How to find out from charity if a freelancer got paid for 'voluntary' work I did?

Hello!

I'm wondering if anyone can tell me whether organisations must disclose when asked details of invoices they've paid, specifically payments to freelancers.

I volunteer at a local charity, and I strongly suspect another person (freelance) was paid in advance for a specific project, which was actually completed by me on a supposedly voluntary basis. I have no proof but it seems from the bits and bobs of information I've gleaned from the charity's manager that it's very likely this happened. They've been quite cagey so far.

When I agreed to voluntary work I obviously didn't expect to be paid but then again neither did I expect another person to be paid for my work!

Does anyone know if I can request that the charity show me the invoices for the project, and whether they have to do it or can refuse on the basis of confidentiality? I've no idea how I'd pursue this but I feel I need to know what's going on at least.

Thanks in advance!

SpaceisthePlace
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Comments

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 35,242
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    No.

    Other people's working agreements are confidential.
  • Short answer is no. Any agreement between the charity and the freelance is between the charity and the freelance only, you are not a party to the agreement so why should you be told anything about it. You have performed a charitable act (kudos to you) so just enjoy the warm and bubbly feeling it gives you.
  • SpaceisthePlace
    SpaceisthePlace Posts: 40 Forumite
    edited 2 October 2017 at 11:56AM
    I think you've both misunderstood my post. I don't want this information to be nosy and nor am I feeling resentful about working for free. I've happily done lots of volunteering.

    This is a particular situation where I want to know if another person was paid for work that I did.

    If someone invoices for work they did not do, that was done by someone else, surely that is unethical (at best)?

    Surely I have a right to know if this happened?
  • It is still nothing to do with you, it is between the charity and the free lance who invoiced them.
  • marliepanda
    marliepanda Posts: 7,186 Forumite
    Who engaged you? The charity, or the freelancer?

    Not that it makes much difference, but why would the charity pay someone for something that they got for free...

    If the freelancer engaged you, then he did what he got paid for. He was paid to get something done, and he got you to do it (for free...)
  • SpaceisthePlace
    SpaceisthePlace Posts: 40 Forumite
    edited 2 October 2017 at 12:13PM
    It is still nothing to do with you, it is between the charity and the free lance who invoiced them.

    It is to do with me because I did the work that the freelancer invoiced for.
  • TBagpuss
    TBagpuss Posts: 11,198
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    Other people's relationships with the charity are confidential.

    However, you can raise the issue with the charity, say what you did here, that you volunteered to support the charity and obviously are concerned that it appears that someone may have been paid for the work you did, rather than it benefiting the charity as intended.

    It seems to me that there are a number of possibilities:

    1. The freelancer was paid for some work, but may have been paid less than they would have got to do the whole job, because you did part of the work on a voluntary basis.

    2. The freelancer billed incorrectly for the work, and was paid because the person processing the invoice did not appreciate that you, not the freelancer, had done the work.

    3. The freelancer got paid for a totally different piece of work and someone without the full facts has gossiped about it

    4. There was an issue with the work you did and the freelancer re-did it (or part if it) and was paid for that work.

    5. The freelancer had been contracted to do the work, and was entitled to be paid even though in the event they didn't carry out the work because you'd done it voluntarily.

    There may be more which I haven't thought of.

    Of all of those, only (2) involves anyone doing anything wrong, but if one of the other possibilities is true then it is in the charity's interests to be made aware of it, as the others are things which are relevant to them managing things well, and/or keeping supporters and volunteers such as yourself on side.
    If you are concerned about the manager's dealings you could raise your concerns with the treasurer or chair of trustees (if it is a small, local charity) or with the regional manager / volunteer liaison if it is a larger organisation.

    I'd raise it not as an allegation, but as a concern that you've been left with the understanding that someone else was paid for work you did for free, and as a supporter of the charity that concerns you and that you feel a little more openness about hoe the charity is spending money would be welcome .
    All posts are my personal opinion, not formal advice Always get proper, professional advice (particularly about anything legal!)
  • Who engaged you? The charity, or the freelancer?

    Not that it makes much difference, but why would the charity pay someone for something that they got for free...

    Hi, it was the charity itself I did the work for.

    The charity paid the freelancer in advance because he was supposed to do the work in question. I think the advance payment was an 'end of tax year, get your invoice in' arrangement. It's a bit more complex than that, but that's it in a nutshell.

    By the time the project needed to be done, he was on holiday and I did the work on a voluntary basis, not knowing he'd been paid in advance.

    I should say I suspect he was paid, it's been suggested and hinted at, but I have no proof. Hence why I asked if I had any right to see the invoices to clear the matter up.
  • Undervalued
    Undervalued Posts: 8,839
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    Hi, it was the charity itself I did the work for.

    The charity paid the freelancer in advance because he was supposed to do the work in question. I think the advance payment was an 'end of tax year, get your invoice in' arrangement. It's a bit more complex than that, but that's it in a nutshell.

    By the time the project needed to be done, he was on holiday and I did the work on a voluntary basis, not knowing he'd been paid in advance.

    I should say I suspect he was paid, it's been suggested and hinted at, but I have no proof. Hence why I asked if I had any right to see the invoices to clear the matter up.


    No you don't, as has been said repeatedly.
  • Comms69
    Comms69 Posts: 14,229
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    I think you've both misunderstood my post. I don't want this information to be nosy and nor am I feeling resentful about working for free. I've happily done lots of volunteering.

    This is a particular situation where I want to know if another person was paid for work that I did.

    If someone invoices for work they did not do, that was done by someone else, surely that is unethical (at best)?

    Surely I have a right to know if this happened?



    No. It's up to them who they pay.


    My boss gets paid for work I do, I don't see this as any different. It's unlikely that she literally claimed what you did, but more likely claims for the complete project
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