Alex G.
Approved work left unpaid — lack of mediation and contractor protection
I am an international contractor with over twenty years of professional experience and more than six years working under international contractor engagement models. This is the first time in my career that I have encountered a situation where agreed and delivered work was left unpaid without remediation. During my engagement through Tecla, I worked with a client (Wellspring) who directly requested and approved twenty-two (22) overtime hours, equivalent to USD $825. These hours were fully worked, including night hours, and properly documented. Following my resignation, the overtime was not paid. Despite providing documentation and escalating the issue through the appropriate channels at both the client and Tecla level, no resolution was reached. No effective mediation or advocacy was provided on my behalf, and the financial loss was ultimately absorbed by me, while all other parties involved were compensated. Between October 2025 and January 2026, multiple concerns were formally raised and documented regarding delivery risks, operational issues, and management deficiencies within the client engagement. These concerns were communicated to Tecla representatives and recorded in weekly time-tracking comments. No corrective or preventive actions were taken despite this information being available. The most concerning aspect of this experience is not only the unpaid work itself, but the absence of contractor protection when issues arise. As a contractor, one understands that client relationships can be complex; however, leaving approved work unpaid without mediation sets a concerning precedent and represents a serious failure of duty toward the contractor. Based on this experience, I would strongly advise other contractors to ensure that payment enforcement mechanisms, mediation responsibilities, and escalation paths are explicitly defined and contractually protected before engaging through this platform.
Response from TeclaFeb 3, 2026
We appreciate you sharing your perspective, Alex! Tecla has built its reputation over many years with hundreds of reviews across platforms, reflecting consistently positive experiences from both clients and contractors. We take that track record seriously and operate with clear, well-documented processes that are explained at the start of every engagement. To clarify for readers, all approved and billable hours through the end of this engagement were paid in full. As outlined from the beginning of the working relationship, any overtime work must be explicitly pre-approved in writing by the client and confirmed to Tecla before it can be billed and paid. In this case, no such written client approval was ever provided. The client did not confirm or authorize the overtime hours referenced, and without that approval, Tecla was not authorized to bill the client or issue payment. Throughout the engagement and following the concern raised, a dedicated success manager remained actively involved, working to address questions, review documentation, and explore possible paths to resolution. In addition, our CEO personally offered to speak directly to review the situation together. That discussion was declined, and no written client authorization was shared despite repeated requests. We take contractor advocacy seriously and believe it must operate within clearly defined approval and billing frameworks that protect all parties involved. While we regret that this engagement concluded without resolution, we remain confident in the fairness of our approach and in the experiences reflected across the broader Tecla community. We wish you the best in your future endeavors.