Business Security: Why You Shouldn’t Take Freelancers Off-Platform

The landscape for businesses today and hiring looks much different than just a few years ago. Things have been changing for years, but the pandemic pushed that change to the forefront of society. Around 36.7 percent of the US workforce is comprised of freelancers. 

This change has opened many doors; however, working with freelancers also comes with unique situations. One of the questions our team often encounters is about business security. 

People want to know, “how do I protect my business while working with freelancers?” This is an important question. You work hard to build your business, and keeping it running and unharmed is important to us and you. 

We offer several resources that give tips and tricks on how to keep your business safe. However, we want to discuss a specific one today. 

We want to discuss why you should not take freelancers off-platform. Keep reading to learn more. 

Why You Should Never Work With Freelancers Off-Platform

You’ve decided to hire a freelancer and put your job request in. You interview several freelancers and find someone you love. 

However, why do you need to hire them through us? Why not go off the platform and just work without the intermediary? 

STOP! 

If a freelancer approaches you asking you to work off the platform, that’s an immediate red flag, and it should never happen. Agreeing to work off-platform increases your risk, and there are several reasons you shouldn’t do it. 

It’s Against Our Terms of Service

When you sign up for FreeUp, you agree to our Terms of Service, but did you actually read them? One study found that only one percent of people actually read Terms & Conditions. 

They had users agree to terms that stated they would give up the naming rights of their firstborn child and invite an FBI agent over to their house for Christmas for the next ten years. All of this was just to prove a point; people don’t actually read the Terms of Service or Terms and Conditions.

So for those of you who didn’t read our Terms of Service (or just “missed” this), please note that you did agree not to take Freelancers off-platform. Violating that puts you at risk of being removed from the platform and unable to access our outstanding freelancers in the future. 

Loss of FreeUp Support

If you take a freelancer off the platform and things go badly, you’re on your own. Our stellar support team is here to help you when you have issues with a freelancer. 

We always hope that doesn’t happen, but mistakes do happen and we do our best to support all parties when there’s an issue. However, if you’re working off-platform, you lose access to that support. This can result in the loss of not only time, but money. 

Did We Mention Loss of FreeUp Support? 

Okay, we know we already talked about this some, but it’s seriously a thing. Did you pay your freelancer upfront, and they went poof? 

Without a platform to support you, there’s not much you can do besides contesting the charge with your bank. This may or may not go well. 

We give you time to contest charges and work to support everyone involved in the situation. 

But Wait, I’ve Been Working With This Freelancer for Awhile

Here at FreeUp, we have some pretty amazing freelancers (we’re only slightly biased). If you’ve fallen in love with your freelancer and want to work with them on a more official level or hire them to be a part of your team full-time, we do offer options. 

The FreeUp Buy-Out Clause

Our Buy-Out option is part of your client agreement (the one we choose to believe you read). If you want to buy out a freelancer, the starting prices are as follows:

• $10,000 for a US Freelancer
• $5,000 for an International Freelancer

This allows you to work with the freelancer off-platform. However, the freelancer still has the ability to work through the FreeUp platform for other clients. 

There are also some other conditions that come with this. First, the freelancer needs to agree, and they cannot drop any current clients or projects until they’re completed. Next, you understand that the buy-out is nonrefundable, and if the freelancer quits or causes any problems after the buy-out, FreeUp is not responsible.

If you’re interested in taking advantage of the buy-out clause, you can start the conversation by emailing support@freeup.net. 

Your Business Security Matters

We know there was a lot of doom and gloom in this article, but that’s because your business security matters to us. Working with freelancers through our platform adds an additional layer of security that you don’t get when you work off the platform. 

Are you ready to find the perfect freelancer for your job? Book a call today to get the process started and “Free Up” some of your time.