Firing a freelancer, do you have to tell them?

Success10

Sun, Mar 09 2014, 3:53 am

This is about a friend of mine (really) so it's only theoretical. I have a friend who does (did) freelance work for someone for the better part of a year. He sent her a steady stream of work, but it was by no means consistent. About a month ago he stopped sending her work, but it seems obvious to her that he has started using someone else. At first I told her he at least ought to email her and let her know he's not using her anymore. Than I thought he doesn't really have to tell her, she's a freelancer.

What would be proper etiquette in this situation? Should he have at least emailed her?

(This really is about a friend of mine. Otherwise I would have posted anon.)

vicki

Sun, Mar 09 2014, 4:36 am

I don't think it's necessary from a business perspective.
We hire freelancers often that we find through an internet search. We use them while it suits us and pay promptly and use others when it suits us.
We don't tell them that no future work will be coming their way because we never know that to be true.
If there is a problem with work or pay, we would tell them.

But there is nothing wrong with the freelancer politely asking if there is work coming their way due to scheduling for the new year or whatever.

Last edited by vicki on Sun, Mar 09 2014, 8:57 am; edited 1 time in total

shalhevet

Sun, Mar 09 2014, 5:12 am

I am a freelancer and no one has ever told me they are stopping using me. I'm not even sure if someone employing a freelancer knows they are not going to send more work - maybe they don't need the work any more (lose one of their clients), maybe they want to try out someone else but aren't sure who they will continue with, maybe they were using two people before and now there is less work. Maybe they found someone cheaper.

I have had people disappear on me for a few months, then send me work again.

If I employed a freelancer, I doubt I would want to tell them I'd "fired" them, unless they were really terrible, because it's burning your boats. What if the cheaper freelancer turns out no good and you want to go back to the first one? What if you suddenly have enough work for both? etc. etc.

This is the whole basis of freelancing, that you are hired per project (and it works both ways - I sometimes say 'no' to a project because I don't want to work for that employer any more, but I keep my options open).

Success10

Sun, Mar 09 2014, 5:26 am

I agree that he'd want to keep his options open, and by telling her he's replacing her, he probably won't be able to use her in the future. I only thought that he should inform her because it's been a steady stream of work, and he was using her exclusively. I used to work for him, and when I left the job, I was sure to give him ample notice, and I even found him a replacement (this friend of mine) and trained her in. It's an awkward email to write, don't get me wrong, so I understand why he might have simply left it as is.

Frumdoc

Sun, Mar 09 2014, 8:43 am

As the freelancer, I would want to know if there was a reason I could address that I was no longer getting the work. If I had made an error, not fulfilled the brief, been too expensive or too delayed in returning the work, I would want to know why they no longer wish to use me so I can modify factors that might impact my business.

Like any service, they are not obliged to tell me, but it is in my best interests to investigate why someone no longer wants my work, so I can manage my business better.

So I would probably contact them for some feedback, although not expect them to tell me their business plans.