Ask the Readers: Is It Unethical to Work a Second Job?
Published on - February 10th, 2009 (by J.D. Roth) To build wealth — or to get out of debt — you must create a positive cash flow. That is, you must spend less than you earn. One way to do this is to cut costs. Another is to increase your income.
Because it has worked so well in my own life, I encourage people to boost their income whenever possible: ask for a raise, make money from hobbies, change careers. For many, the most sensible way to increase income is to find a second job. Even a low-paying part-time job can make a significant difference to your budget.
But in a battered economy, in a nation where unemployment is rising, what are the ethical implications of taking a second job if you don’t really need the money? That’s the dilemma facing Nancy in New Jersey. She writes:
I have a full-time job, investments, housing and health that are as secure as one’s can be now. I used to have a part-time job that recently dried up. I mentioned to a friend (half kidding) that we should go together to apply for part-time jobs at local businesses. She became very angry and said, “Why do you people do that? Why do you take jobs away from people who really need them?” As someone who is still fortunate to be employed, is it morally or ethically wrong for me to look for additional work and income?
I’ve talked with several people who have lost their jobs recently. I’ve spoken with several others who are afraid that they too may soon be out of work. In a situation like this, is it fair for a fully-employed person to apply for a second job just for extra income? Why or why not?
Addendum: Interesting. Based on a couple of past discussions here at GRS, I didn’t expect the response to be so overwhelmingly in favor of working a second job. We’ve had conversations here before in which people have expressed concern about this taking work from others who might need it. I’ve seen similar arguments in the media, too, so know it’s a worry some people have. I thought his question would spur vigorous debate instead of generating unanimous support!
This article is about Ask the Readers, Career, Odds and Ends
SEARCH FOR RECENT ARTICLES
The arguement of “taking someone elses job” is ludacrious to me. A job goes to and is kept by the person that does the job best. I come from a small town community where everyone did what they could for everyone else. So you wore several different hats every now and then. So to me having a second job is just wearing another hat but this time I get paid for it.
That might give me a biased point of view though.
loading....
Too many comments for me to see if anyone already pointed this out…
Let’s say you have job #1 making, say, $60,000 per year, and job #2 making minimum wage.
If you lose job #1, you may be ineligible for unemployment, just because you have job #2.
loading....
If you have the energy and skills for a second job, I think the scarcity of jobs should not be a factor in your consideration.
It is a global economy right now, hundreds of millions of workers could be unemployed around the world this year alone.
It is a lot more competitive now (an employers’ market), thus if you can get a second job, it is because you are the right fit for the employer.
loading....
Take the second job, then tell your friend to shove it. You have every right to a job as anyone else. If someone else wants it, they can go for it. If they don’t get it, they weren’t qualified.
loading....
A lot of people are supporting the idea of a second job — which I agree with.
but it’s amusing that there’s this frequent undercurrent about the “bank CEO.” What makes a bank CEO inherently evil? Sure, a few people in the financial industry have been exposed as greedy cheaters, but the idea that a person can’t run a bank in an honest way, that serves the shareholders, is ludicrous. I bet more bank CEOs are honest than not. And yeah — if a bank CEO delivers to shareholders, then he or she should NOT be curtailed in the amount of pay received.
My point is: Honest workers can be found at EVERY level. In America, we should all be allowed to earn as much as we can HONESTLY deliver. That goes for a day laborer or a bank CEO. Or people who take second jobs.
And for the record– this post has inspired me to look for some freelance jobs to earn extra money to pay off debt. thanks!
loading....
