Hello there, tbabiak.
I'll help you get your 1099 without paying in QuickBooks Self-Employed.
Instead of clicking the link sent by your employer, you may access your account using this link: https://selfemployed.intuit.com/login. Then, click the Documents section to see your 1099 form.
However, if you're still unable to view your form, you may contact your employer and ask for a printed PDF file of the 1099 form.
Here are some links you can read for additional reference:
If there's anything else that I can help you with, please let me know by leaving any comments below. I'll be here to lend a hand.