, the assignment described herein applies only to the portion of Work Product delivered and paid for.
6.5 LICENSE TO BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY
Upon Freelancer’s receipt of full payment from Client for delivery of Work Product, Freelancer hereby automatically grants to Client an exclusive, perpetual, fully-paid and royalty-free, irrevocable and worldwide right, with rights to sublicense through multiple levels of sublicensees, to reproduce, make derivative works of, distribute, publicly perform, and publicly display in any form or medium, whether now known or later developed, make, have made, use, sell, import, offer for sale, and exercise any and all present or future rights in the Background Technology incorporated in Work Product delivered for that payment. If payment is made only for partial delivery of Work Product, the license described herein applies only to the portion of Work Product delivered and paid for.
6.6 LICENSE TO OR WAIVER OF OTHER RIGHTS
If Freelancer has any right to the Work Product, including without limitation any Intellectual Property Right, that cannot be assigned to Client by Freelancer, Freelancer hereby automatically, upon Freelancer’s receipt of full payment from Client, unconditionally and irrevocably grants to Client during the term of such rights, an exclusive, even as to Freelancer, irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide, fully-paid and royalty-free license to such rights, with rights to sublicense through multiple levels of sublicensees, to reproduce, make derivative works of, distribute, publicly perform and publicly display in any form or medium, whether now known or later developed, make, use, sell, import, offer for sale and exercise any and all such rights. If Freelancer has any rights to such Work Product that cannot be assigned or licensed, Freelancer hereby automatically, upon Freelancer’s receipt of payment from Client, unconditionally and irrevocably waives the enforcement of such rights, and all claims and causes of action of any kind against Client or related to Client’s customers, with respect to such rights, and will, at Client’s request and expense, consent to and join in any action to enforce such rights. If payment is made only for partial delivery of Work Product, the grant described herein applies only to the portion of Work Product delivered.
6.7 ASSISTANCE
Freelancer will assist Client in every way, including by signing any documents or instruments reasonably required, both during and after the term of the Service Contract, to obtain and enforce Intellectual Property Rights relating to Work Product in all countries. In the event Client is unable, after reasonable effort, to secure Freelancer’s signature on any document needed in connection with the foregoing, Freelancer hereby designates and appoints Client and its duly authorized officers and agents as its agent and attorney in fact to act on its behalf to further the purposes of this Section with the same legal force and effect as if executed by Freelancer.
7. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
7.1 CONFIDENTIALITY
To the extent a Client or Freelancer provides Confidential Information to the other, the recipient will protect the secrecy of the discloser’s Confidential Information with the same degree of care as it uses to protect its own Confidential Information, but in no event with less than due care, and will: (a) not disclose or permit others to disclose another’s Confidential Information to anyone without first obtaining the express written consent of the owner of the Confidential Information; (b) not use or permit the use of another’s Confidential Information, except as necessary for the performance of Freelancer Services (including, without limitation, the storage or transmission of Confidential Information on or through the Site for use by Freelancer); and (c) limit access to another’s Confidential Information to its personnel who need to know such information for the performance of Freelancer Services.
7.2 RETURN
If and when Confidential Information is no longer needed for the performance of the Freelancer Services for a Services Contract or at Client’s or Freelancer’s written request (which may be made at any time at Client’s or Freelancer’s sole discretion), the party that received Confidential Information, will, at its expense, promptly destroy or return the disclosing party’s Confidential Information and any copies thereof contained in or on its premises, systems, or any other equipment otherwise under its control. The party that received Confidential Information agrees to provide written certification to the party disclosing the Confidential Information of compliance with this subsection within ten days after the receipt of disclosing party’s written request for such certification.
7.3 PUBLICATION
Without limiting Section 7 (Confidentiality), Client and Freelancer will not publish, or cause to be published, any other party’s Confidential Information or Work Product, except as may be necessary for performance of Freelancer Services for a Services Contract.
7.4 IMMUNITY
A disclosure of information will be immune from prosecution or civil action under the Defend Trade Secrets Act, 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1832, if it: (A) is made (i) in confidence to a Federal, State, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney, and (ii) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (B) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal.
8. DEFINITIONS
The following capitalized terms have the following meanings:
“Background Technology” means all Inventions developed by Freelancer other than in the course of providing Freelancer Services to Client under the Service Contract and all Inventions that Freelancer incorporates into Work Product.
“Client” means any person who entered into a Service Contract to obtain Freelancer Services from a Freelancer.
