Is Moonlighting Legal?
Although there’s not a pin-point law that completely bans the moonlighting practice, the answer to legal or illegal depends on multiple factors including employment agreements with the respective companies, work policies & laws, etc. For instance, Moonlighting could be considered cheating if an employee is already contracted to another company and working for them full-time. However, if the employee is only working a few hours a week for another company, it might not be seen as cheating. It all depends on the contract that the employee has signed.
However, if your company does have a strict policy against moonlighting, then you might want to think twice before doing it. After all, it is your job and you don’t want to risk getting caught and losing your livelihood. Nevertheless, many IT companies in India do allow dual employment or moonlighting.
Before starting a side hustle or launching a business, employees should take a close look at their employment contract to make sure they’re complying with any moonlighting policies. Just as it’s important for bakers to follow recipes to create delicious cakes, it’s crucial for employees to adhere to their employment contracts to avoid any legal trouble.
What is Moonlighting? Is Moonlighting Legal or Illegal?
Moonlighting is one of the hot topics in the gig economy. It has seen a significant rise, especially amidst this WFH model or remote working culture after the global pandemic. There is a lot of debate around the legitimacy of moonlighting in employment sectors. While some people show support for moonlight, some really oppose it. And thus there arise multiple concerns:
- is moonlighting ethical?,
- can you be fired for moonlighting?,
- pros and cons of moonlighting,
- can employers prohibit moonlighting?,
- and many more!
This blog will look at what Moonlighting is, why it is a hot topic today, what are the pros and cons of Moonlighting and whether is it legal in India. Let’s get started!