Weekly Limits
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Buyers should place a weekly limit on their assignments based on their budget and their relationship with the provider. The limit is much more important when you're on a tight budget or just getting to know each other. Weekly limits are particularly useful when test driving your candidates.
Buyers usually set limits on the number of hours that can be billed per assignment per week. Limiting the assignment's maximum weekly bill this way makes both budgeting and scheduling much easier.
Weekly limits are optional, but we strongly encourage you to set them on all your assignments, just to be on the safe side. An assignment without a limit will allow the provider to log up to 168 hours per work week (24 hours * 7 days). Keep in mind that once a limit is set, only the buyer can change it.
If the terms of an assignment's financial relationship are $10 per hour with a weekly limit of 5:
The provider can log a maximum of 5.0 hours per work week on this assignment. The weekly bill can be no more than $50.
The provider can log a maximum of 5.0 hours per work week on this assignment. The weekly bill can be no more than $50.
If you're a provider who plans to work beyond your weekly limit, speak to your buyer. The over-limit hours will not be billed, but the buyer may be willing to increase the limit (if you ask in time) or pay you a bonus for the unbilled, over-limit hours.
We do not stop providers from continuing the log time beyond their weekly limit. However, this time over the weekly limit is not billed to the buyer - even if the buyer later increases the weekly limit. We cannot add overtime retroactively. If they wish, buyers can submit payment to their providers as compensation for time over the weekly limit.
Overtime hours are designated in the provider's work diary with a brown status indicator. Hours marked this way are not included in timelog reports and weekly invoices.
The buyer can a raise or lower the weekly limit on any active assignment at any time. If you set the limit to zero, the provider will not be able to log any hours (starting next work week). Deactivating the weekly limit allows the provider to log an unlimited number of hours.
- Go to My Jobs > Assignments. Select the Active tab.
- Find the correct assignment in the list. Click the Title in the Assignment column.
- Check the box next to enable weekly limit on this assignment. Uncheck this box to deactivate the weekly limit.
- Enter the new Weekly Limit in hours. It must be a whole number 0 - 168. The form will calculate and display the new maximum weekly billing. Adjust the hours you entered as needed.
- When you're ready, click the Submit button. This cannot be undone - but you can submit another change at any time.
Make sure you understand when the new weekly limit will start. Setting the limit to zero does not immediately 'pause' the assignment.
Changing either the weekly limit or the rate will create a new financial relationship. When that new relationship will begin depends on the change that's taken place.
If the new weekly limit is higher, the new financial relationship starts immediately. Already-logged hours won't count against the new financial relationship's weekly limit. Both of you need to be especially mindful about how many hours are being logged during the transition week so the provider doesn't log more total hours than expected.
If the new weekly limit is lower, the new financial relationship starts next work week. Therefore, the provider can still log up to the current weekly limit during the remainder of this week work.
oDesk recommends changing weekly limits on Sunday (UTC time) so the new financial relationship and work week will start at the same time.
Scenario: Weekly limit is currently set to 20. The provider has already logged 5 hours this work week.
Option 1: You change the weekly limit to 30 on Wednesday. A new financial relationship starts on Thursday, so the provider has a new limit of 30 for the remainder of the work week. You could be billed for up to 35 hours this week (5 + 30).
Option 2: You change the weekly limit to 25 on Wednesday. That's a total of up to 30 hours this week (5 + 25). Then change the limit to 30 on Sunday (so it takes effect at the start of the work week).
Option 1: You change the weekly limit to 30 on Wednesday. A new financial relationship starts on Thursday, so the provider has a new limit of 30 for the remainder of the work week. You could be billed for up to 35 hours this week (5 + 30).
Option 2: You change the weekly limit to 25 on Wednesday. That's a total of up to 30 hours this week (5 + 25). Then change the limit to 30 on Sunday (so it takes effect at the start of the work week).
Only want to increase the limit for one week?
Increase the limit the day before the provider starts logging hours for the week and make sure you decrease it back before the work week ends.
Increase the limit the day before the provider starts logging hours for the week and make sure you decrease it back before the work week ends.
