An Open Letter to People Per Hour: Please Comment Below on Payments
Dear People Per Hour,
I wanted to let you know just how much havoc, chaos and panic you have caused in my life since you announced your decision to subject us to the new payment clearance process and times. If you are a freelancer reading this, please comment below so we can try to support each other and so that we can let PPH know what damage this is causing us and that we, as freelancers, are not only the lifeblood of the platform but also real people with real lives and families to support.
I am a freelancer, but I am also a single parent to two young children. We have all lived through a year and a half of the most disruptive time in any of our lives due to the pandemic. I am sure it hasn’t escaped PPH’s attention that freelancers have had a rough ride during this time. I am mainly referring to the UK here as that is where I am from, but I am sure these problems are global for freelancers. As freelancers, we did not enjoy the benefits of furlough, of the Job Retention Scheme and many of us were not eligible for government grants or benefits. As we start to move out of the pandemic, many of us are reeling from the effects and have now been served a huge blow by PPH-a platform that is supposed to support us as freelancers and make our lives easier-by making us wait up to 18 days to receive money we have earned and worked hard for.
I don’t know about other freelancers, but my family relies solely on the money I earn from PPH and we live from invoice payment to invoice payment. We don’t live beyond our means, there is only me earning money and I work very hard.
On Friday, I came to the realisation that due to the new payment clearing processes, we did not have enough food to last us the weekend, let alone 18 more days. My rent was due on Friday, and I have not been able to pay that. So, we are hungry and on top of that I am now really anxious about not paying my rent. I earnt enough money this month to pay my rent and buy us food and everything on top, but it is sitting in my PPH account, and I cannot access it. This morning, my son’s school had to arrange a delivery from our local food bank. I have never, ever had to ask for anything like this before, but we had no choice.
I have not heard anything from PPH that makes me understand why they are doing what they are doing. I simply do not believe that in the world of instant payments, high tech and on-demand services why they need to hang on to our money for 18 days. It just won’t work for me in the long term, but at the moment, I am wondering what we will do in four days’ time when the food runs out, when I can’t pay my internet bill leading me not being able to work at all and when the stress of this will just be too much to bear.
I hope people don’t think I am being overdramatic, for some freelancers this will just be a frustrating experience, but for some of us, this is having real life, damaging effects on our lives and the lives of the people we love- and I am sure I am not alone.
Please comment below and tell PPH how this is affecting your life if you can.
Yours Sincerely,
Meri Williams
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@Vicy.
"I honestly think you are deliberately trying to wind everyone up for your own entertainment, and it is not helpful."
I've to be brutally honest here because you, Vicy, seems to have hit a sensitive chord here. Honestly, I just need more material for my planned book and as I see you going over and over and over your same "kiss PPH ass" argument, so I just try to give the argument a "spin," you know. It's like a collective therapy session here. Many people are opening up actually about so many things they'd never have shared under any "normal" circumstances. So, I thank you all for this rich material but I stayed committed to you - and to my activism. I do not find any contradiction doing all this at the same time. (That's how spy works anyways, you know.)
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@Vicky, Rachel, ALL.
Calm down guys. I'm not taking anything away from you. Plus, if I just copied anything from here, would I be liable in anyway? Of course not. Just clam down. I see you're going in circles and PPH does not even want to listen.
And, yes, who said it's about me? Not all all. If it's about anyone, it'd be Meri first and then everyone else in the same situation. That I'm trying to break this vicious circle you're going in does not mean I do not respect all views here.
No, to be brutally practical, how could I be of any use or help to you?
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@Meri, Rachel, Nancy, Vicy, ALL.
I understand that when anyone says she or he is struggling, that means it's a matter of life or death. Or at least an urgent matter. So, if Meri - and I assume so many here - say they really need to withdraw their cash as soon as possible because their lives depend on it and they are "suffering" and that this means that everyday, if not every hour, counts, so why do you say we, as freelancers, should wait more - even when it's been made million times obvious to you that PPH would not budge? What do you expect from waiting indefinitely? Does anyone here have any clue PPH might change or even would not introduce more draconian policies?
If I'm the mad dog here, so can any good one tell how we can go forward?
I'm asking in all seriousness.
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Actually Mohamed, although your comparison to George Floyd was inappropriate, I agree and can absolutely see how it could become more serious. I can't tell you the amount of stress and anxiety this has caused me and I can't be alone. I am so ashamed I am not in a more secure financial position for my children so that when these big things happen we are covered. I am not turning this into a pity party or being overdramatic, but I don't have any family to lean on- which is why my children's school had to help out with the foodbank vouchers. You hear of people on benefits who have their payments withheld or subject to sanctions and how badly their mental health suffers-and this is money I worked hard to earn, just sitting there.
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@Vicy, Rachel, Nancy, ALL.
Action. Action. Action.
That's my question.
What is it exactly we, as freelancers, should do? Are we expected to just keep messaging each other like this? You see my point?
Tell me ONE single REALISTIC ACTION we all can take and I'm all for it. I'm waiting for any ideas. To sit down like a duck (all apologies to ducks) and just wait is not an option.
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The only realistic option is to very quickly start altering our business models and to spend time finding clients off the platform I guess, or moving to other platforms but as Adam says the payment process may be the same elsewhere. The only benefits left for me to use PPH were the fast payment times and the variety of work, now both of those are gone-what's the point?
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@Meri, ALL.
