![](https://www.nextias.com/ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/7600136Screenshot_6.png)
In News
- Recently, the DXC Technology India MD said that the Moonlighting is only one challenge and that is not reason enough for a company to put an end to work from home that had proved to be beneficial for a large chunk of employees.
- Wipro has recently sacked around 300 employees for ‘moonlighting’.
What is moonlighting?
- The practice of working for one organisation while also taking up extra responsibilities and jobs, typically without the employer’s knowledge, is referred to as moonlighting.
- It refers to the practice of taking up secondary jobs after regular work hours.
- It is called so the side employment is typically performed at night or on the weekends.
- The phrase became well-known when Americans began looking for second jobs in addition to their regular 9-to-5 jobs to supplement their income.
Arguments against moonlighting
- Unethical:
- Some call it unethical and call it cheating.
- Short-term gains:
- Employers lose out in the long run when rampant decisions are made for short-term gains.
- No work life balance:
- Working two jobs can be hectic and does not provide a proper work life balance. This can be a big disadvantage for people with a family as they won’t be able to give time to family members.
- Increase in Stress levels:
- Working two jobs will increase stress and stress lead to many health problems.
- Conflict of interest:
- Working for a competitor may put you in a difficult position at your full-time job.
- Problems with performance:
- Due to extra hours, less sleep and divided attention, your performance at your full-time job may slip and have a negative effect on your career.
Arguments in favour of moonlighting
- Freedom of choice:
- Some argue that Employment is a contract between an employer who pays me for working for them for ‘n’ number of hours a day. Now what I do after that time is my freedom, I can do what I want.
- Financial stability:
- Some people work two jobs to have financial stability in life. It can be used to pay off debt, or to cover unforeseen expenses like car or house repairs.
- Acquire New Skill:
- A second job can help one acquire new skills. In addition, the skills and experience will improve your resume.
- New opportunities:
- Working a second job means one will cross paths with more people, learn new skills and face new challenges. This can open up new opportunities for people.
Is moonlighting legal in India?
- Factories Act:
- Under the Factories Act, dual employment is prohibited.
- However, in some states, IT companies are exempt from that rule.
- Before looking for side jobs or starting a business, it is crucial for employees to carefully check their employment contract with their principal job to ensure compliance with any moonlighting policies.
- A person may work more than one job in India without breaking the law.
- However, a person with a similar set of jobs could give rise to concerns about a violation of confidentiality because many employers include such restrictions in their employment agreements in addition to prohibitions against holding down multiple jobs.
- Moonlighting could be considered cheating if an employee’s contract calls for non-compete and single employment, which is the situation with the majority of conventional employment contracts.
- However, it is not cheating if the employment contracts do not have such a clause or provide relaxations.
- UK and USA
- Overemployment which is called dual employment in India is technically permissible in the US and the UK from a tax perspective.
- A second employment in the UK could alter a worker’s tax status, but it wouldn’t be expressly noted as such to the payroll department of the first employer and would probably go unreported in larger organisations.
- The US tax system is simpler since it is built on the idea of self-assessment and voluntary reporting.
Way Forward
- Policy Formulation
- Organisations should probably make a policy to allow workers to openly pursue multiple jobs at once.
- Swiggy announced an “industry first” policy
- It allowed moonlighting for its employees.
- It said any project or activity that is taken up outside office hours or on the weekend, without affecting productivity, and does not have a conflict of interest, can be picked up by the employees.
Source: TH
Previous article
India-Netherlands Fast-Track Mechanism (FTM)
Next article
UNESCO’s list of iconic Indian textiles