Upwork, a global job search platform, has claimed it has suspended its work in the Russian Federation and Belarus. The company is suspending operations in these countries from today. The decision comes into force in full on 1 May 2022.
According to Upwork CEO Hayden Brown, in the next few days, customers in Russia and Belarus will no longer be able to create accounts, sign contracts and be visible in search.
"Russian President Vladimir Putin's war against Ukraine has called into question our mission, values and our ability to provide economic opportunities to those who seek it," the leaders of Upwork explained.
They added that if the geopolitical situation in Russia and Belarus changes, the company hopes to resume operations there.
Upwork also announced a $1 million donation to Direct Relief International to support the Ukrainian population.
In addition, Upwork called for product improvements "to make it easier for Ukrainian freelancers to maintain the careers they have worked so hard for, whether or not they can work now."
The company is also launching a $100,000 donation program from team members to provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov explained the importance of Upwork's refusal to serve customers from the Russian Federation.
"Upwork is the largest freelance exchange in the world. IT professionals, marketers and other digital professionals find many customers through Upwork. Hundreds of millions of dollars were coming every month to the wallets of Russian specialists from customers around the world. Closing Upwork means more than 100,000 citizens will lose their jobs in IT. Only because they are silent when their dictator kills the people of our country, " Fedorov said.
"This is a courageous decision of the Upwork team. We are infinitely grateful for it. And we are focusing on dialogue with other freelance platforms, which I am sure will make similar decisions," he added.
Upwork is a company that offers a global job search platform and a range of software products for employers who want to hire and manage remote professionals. Located in Redwood City, USA. Upwork was founded in 2003 by Greek entrepreneurs Odysseus Tsalatos and Stratis Karamanlakis.