“Client Deliverables” means requests, intellectual property, and any other information or materials that a Freelancer receives from a Client to perform Freelancer Services.
“Client Materials” means requests, intellectual property, and any other information or materials that Client provides to Freelancer for Freelancer to perform Freelancer Services.
“Confidential Information” means Client Deliverables, Freelancer Deliverables, Work Product, and any other information provided to, or created by, a User for a Service Contract or to perform or assist in performing Freelancer Services, regardless of whether in tangible, electronic, verbal, graphic, visual, or other form. Confidential Information does not include material or information that is known to the public or that: (a) is generally known by third parties as a result of no act or omission of Freelancer or Client; (b) subsequent to disclosure hereunder, was lawfully received without restriction on disclosure from a third party having the right to disseminate the information; (c) was already known by User prior to receiving it from the other party and was not received from a third party in breach of that third party’s obligations of confidentiality; or (d) was independently developed by User without use of another person’s Confidential Information.
“Engagement” means an engagement for Freelancer Services that a Freelancer provides to a Client under a Service Contract on the Site.
“Escrow Instructions” means the Fixed-Price Escrow Instructions or the Hourly, Bonus and Expense Payment Agreement with Escrow Instructions.
“Fixed-Price Contract” means a Service Contract for which Client is charged a fixed fee agreed between a Client and a Freelancer, prior to the commencement of a Service Contract, for the completion of all Freelancer Services contracted by Client for such Service Contract.
“Freelancer” means any person who entered into a Service Contract to perform Freelancer services for a Client.
“Freelancer Deliverables” means requests, intellectual property, and any other information or materials that a Client receives from a Freelancer for a particular Service Contract.
“Freelancer Fees” means: (a) for an Hourly Contract, an amount equal to the number of hours recorded by Freelancer in any Hourly Invoice, multiplied by the hourly rate set by the Freelancer; (b) for a Fixed-Price Contract, the fixed fee agreed between a Client and a Freelancer; and (c) any bonuses or other payments made by a Client.
“Freelancer Services” means all services performed for or delivered to Clients by Freelancers.
“Hourly Contract” means a Service Contract for which Client is charged based on the hourly rate set by the Freelancer.
“Hourly Invoice” means the report of hours recorded for a stated period by a Freelancer for the Freelancer Services performed for a Client.
“Intellectual Property Rights” means all patent rights, copyright rights, mask work rights, moral rights, rights of publicity, trademark, trade dress and service mark rights, goodwill, trade secret rights and other intellectual property rights as may now exist or hereafter come into existence, and all applications therefore and registrations, renewals and extensions thereof, under the laws of any state, country, territory or other jurisdiction.
“Invention” means any ideas, concepts, information, materials, processes, data, programs, know-how, improvements, discoveries, developments, designs, artwork, formulae, other copyrightable works, and techniques and all Intellectual Property Rights therein.
“Service Contract” means, as applicable, (a) the contractual provisions between a Client and a Freelancer governing the Freelancer Services to be performed by a Freelancer for Client for an Engagement; or (b) if you use Upwork Payroll, the contractual provisions between Freelancer and the Staffing Provider for the provision of services to Client.
“Work Product” means any tangible or intangible results or deliverables that Freelancer agrees to create for, or actually delivers to, Client as a result of performing the Freelancer Services, including, but not limited to, configurations, computer programs, or other information, or customized hardware, and any intellectual property developed in connection therewith.
Mark Use Guidelines
Version 1.0
Effective April 20, 2018
DownloadTable of Contents
These Mark Use Guidelines (“Guidelines”) let you know about Upwork’s rights with respect to its marks and when and how you can use them. The Guidelines are a part of and incorporate the Terms of Service. Capitalized terms not defined in these Guidelines are defined in the User Agreement or in the other Terms of Service or have the meanings given such terms on the Site. To the extent permitted by applicable law, Upwork may modify these Guidelines without prior notice to you, and any revisions to these Guidelines will take effect when posted on the Site, unless otherwise stated in the revised Guidelines. Please check the Site often for updates.
1. UPWORK MARKS
The Upwork name and logo are trademarks of Upwork. These Guidelines explain the terms under which you are allowed to use the “Upwork Marks”, which for purposes of these Guidelines and the other Upwork Terms of Service means Upwork’s trademarks, including the following:
Upwork
Up
Work Without Limits
Upwork Enterprise
Elance
oDesk
Elance-oDesk
