✓ Manage unresponsive freelancers

If a freelancer becomes unresponsive, clients can pause hourly contracts to avoid further billing or contact Upwork for help. Fixed-price payments auto-release after 14 days unless rejected. Refunds may be requested for payments within 365 days, and disputes on hourly contracts must be filed within a five-day review window.

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What should I do if a freelancer stops responding?

If you're working with a freelancer or agency who becomes unresponsive for a long period of time, you may want to pause the contract (if hourly) to avoid being billed and wait for contact from them. In some cases, you may also reach out to Upwork to contact the freelancer or agency on your behalf.

On an hourly contract, already-logged hours will be invoiced as usual, but no further work or payment should be expected on the paused contract. To work with them in the future, you and the freelancer or agency will need to restart the paused contract.

On a fixed-price contract, if the freelancer or agency has requested payment, the pending payment will be released to them upon approval by you or automatically after 14 days. You can also reject the payment request. 

I've already paid money to the freelancer, what can I do?

For any payments made within the past 365 days, you can request a refund from the freelancer or agency. If you're dissatisfied with an hourly contract, clients have a five-day review period that starts from Monday at noon UTC after the billing period ends, until Friday 23:59 UTC to file a dispute.