// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs overemployment working for you?
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Overemployment refers to the practice of an individual employee simultaneously holding two or more full-time jobs, often with overlapping work hours and without employer awareness.[1] Such an employee is referred to as being overemployed. The term emerged in the 2020s in the United States amidst the COVID-19 recession, and most often refers to white-collar workers.[2]
While usually not illegal, many full-time employment contracts contain clauses of exclusivity that make overemployment a breach thereof warranting disciplinary action or termination of employment.[2][3] Even in at-will employment jurisdictions, employees wishing to take up a second job may also be subject to non-compete clauses warranting the consultation of an employment attorney.[4]
Methods
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According to a report by Vanity Fair, online communities exist around overemployment, to discuss and share techniques to avoid getting found out by coworkers. One such discussion board on the social media site Reddit had grown to 110,000 members by 2022. Reportedly, some users are employed on more than 2 jobs, with some claiming up to 5.[5]
Overemployment is made feasible by means of remote work arrangements, allowing the employee to surreptitiously put time in for their multiple jobs simultaneously. To avoid detection, employees enlist multiple personal computers so as to appear at work for each job, using mouse jigglers to not alert supervisors of dereliction.[5]
References
[edit]- ↑ Becker, W. J.; Conroy, S. A.; Belkin, L.; George, J. M. (17 July 2026). "Hiding in Plain (Virtual) Sight: Overemployment as an Emerging Work Identity". Academy of Management Proceedings. 2026 (1). doi:10.5465/AMPROC.2026.400bp. ISSN 2151-6561.
- 1 2 Vihanya Rakshika (1 December 2023). "'Overemployed': A look at those who secretly juggle 2 full-time jobs". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Wikidata Q141119126.
- ↑ Keene, Celes (February 2023). "Work Productivity: A Worrying Surveillance Trend for Remote Workers". Texas Bar Journal. 86 (2): 82. ISSN 0040-4187.
- ↑ Fountain, Dannie Lynn (2024). "What Is Overemployment, and Is It Worth the Risk?". Keep Your Day Job. New York: Routledge. pp. 16–20. doi:10.4324/9781032689623-5. ISBN 978-1-032-68962-3.
- 1 2 Bilton, Nick (November 2, 2022). "Overemployed in Silicon Valley: How Scores of Tech Workers Are Secretly Juggling Multiple Jobs". Vanity Fair.
See also
[edit]- Side job, also known as a "side hustle", "side gig", or "moonlighting"
External links
[edit]- Reddit r/overemployed
The dictionary definition of overemployed at Wiktionary
