Upwork: Hiring, Background Check & Employment Verification FAQs

Upwork was formed in 2013 through the merger of two earlier online work platforms, Elance, founded in 1998, and oDesk, founded in 2003. The combined business operated as Elance-oDesk before rebranding to Upwork in 2015. The company completed its initial public offering in October 2018 and trades on the Nasdaq under the ticker UPWK, which makes it a publicly held company subject to standard securities reporting.

The business runs a two-sided marketplace. Client organizations, ranging from individual founders to large enterprises, post projects or search for talent, while independent professionals offer services across categories including software and web development, design and creative work, writing and translation, marketing and sales, accounting and finance, customer support, and administrative assistance. Upwork monetizes primarily through fees tied to the work transacted on the platform, and publishes revenue and gross services volume figures in its quarterly filings as a public company.

Upwork itself operates as a remote-first employer. Its corporate offices have been associated with the San Francisco Bay Area in California, but the company describes a distributed workforce rather than a single central campus, and many roles are posted as remote positions within specified countries or states. Corporate job families typically include engineering, product management, design, data science, marketing, sales and account management, trust and safety, customer support, finance, legal, and people operations. A candidate applying to Upwork should be clear about which relationship is on the table, since being hired as an Upwork employee is a different arrangement from being an independent professional who finds clients through the marketplace.

Company culture and employee programs:

Upwork positions remote and flexible work as central to both its product and its own operating model, and recruiting materials emphasize distributed collaboration, asynchronous communication, and hiring across geographies. Compensation packages for corporate roles at a public technology company commonly combine salary with equity and standard benefits, though the specifics depend on level, function, and the country or state where a person is employed. Candidates should confirm details such as equity, benefits eligibility, and location requirements directly with a recruiter, since these vary by role.

Yes. Employers in the technology and online marketplace industry, including Upwork, are legally permitted to conduct pre-employment background checks on job candidates provided they follow applicable federal, state, and local law. In the United States, employment screening falls under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which requires a clear standalone disclosure, written authorization from the candidate, and a specific adverse action process before an employer can decline someone based on the contents of a report. Because Upwork hires across multiple states and countries, local privacy and employment rules can also apply.

Upwork is generally reported to conduct background checks on candidates for employment, which is standard practice among public technology companies. Screening scope is typically calibrated to the role: positions with access to customer data, payment systems, financial records, or trust and safety tooling are commonly screened more thoroughly than roles without that access. The components of an Upwork background check may vary by role, by seniority, and by the laws of the jurisdiction where the candidate will work.

The Upwork hiring process for corporate roles generally follows the pattern common to technology employers. Candidates apply online, then complete an initial conversation with a recruiter covering experience, compensation expectations, and location. A hiring manager interview usually follows, along with role-specific evaluation such as a technical interview, a case study, a portfolio review, or a practical exercise. Later stages often include interviews with cross-functional partners. Because the company is remote-first, these steps are typically conducted by video. Candidates who receive a conditional offer are usually asked to authorize a background check and complete employment eligibility paperwork before a start date is finalized.

Turnaround depends on which searches are ordered, how many jurisdictions a candidate's history spans, and how quickly courts, past employers, and schools respond. Many reports are completed within a few business days. International history, education verification, and verifications that depend on a third-party HR department can extend the timeline. Candidates who want a fuller explanation of what affects these windows can review background check turnaround times.

The employer decides the scope. For a corporate technology role, a background check may include some or all of the following:

Candidates should read the disclosure and authorization documents they receive to see which searches apply to their offer.

The applicable lookback depends on the search and the jurisdiction. Under the FCRA, consumer reporting agencies are generally limited from reporting most adverse information older than seven years, with exceptions that can apply to criminal convictions and to positions above a defined salary threshold. Several states impose stricter rules, including limits on reporting non-conviction records. For candidates hired outside the United States, local data protection and employment law governs instead, and those rules are often more restrictive about what an employer may request.

Upwork does not publish a detailed policy on applicants with felony convictions, and these decisions are typically made case by case. Employers generally weigh the nature and seriousness of the offense, how much time has passed, evidence of rehabilitation, and whether the record has a direct bearing on the duties of the role. Many states and cities have adopted "ban-the-box" laws that delay criminal history inquiries until later in the hiring process and require an individualized assessment before a record can be used to disqualify a candidate. Applicants are encouraged to be accurate on their applications and prepared to discuss their background if it comes up.

Candidates are typically asked to provide written consent on a standalone disclosure form before any screening starts. They should expect to supply accurate personal information, including full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number for US-based applicants, and a complete address history. Roles that include education verification may require the name of the institution, dates attended, and the degree earned. Accurate and complete information helps ensure the correct jurisdictions and institutions are searched, which reduces the chance of a delayed report.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act is the US federal law that governs how consumer reporting agencies collect, use, and share background check information. It requires employers to obtain written authorization before ordering a report, to provide the candidate with a copy of the report and a summary of rights before taking adverse action, and to allow time for the candidate to dispute inaccurate information before a final decision is made. For more on how the FCRA works alongside Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidance, see Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

This is a different question from employment screening, and the answer depends on the arrangement. Independent professionals who find work through a marketplace are generally not employees of the platform, and a platform's own identity and verification steps are set by its terms of service rather than by an employment screening policy. Separately, a client engaging an independent professional may ask that person to complete a background check as a condition of a specific contract, particularly for work involving sensitive data, finance, or on-site access. In that situation the check is usually arranged by the client, and the professional is the subject of the report with the same FCRA rights described above. Freelancers should read the current platform terms and any client-specific requirements before agreeing to a contract.

Running a personal background check with Checkr lets you preview what Upwork may see and helps you identify potential inaccuracies before they affect your application. In one secure report you can review:

Create your report in minutes at Checkr Personal Background Checks. To showcase verified credentials proactively, build a free Checkr Profile you can share with recruiters, hiring managers, or potential clients.

Check your report status in the Candidate Portal. Or, visit the Checkr Help Center for FAQs, dispute steps, and to contact support.

The resources and information provided here are for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Always consult your own counsel for up-to-date legal advice and guidance related to your practices, needs, and compliance with applicable laws.