Freelancer added to an agency—risks for both sides. The reality of Upwork.

Hello everyone! I get asked this question really often: How can they leave an agency without risking their profile? I also receive the same question from agency owners: How can a team member be removed without risking the agency?

Close all contracts

So of course, the very first point is to end all contracts on a freelancer's account with good feedback.

Just a reminder, that even private feedback may cause a jss downgrade for both - agency and freelancer. Both sides are interested in good feedback as this contract will influence both - Agency's JSS and the Freelancer's JSS.

So the first action - ask your client to close the contract with good feedback.

Reopen contracts

Next, what if this client is yours? Ask the client to reopen a contract for the needed page.

This works both for the freelancer who shared his client with an agency and for agencies who just created this contract for this freelancer. If you are an agency - choose another agency profile and refer your client there.

Here is an article on how to hire an agency. If you are a freelancer, give the client your link and ask to send you a message or invite you but in a couple of days (after you leave an agency).

Withdraw all bids

Yep, surprise surprise! You need to withdraw all bids done as an agency member. Also, withdraw archived ones. Otherwise, it will keep showing you an error. You can do it as an agency BM/owner for the freelancer you want to remove and as a freelancer if you want to leave an agency.

I am serious.

Save all contacts

I am not sure, how you were contacted with your clients - through direct messages to a non-exclusive freelancer or through messages/invites/offer rooms with exclusive members. Whoever reads this article needs to understand that the message room that is not longer related to you will disappear.

That's why simply go to the messages and ask the client to write you somewhere else (ON UPWORK!) end write down his details and save the link to his job post.

Be ready to start/end other contracts

There is a high chance that the other side won't ducking care about your jss and will close contracts like they are now so you'll receive very poor feedback, your jss will be as low as the caffeine now in my blood.

So, be sure, you are prepared to open and end new contracts really quickly to raise your JSS promptly if you are a freelancer. And if you are an agency, be ready to close a few other contracts to restore your JSS quickly (ask other client, friends etc).

Save your badge

Top Rated and Top Rated Plus agency badges are very sensitive to changes. If you were an exclusive freelancer of a top-rated or top-rated plus agency - most probably you were just having their badge so you'll lose it at the very first moment of ending a contract. Don't worry, you will be able to restore in approximately 3 months.

For the Agency, it's almost no influence if JSS remains okay. However, be sure, that the contracts are closed in the right way, that you didn't remove an agency owner, that you didn't get a hold on the other freelancers, that you didn't add not filled (less than 60%) profiles as a replacement.

Hugs,

Tamara