Refund Policy

Status: Draft — requires legal review before public launch.

This document is an operational policy draft for Kaziworks. It is not final legal wording, does not replace formal Terms of Service, and must be reviewed by qualified legal and compliance advisers before public payment launch.

Purpose

This policy describes when refunds may be considered, when refunds may not apply, how full and partial refunds may work, and how refunds interact with disputes, platform fees, provider fees, fraud, and released milestones.

Kaziworks's approved payment direction is:

• TradeSafe is the approved primary escrow and milestone partner.
• Peach Payments is the approved primary payout and platform-payment partner.
• PayPal remains supported but secondary.

When Refunds May Be Considered

Refunds may be considered when:

• A milestone was funded but work has not started.
• The freelancer cannot complete the agreed work.
• The client and freelancer mutually agree to cancel before meaningful work begins.
• The delivered work materially fails to match the agreed milestone scope.
• A dispute outcome recommends a refund.
• Fraud, scam behaviour, or policy abuse is confirmed.
• A provider confirms a payment reversal or refund event.

Refund eligibility must be evaluated against the project scope, milestone status, communication history, delivery evidence, provider rules, and dispute process.

Full Refund Examples

A full refund may be considered when:

• No work has started and both parties agree to cancel.
• The freelancer does not begin work after a milestone is funded.
• The project is cancelled before the freelancer reasonably commits time or deliverables.
• The payment was duplicated due to a provider or processing issue.
• A dispute confirms that no usable work was delivered.
• Fraud or scam behaviour by the freelancer is confirmed.

Full refunds are not automatic and may still be affected by provider fee rules.

Partial Refund Examples

A partial refund may be considered when:

• Some work was completed but not all milestone requirements were met.
• The client accepts part of the delivery.
• Scope, timing, or quality issues justify a split outcome.
• A dispute resolution recommends splitting the milestone amount.
• Revision or completion is no longer practical and both parties agree to a partial settlement.

Partial refunds should be based on evidence and the value of completed work.

When Refunds May Not Apply

Refunds may not apply when:

• The client approved the milestone release and no fraud is later proven.
• Work was delivered according to the agreed scope.
• The client changes their mind after approving completed work.
• The client refused reasonable revision or approval steps.
• The issue relates to work outside the Kaziworks-approved scope.
• The client and freelancer moved payment or key communication off-platform.
• Provider rules prevent recovery of certain fees or amounts.

Platform Fee Refund Assumptions

Platform fee refund rules must be confirmed before launch.

Possible assumptions:

• Client service fees may be refundable if no work started and the full payment is reversed.
• Freelancer platform fees may not apply if no freelancer payment is released.
• Platform fees may be non-refundable after approved milestone release unless fraud is proven.
• Any exception must be clearly documented and supported by provider records.

These assumptions require legal, tax, accounting, and provider review.

Provider Fee Refund Assumptions

Provider, processing, escrow, payout, refund, chargeback, or payment protection fees may be non-refundable depending on provider rules.

Kaziworks must separately account for provider fees so that:

• Clients understand which fees may be retained by providers.
• Kaziworks margin remains protected.
• Refund outcomes do not create hidden losses.
• Gross and net Kaziworks revenue can be calculated accurately.

Provider fee refund rules are pending provider confirmation.

Refund During Disputes

When a dispute is open:

• Payment release may be paused.
• Refund decisions should wait for evidence review unless an urgent fraud or provider reversal issue applies.
• Kaziworks may request messages, files, project scope, delivery proof, and timeline evidence.
• Platform-contained communication carries more weight because it can be verified.

Possible dispute outcomes include full refund, partial refund, release to freelancer, split resolution, revision request, deadline extension, contract cancellation, or account action if fraud is detected.

Refund After Approved Milestone Release

Refunds after an approved milestone release should be limited.

A refund after release may be considered only when:

• Fraud is confirmed.
• The approval was caused by deception, coercion, or material misrepresentation.
• Provider rules require or allow a reversal.
• A legal or compliance review requires a correction.

Approved release should generally mean the work was accepted unless strong evidence shows otherwise.

Fraud and Scam Situations

Refund handling may change if fraud, scam behaviour, stolen work, fake identity, payment abuse, or off-platform circumvention is detected.

Kaziworks may:

• Hold payment state.
• Suspend accounts.
• Preserve evidence.
• Escalate to provider support.
• Escalate to legal or compliance review.
• Limit dispute protection where users deliberately moved payment off-platform.

Legal Review Warning

This refund policy is a draft. It requires legal, compliance, tax, provider, and operational review before public payment launch.