Refused to Pay for Delivered and Published Work
I worked with The Ladders as a freelance writer from late 2023 through mid-2025. While communication and workflow were acceptable at first, things took a turn when two of my monthly invoices went unpaid — despite the articles being submitted, accepted, and published. When I followed up professionally, I was met with retroactive accusations and legal threats. Many of the assigned topics were nearly identical (e.g., keyword variations), and the editorial guidance encouraged tools like Surfer SEO — but that’s now being used against me. This experience left me feeling devalued and exploited. Proceed with extreme caution if you’re a freelancer or contributor.