6 ms·

Having 2 jobs isn't inherently illegal. But pretty much every single full-time employment contract for an SWE that I've seen, stipulated that I am not allowed t

Having 2 jobs isn't inherently illegal. But pretty much every single full-time employment contract for an SWE that I've seen, stipulated that I am not allowed to have any other full-time job for the period of my employment.

BizarroLand 5y ago
For SWE or other programming/code related positions I can see that making sense. You may only write 30 minutes of code in a day but the other 7.5 hours is spent either cogitating over the problem and creating the environment that allows you to solve the problem or participating in your team to make sure everyone is on the same page. You split that 8 hours between 2 companies and unless you are significantly under-employed at both jobs (2X in both locations or more) you're not going to be able to give your all.
- HeyLaughingBoy 5y ago
  That's the problem, isn't it? You don't have to give it your all. You have to give it your enough.
- rosndo 5y ago
  > you're not going to be able to give your all. Why would you want to? You’re only working for money.
- winterplace 5y ago
  Or you spend 7.5 hours x2 on creating good environments that can be used in both companies and so each company gets 7.5 hours of free benefit
HeyLaughingBoy 5y ago
To add an opposing anecdote, after 30 years in the biz I've never seen this. Not once.
- als0 5y ago
  It is real
  - Apocryphon 5y ago
    Maybe in only some states?
    - filoleg 5y ago
      Why would it vary by state, if it isn't a legal requirement in any of them. It is purely on the employer's end, and I cannot find a legal restriction against it in any state. So it would only vary by employer.
      - deleted 5y ago
        [deleted]
- nsonha 5y ago
  Legal or not, if you tell your manager that you are also working for another company half the time (unless you work odd hours), will they be OK? If so then good. If not then it's a matter of transparency and trust. Also doesn't the contract has something about the number of hours? It may not be enforceable, but it's on paper.
  - altdataseller 5y ago
    Do you tell your employer you are looking for a new job?
    - nsonha 5y ago
      I do not tell my employer everything, that is a scenario to demonstrate that you doing a second job violates basic trust, or even the contract. That is different than you looking for a new job, which should always be at the back of any manager's mind.

BizarroLand 5y ago

For SWE or other programming/code related positions I can see that making sense. You may only write 30 minutes of code in a day but the other 7.5 hours is spent either cogitating over the problem and creating the environment that allows you to solve the problem or participating in your team to make sure everyone is on the same page. You split that 8 hours between 2 companies and unless you are significantly under-employed at both jobs (2X in both locations or more) you're not going to be able to give your all.

HeyLaughingBoy 5y ago
That's the problem, isn't it? You don't have to give it your all. You have to give it your enough.
rosndo 5y ago
> you're not going to be able to give your all. Why would you want to? You’re only working for money.
winterplace 5y ago
Or you spend 7.5 hours x2 on creating good environments that can be used in both companies and so each company gets 7.5 hours of free benefit

HeyLaughingBoy 5y ago

To add an opposing anecdote, after 30 years in the biz I've never seen this. Not once.

als0 5y ago
It is real
- Apocryphon 5y ago
  Maybe in only some states?
  - filoleg 5y ago
    Why would it vary by state, if it isn't a legal requirement in any of them. It is purely on the employer's end, and I cannot find a legal restriction against it in any state. So it would only vary by employer.
    - deleted 5y ago
      [deleted]
nsonha 5y ago
Legal or not, if you tell your manager that you are also working for another company half the time (unless you work odd hours), will they be OK? If so then good. If not then it's a matter of transparency and trust. Also doesn't the contract has something about the number of hours? It may not be enforceable, but it's on paper.
- altdataseller 5y ago
  Do you tell your employer you are looking for a new job?
  - nsonha 5y ago
    I do not tell my employer everything, that is a scenario to demonstrate that you doing a second job violates basic trust, or even the contract. That is different than you looking for a new job, which should always be at the back of any manager's mind.