Juggling Jobs: Inside the Lives of Remote Workers Earning More by Balancing Two Full-Time Roles

The Rise of Overemployment

Work settings certainly shifting now. This brings some chances and new ways to handle money problems. “Overemployment” is one interesting new idea. People are doing more than one full-time job at once. Remote work options makes this possible for some.

This involves more than just extra hours somewhere. It is not like taking a diner shift at night. The term became popular as the economy struggled. It often means white-collar workers managing two jobs. They frequently do this from their homes. Poor workers have long needed multiple jobs for living. This modern kind uses remote work not available earlier.

Why are individuals choosing this path today? Often, it is for needed financial stability. The world sometimes feels very unpredictable now. Look at Reed, he is in his thirties from New York. His story paints a clear picture of this motivation. He faced job loss four times in only four years. Since March 2020 job security remained difficult to locate.

His tech job in strategic operations was gone then. “Keeping them was hard,” Reed mentioned later. Tech industry layoffs affected many employees globally. Over 800,000 workers lost jobs from 2020 to 2023. After his fourth layoff, things became clear. A big realization came to him then.

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He felt finding multiple jobs was his way forward. His conclusion was quite simple and direct. “Combatting unemployment means having two jobs,” he said. This action wasn’t driven by any greed. It was about building protection against volatility. He needed a buffer for himself and others.

Reed’s need for money is fairly significant. This year he expects to earn around $280,000. He secretly works two remote jobs for this sum. One job pays about $175,000 each year. The other job provides around $150,000 yearly income. This amount sounds large, but it plays a vital role. He supports his partner who cannot find work. For three years his partner has been unemployed.

He help his parents with monthly mortgage payments too. His niece and nephew also receive college help from him. For Reed, this balancing act is essential now. He needs these two jobs to maintain his life. This includes keeping his apartment and saving money. He does all his adult responsibilities financially. I don’t really have a choice,” he told someone later.

Reed surely is not alone in this practice. Many Americans quietly take on extra remote roles. This helps them boost earnings quite a bit. Recent years showed many

Taking on several full-time remote jobs reveals complexity. This path involves significant risks.

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Legal and Ethical Dilemmas

People want money but face dangers every day. It is balancing legal, ethical, and personal issues. Careful thought is definitely needed for this.

First, is it legal to do this work? Holding two jobs is often okay in the US. Heather Weine Brochin says law usually lets employees take other jobs. Some state laws even stop employers from blocking side work. So just having multiple employers isn’t the legal trouble.

Problems start if both jobs are full-time and done remotely. This happens during the same work hours maybe. Brochin points out issues then. She calls doing two remote jobs at once “duplicitous behavior.” Legal issues could appear.

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Risks and Consequences

This is true especially if jobs overlap responsibilities. Misusing employer information between roles is also a risk. This area goes past simple side hustles. Simultaneous work faces scrutiny for sure.

Ethical questions arise too. While law permits it, is it right? Brochin believes this strongly is wrong. She says it feels like stealing time from a job. A full-time worker expects to give 40 hours to one place. Getting paid by two firms for one timeframe is not giving agreed time, she thinks.

This differs from typical part-time work or evening shifts. Low-wage staff have used these options long ago. Brochin explains part-time evening jobs aren’t new. The worry for remote companies now is employees holding full-time jobs simultaneously. People multitask but certainly deprive each employer.

They lack full business time and attention. Losing one job or both is a real danger. Employers hold lots of power, especially with at-will staff. Brochin is clear: companies can end at-will employees for almost any reason. Lying about multiple roles is a valid reason to fire someone.

Understanding company rules is important, though secrecy makes this hard. Many firms have rules for work hours expectations. Offer letters often say full-time work must be exclusive. Some policies require permission for outside work too. This includes volunteer roles even.

Brochin notes policies prevent interest conflicts. They now check if another job overlaps time. Secret overemployment likely breaks policy from the start. This hiding hurts trust. It gives employers a clear reason to dismiss staff if found.

The dangers aren’t just talk; results can be bad. Mr. Jasper Toh sees managing two full jobs as risky from HR perspective. With remote work increasing, some firms track staff activity. This might reveal unauthorized second employment. It adds another danger layer for remote workers.

When moonlighting is found, some employers react harshly. Toh warns staff get little notice before being fired. Results might go further. Employers could tell future companies about the moonlighting. This damages career chances quite a bit.

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The Necessity Behind Overemployment

Future job prospects in your field may suffer. Performance issues hurt your long-term career. Juggling hard roles makes focus difficult. It can lead to failing job expectations. This hampers advancement and pay growth, Toh states clearly.

Still, Toh finds some nuance. If staff produce good results, clients sometimes ignore it. Excellent performance might lessen the risk but isn’t guaranteed safety. Ms. X gives both jobs her best. She marks carefully with notes. Some colleagues with one job do not even do this, she says. She feels needing high standards in both.

Burnout is another huge cost. Tactics help manage stress not kill it. Reed allows a few years for this work. He does not see it lasting forever. Ms. X’s hard day starts early and ends late. She uses free time to mark work. Germaine finds juggling two customer service roles very tiring. The stress and secrecy take a toll on health.

Despite these big risks, people still do it. They do it mainly from major money needs. Reed fought joblessness and supported family members. Ms. X is sole earner for kids and elderly parents with costly needs. $3,000 is simply not enough money for them. Mr. Q needed more money to support family. His salary was much too low for this.

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He needed funds for kids’ school fees. Germaine works two jobs to pay off university costs. She hopes for a higher-paying job later on. Those talking to The Straits Times felt fine about overemployment. It felt necessary to survive in hard times. Ms. X states nobody wants this life. Some do it to keep family from going under. This viewpoint shows the deal people make.

They take high risks for money they desperately need. For those thinking of this path, advice varies. Tips suggest honesty: telling employers helps trust and scheduling. But Reed, Ms. X, and Mr. Q work in secret. They fear the results of telling. Honesty is hard for people who feel they have no other choice. Tips say understand risks first.

Read company rules about outside work. Explore ethical sides deeply. The main problem is wanting more income versus big dangers. Risks aren’t just ideas. They include legal issues and ethical problems. Being fired any time is possible. Your career could be harmed long-term. Burnout takes serious health costs. Handling this takes planning and performing well. It means understanding the fragile balance. It’s a needed strategy for some. It might be a risk for others. But it is never without significant danger.