Have You Ever Had to Tell Your Boss About Your Second Job?
It’s a fact of life in a work-obsessed world: at some point, you can find yourself more than one job. Hell, I haven’t had a single job since high school. For 14 years, I have always had multiple sources of income, which was good for financial survival, but not always so good for mental health survival – not because I’m too busy, but because at times it seemed to me that I live a double life. It may be helpful to let your primary boss know that you have more than one job, but is it necessary?
Should I tell my boss about my second job?
Sarah Jacobs, a New Jersey lawyer with 30 years of employment law experience, told Lifehacker that she can’t imagine a time when a person could be required by law to tell a boss what they do in their free time, even if it includes other activities. work. However, you may have a non-compete agreement. If so, check it carefully to see what exactly it prohibits you from doing professionally and for how long. By law, you cannot take a second job that directly competes with the company you primarily work for. (Jacobs did say that some non-competitive activities can be truly “out of the ordinary,” so even consider taking your contract to an employment lawyer to see if the fine print is preventing you from doing unexpected things.)
Otherwise, you have the right to do so – and you are far from alone. Career coach Ashley Stahl told Lifehacker that a recent survey found that 32% of freelancers have multiple sources of income, including a combination of traditional and freelance work. According to the United States Census Bureau , over the 22-year period from 1996 to 2018, the job-to-work rate among workers averaged 7.2%. In the early 2010s, the number of multi-job workers declined, but rose steadily between 2013 and 2018. Thanks to the teleworking boom and the pandemic-related wage cuts, several jobs are now on the rise again .
So no, you don’t have to tell your boss. As Jacobs said, “The only people you have to report this to are the IRS.” And even if you’re tempted to be open and honest, don’t let them know. That’s why.
Can your boss fire you for a second job?
Short answer: yes, you can get fired for a second job. This is because the vast majority of US states are so-called “free will” states when it comes to employment. You are hired with no guarantee of how long you will work for the company. Jacobs explained that “you can be fired for no reason or for any reason as long as the reason is not discriminatory.” And even if you get fired because of discrimination, you must be able to prove it in court.
This means that if your boss doesn’t like you spending your free time making money for or for another company—or even for yourself—they can fire you. If they tell you that you come to work tired in the morning because you work too hard elsewhere at night, they may kick you out, even if it’s not true.
When can’t you be fired?
Even in the states, you cannot be fired from your main job at will if you have a contract that specifies the duration of your employment or limits the employer’s ability to fire you for no reason. You will need to check this contract for any provisions preventing you from working elsewhere, but if there are none, you should feel protected by it – and let this help you determine if it makes sense to tell your boss about your outside work at all. .
While we’re at it, here’s our guide on how to look for a new job without your boss knowing about it, and here’s how to prepare your guidelines to help you land that job, hopefully in a company where all your pursuits and talents are. will be implemented. encouraged.