Several years ago after my son was born, my wife made a decision to stay home (giving up a full-time job). I made the decision to get a second job so that we would have spending money and not cutting our budget so close to the vest. I was able to find a job waiting tables, but only after getting totally ignored by several employers because I was either:
a) much older than the average server
b) overqualified
c) making too much money to be working a servers job in the hiring person’s opinion
d) unqualified, because I hadn’t waited tables in over 15 years.
d) because of any of the above reasons, they probably thought I would leave “once things got better”
Now I can’t say which of these were true because it’s not like they tell you why, but I’m sure it was a little of all of the above. The person that did ultimately hire me asked me “Why? Why are you applying for this job with what you are making?” I guess he liked my honest response because I got hired and worked at that restaurant for over 2 years. And I did do a good job. And over those 2 years, plenty of “qualified” workers came and left and there were plenty of job openings so I certainly wasn’t taking a job away from anyone else. Besides, the full-time job that my wife gave up ultimately went to someone else, so I see it as evening out.
As other’s have mentioned before, as someone who has been responsible for hiring people in an industry that at its lowest level, I want the most qualified people possible. Whether that is a computer programmer looking for a few extra bucks or a college student or someone who is unemployed, if they were personable, appeared to be honest and having a good work ethic and also presented themselves in a professional manner, I wanted them on my team. I certainly want the best possible candidate and don’t want my potential job pool shrunk because of the possibility of someone “taking away a job from someone who needs it”.
Which brings me to Dana’s comments about cutting out needs first before seeking a second job…I agree in principle with you but needs are subjective. Yes, at the core of it all, we only truly need food, shelter and medical care. The bottom line me, you and all the other people on this thread have their own needs, for which their reasons are personal and it’s not up to you or me to tell them what they need, quite frankly. For example, I need a cell phone; it is a job requirement that I only get partially reimbursed for. No cell phone, no job. I could get another job that would not require a cell phone or fully reimburse it, but that job might not pay as much. Another example is where I live. Sure, I could have stayed in the neighborhood I lived in where people were dealing drugs and shootings were going on all the time. I could have left my son in a crappy school district, where he would probably not receive the education he will ultimately get. I didn’t need to move into a nicer neighborhood, but I chose to for the safety and security of my family. That came with a price tag. People make that choice all the time and it is another thread altogether as to whether or not that is the right thing to do for society…great topic JD!
loading....
Who is to judge whether that out of work person would want or qualify for the same job you’re applying for? Even in a down market, there are opportunities for people to bring in extra income.
Thinking from the other side, you might be able to use your influence to get your neighbor that job, once you’re on the inside!
loading....
Uh, if I want to take a second job just for spending money, or for savings, there is nothing wrong with that.
loading....
I know I’m two weeks late, but I had to respond.
I see absolutely NO problem with people working second (or third) jobs when they have a full-time job. Perhaps they are working to get out of debt. Maybe they want some extra cash to pay for vacation. Maybe they lost a high-paying job and need to supplement their income (as they now have a full-time job that pays less). In any case, each one of us has our own PERSONAL ECONOMY that we must concern ourselves with.
loading....
Like everyone said, you’re not taking a job away from someone, especially if they’re not competing against you for it. If you want to put in 5 or 6 hours a day on your off time to make a little money for whatever, it’s up to you.
The only other thing to consider is how that second part time job will affect your first, full time job. I’ve seen many people who either dip out early, call in to flake out, or just not be usefull in their primary job because of a second job. i’ve seen people work second jobs for extra cash and become 150lb paperweights at their main job. For me that is the only etchical thing to consider when seeking a second job.
loading....
There are absolutely no ethical issues with getting a second job. No one gets a second job just because they just feel like it or think it will be fun to work 60+ hours a week, people do it because they need to. If you have a hard time making ends meet with your one job, how does that make you any different than everyone else who is having trouble making ends meet? Many people who lose their job and are looking for new ones aren’t applying to work at places like McDonalds. They’re looking for another full time professional job. Also, whose decision is it that YOU’RE not more worthy of the second job if you already have one? I have never believed in any of these “stealing jobs” conspiracy theories. If you are willing to take any job, you can find a job to at least help pay the bills. Even if it means being a bus boy at 5 different restaurants for 12 hours a day. You just have to be willing to do what you have to.
loading....