All respect to you Meri. I do understand your situation fully and I'm really here to do anything I can. Just please let me know what you want me to do. The ONLY reason I doing this "activism" is to make PPH feel they are at risk so they move on. They do not listen to you, Meri, or anyone else. So, I'm doing all that I can to put pressure on them so they at least release your own money.
Here is one suggestion for you Meri specifically: You can ask for an exception at least this very time so PPH releases your money and then you plan your finances more effectively later. I think this is the MINIMUM thing PPH can do if they really see and hear you, as they say.
Now please Meri, go contact PPH right away and ask them for an exception to release your money soon. I'm all too wiling to sign another petition for you specifically with anyone who would really want to so PPH releases your money right away as an exception.
I'm at your disposal, Meri. I'm just here to help. All respect.
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@Meri So sorry to hear this. It sounds like you work extremely hard and do everything you can for your family, so you should not be in this unfair situation. I think you are right, we need to seriously consider our other options.
Have you considered writing to Martin Lewis, the money expert guy? It's a long shot, but he might be able to offer some valuable advice. -
I agree with Meri. There isn't realistically anything we can do to make PPH behave differently. In a "normal job" you can go and argue with your employer and that can have an effect. As freelancers, we are on our own. We can come here and talk to each other, and that can be a big help.
As I see things, PPH have changed their terms and conditions. We kick up a fuss. Time passes. Some people will suffer hardship, but they will survive. Lessons will be learnt about relying on one income stream and some people will attempt to diversify, either with other platforms, direct clients, whatever. PPH may drop a few crumbs off the table "after careful consideration of data analysis and because they listen to their freelancers" and the situation may be slightly less bad. We carry on and the downward spiral continues.
Things that I hope for are that PPH change their direction and overall strategy and move in a direction that I can work with. Or another type of platform pops up that is better suited for my type of work and PPH become irrelevant to me. Until then I keep fishing for projects here and on other platforms, and hope I pick some up. -
@Meri, Marcus, ALL.
Meri needs a short-term solution, Marcus. For now, she needs to pull her money out. This should be her priority and we should help her do that right away. All suggestions about working on other platforms are a "slow burner" which I'm sure Meri knows of all too well. So, if you're a strategic thinker, as I believe myself is, here is what Meri needs (and please correct me, if I'm wrong Meri):
1. Short Term (1-7 days). Withdraw Available Money in Escrow. Tis might need a collective petition signed for Meri so PPH processes her money as an exception in less than this draconian 14-day period.
2. Medium Term (2 Weeks - 2/3 Months). Customer Engagement Across Platforms. Meri works on many profiles on different platforms to attract and retain new customers. This should create new streams of income which, however low at first, will grow over weeks. Meanwhile, Meri could still work with her current customers on PPH and pull her money within this new 14-day period or, if she manages to break the glass ceiling of top earners, she can pull her money even faster.
3. Long Term. (2/3 Months & On). Managing Income Streams. As Meri's income streams diversify and grow, she'd be able to manage her finances accordingly so she can know as precisely as possible when he can expect her money from one or more platforms.
I think this helps.
Now, if you are all for a petition so Meri has an exception to pull her money right away, let's do it and stop talking.
I'm at anyone's disposal.
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Well put Simon. And it could be precisely for the reasons you have outlined that PPH decided to give us no notice. If we had been given a month, two months notice, we would have all used that time to try and diversify and move away from the platform. This way, by catching us off-guard, we are all going into survival mode and using our time to worry and protest because we had no contingency plan in place (some of us anyway).
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Mohamed, you are being very kind and I am very touched- but I don't want everyone's efforts to be about me, thank you though. I followed your suggestion and emailed CS asking for an exception, but I would feel very uncomfortable with everyone doing this. I really, really do appreciate it though. This is Mohamed at Mohamed's best.
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You could probably take PPH to court over changing the terms and conditions and withholding money, but it would take much longer than 14 days. It would cost money, wouldn't be guaranteed to work and would be difficult to carry on working here afterwards.
Meri, did you try contacting CAB? They would probably also say that nothing could be done in the timescale but they would be able to look up the legal position.
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Dear PPH,
I completely agree with Meri. I too am a parent who is struggling to put food on the table because of this ludicrous change of policy regarding payments. I've just reached the end of the 14 day wait for a small job I did and now I have to wait 48 hours for the withdrawal to be processed? Surely if you've clunge to my money for 14 days you should be transferring it immediately?! PPH was my preferred platform for freelancing however I'm now exploring other options as I cannot live like this.
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@ Adam- I think most of us have grudgingly accepted the industry standard payment clearing time- it was just that there was no notice, the work isn't there any more, the unfairness with the different tiers and the lack of transparency about the regulations. Also- why couldn't they start the 'clock' once the money was in escrow?
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@Meri, Marcus, ALL.
I believe you, Meri, really need an exception given that you're on Day 6. Now, if PPH "Community" message means anything and that they've listened already, then there is no excuse WHATSOEVER that Meri should get an exception - an extremely fast one - at least this time to withdraw her money. If this does not happen, then I believe anyone defending PPH anymore has no excuse at all.
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@Meri I agree it was like the change in commission was out of the blue and didn't read-write. As back then I argued that it stated that it was backdated to start from Jan 2021 and once you hit the threshold it would reduce the commission so I asked for it to be backed dated as per their blog but they refused saying it was from April. Technically I should have had a rebate of nearly 1k.
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