Learning & Development

The Remote Workers Juggling Multiple Full-Time Jobs

The explosion in remote work that came in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has created many challenges and opportunities for both employers and employees. A key challenge for employers is the concern that remote workers will slack off and be less productive than they would be if working in the office under the watchful eyes (or at least in close proximity to) their managers.

Those wary employers would be mortified to hear about the so-called “overemployed” workers, leveraging their remote work arrangement to secretly work multiple full-time jobs, bringing in multiple salaries.

Employees Working Multiple Jobs

“Some Americans have increased their incomes by secretly working multiple remote jobs, and they’re using the money to splurge or improve their financial futures,” writes Jacob Zinkula in an article for Business Insider. Zinkula illustrates the concept of overemployed workers with the real-life example of a man named Robert.

“In 2021, Robert was making roughly $180,000 a year from his tech job. When his workflow started to slow, he feared he could be laid off and found a job that paid $190,000 annually. He kept both remote roles,and in 2023, Robert earned more than $300,000 across the two,” writes Zinkula. A Gen Xer living in Florida, Robert is using his extra income for splurges like a cruise and trips to destinations like Yellowstone, the Galápagos Islands, and Las Vegas.

Legal Issues

Working multiple full-time jobs at once isn’t necessarily illegal. However, overemployed workers could cross a legal line if they use illegal means (e.g., fraud) to improve their employment situation.

Additionally, some employers may have company policies or provisions in mandatory employment agreements prohibiting certain kinds of moonlighting. For instance, many employers require employees to sign noncompete agreements, which could be violated if someone is working for two companies that compete in the same space.

Communicate Your Stance

“To be sure, while some employers may be OK with their workers having a second job, doing so without company approval could have professional repercussions,” cautions Zinkula. “Additionally,job juggling can lead to burnout, and the ethics of doing it in secret are up for debate.”

It’s unclear how prevalent the practice of “overworking” is, and it’s also unclear the extent to which the practice impacts the moonlighter’s performance at one or more of their jobs.

While some employers may not take issue with the practice as long as the employee’s performance, productivity and availability aren’t impacted, others may attempt to prohibit certain types of overworking. It’s important to consider—and communicate—your stance on the issue.

Lin Grensing-Pophal is a Contributing Editor at HR Daily Advisor.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *