Does anyone know what’s the contract a freelancer signs with Toptap? What if freelancer works directly with client once Toptal has connected both? (and basically both sides agree to work removing Toptal from the middle?
There will be a standard contract that prevents the client from working directly and vice versa. No one ever follows those contracts, but to be safe, wait until the client cancels and then approach them later.
The client is the one who most likely will follow the contract. Chances are you’re not the only contractor that is hired via this agency. Harming the well working relationship between the client and the agency for what? One contractor’s meager 30% difference in rate? Pfff.
I understand why a contractor wants to remove a middleman.
But for the client company this removal is not a good move. First, finding a worker is not the only thing an agency does - it also protects the client company from IRS claims that the contractors are employees (“sits in your office, takes orders only from you”) and hence the taxes should be paid for them. Agencies also handle the payroll for the contractors (partly because of IRS thing again, partly because client pays agency in bulk).
So don’t have your hopes high.
Removing the middleman is only possible if client is small and is not interested in more contractors or payroll services. Then agency may dump the contractor onto the client laps and leave. May. Or may not - IRS concern is there even for small companies, tho I believe (IANAL) it is unlikely IRS would target smaller clients for that unless there is an audit.