A new work trend is making waves — and not everyone is thrilled. Dubbed “overemployment” or “polyworking,” it refers to employees working multiple full-time jobs simultaneously. While some workers are raking in impressive paychecks, employers are increasingly raising concerns about productivity, ethics, and potential breaches of trust.
The practice gained attention following the story of Soham Parekh, a software engineer accused of secretly working for several Silicon Valley startups at once. As remote work continues to blur the boundaries between personal and professional life, reports suggest that many workers are exploiting this flexibility to take on multiple roles, often without their employers’ knowledge.
### How Common Is Polyworking?
According to research from Paychex in 2023, **40% of workers** were juggling more than one job. Among Gen Z, the figure was even higher: **93%** of young workers reported splitting their time across multiple employers. In contrast, only **28% of baby boomers** and **23% of Gen Xers** admitted to holding three or more jobs.
For younger workers, polyworking offers an opportunity to boost income dramatically, build diverse skill sets, and potentially retire early. Some claim to earn over $3,000 a day by stacking part-time or freelance gigs. However, as the trend grows, so do the complaints from employers, ranging from missed meetings to declining work quality.
### Is Polyworking Legal?
In most cases, yes — but with important caveats.
“There’s no law outright prohibiting someone from holding multiple jobs,” says **Nicolas Lakeland**, employment law partner at Laytons. “It really comes down to what the employment contract says.”
Many full-time contracts include clauses requiring employees to devote their “full time and attention” to their primary employer. These clauses are typically designed to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure productivity. But unless explicitly stated in the contract, moonlighting isn’t automatically illegal.
**Peter Rahbar**, founder of The Rahbar Group, adds: “Employees should check whether their side jobs present a conflict of interest or compete with their main role. If they do, I’d strongly advise against it — it could lead to legal complications.”
He recommends that employers update contracts to explicitly prohibit outside employment and implement clear moonlighting policies. More importantly, he suggests paying employees fairly, since financial need is often the driving force behind polyworking.
### Ethical and Practical Risks
Even if polyworking is technically legal, there are serious risks involved:
- **Trust issues:** Hiding additional jobs can damage long-term career relationships.
- **Confidentiality breaches:** Sharing sensitive information between companies can lead to legal action.
- **Intellectual property disputes:** Work created while employed may belong to the company — even if done during overlapping hours.
- **Availability concerns:** Employers expect employees to be reachable during emergencies or key moments.
- **Tax implications:** Managing multiple W-2s or 1099s can complicate tax filings and raise red flags.
**Lewis Maleh**, CEO of Bentley Lewis recruitment agency, warns that getting caught can have lasting consequences. “We’ve seen people fired for this exact reason,” he says. “If you’re being paid full-time wages, you owe your full-time effort — unless your employer agrees otherwise.”
Workers have been exposed through LinkedIn updates, background checks, and even accidental Zoom appearances during job interviews.
### What Employers Can Do
Experts recommend proactive measures:
- **Update employment contracts** to include anti-moonlighting clauses.
- **Communicate regularly** with employees to foster transparency and reduce opportunities for overemployment.
- **Offer competitive compensation** to reduce the incentive for employees to seek extra income elsewhere.
As **Tom Spiggle**, an employment attorney, notes: “While it’s not illegal to hold multiple jobs, it is perfectly legal for an employer to fire someone who violates their contract.”
Polyworking may offer short-term financial rewards, but the long-term risks — including job loss, legal trouble, and reputational damage — can outweigh the benefits.
“If another job is important to you, talk to your employer,” advises **Nicolas Lakeland**. “You can negotiate changes to your contract — but only if you’re honest and upfront about your intentions.”
Ultimately, transparency is key. As Maleh puts it: “It’s short-term gain and long-term career suicide. Always be honest — the professional world is smaller than you think.”