Is It Really Cheating If It’s on Your Job? Why Bosses Are Cracking Down on “Polygamous” Workers

Kashim Chowdhury, a civil servant in London, was charged with “cheating” on his job and summoned into court in April 2025. His alleged crime was “polygamous working.” He’d been holding down three full-time government jobs at the same time and was sharing his time, efforts, and dedication among them. Chowdhury has denied the charges.

This situation isn’t unique to the U.K. Polygamous workers are operating worldwide, juggling more than one full-time job without informing their employers that they’re doing so. The practice has also been referred to as being “over-employed.” 

What Is Polygamous Working?

The rise in polygamous workers has been ascribed to an increase in remote work-from-home opportunities that largely began with the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. Census Bureau has reported that the number of employees who worked from home more than doubled from 2019 through 2023, rising from 5.7% to 13.8% in the U.S. alone. Their number increased from about 9 million to more than 22 million American workers.

Technology that allows employees to work from a distance has played a part as well. This type of work arrangement makes it easy for employees to allocate their work hours to more than one company or employer.

“As remote work arrangements and flexible scheduling become more common, many workers have chosen to hold down two or three jobs at a time for periods overlapping their work commitment, usually without the knowledge of part or all of the employers involved,” according to Kelsey Szamet, a partner at Kingsley Szamet Employment Lawyers in Encino, California.

Is Polygamous Working Illegal?

It’s not illegal to hold down more than one job. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has indicated that 8.43 million U.S. workers held multiple jobs in 2024. More than half of them held part-time jobs in addition to a full-time employment role but about 376,000 of them dedicated themselves to more than one full-time job. The Bureau defines full-time work as 35 hours or more per week.

“There’s no express law that prohibits the practice of holding down multiple employment positions unless the activity interferes with a valid contractual commitment,” Szamet says. “If a person has signed an agreement that includes exclusivity, conflict-of-interest, or confidentiality clauses, holding down multiple employments – especially with competitive entities or during scheduled work hours – can be considered a breach of contract with possible legal consequences.”

Is Polygamous Working Unethical?

The term “polygamy” implies cheating because it denotes overlapping relationships. And where there’s cheating, there are often those who are willing to help make it possible. TikTok has released videos providing insight into hacks such as “mouse jiggling” that enable an employee to appear to be busy on their laptop when, in fact, they’re servicing another employer.

Reddit has also allegedly shared workers’ guidance about how to attend two video conferences at the same time using multiple laptops.

Is this unethical? “It depends on how it’s done,” advises Brittany Truskowski, COO of Grand Canyon Law Group in Arizona. “If somebody is out there with a transparent process and doing the job competently, that’s one thing. If, however, they’re hiding it, gaming the system, or double-dipping on hours, that goes too far. The larger problem is trust, and once that’s violated, it’s difficult to repair.”  

How Should Workers Handle Multiple Jobs?

Working more than one job is a financial necessity for a good many Americans, and it’s not necessarily a conflict. You should feel free to tend bar on weekends to help pay off those college costs right after you’re out of law school, have passed the bar, and are starting a job with a law firm. The question is whether the positions compete with each other in any way.

“Sometimes it means two full-time gigs and sometimes it’s freelancing or side hustles,” Truskowski says. She suggests that you ask yourself, “Will I be able to do both jobs well? Does my contract allow it? And, even more crucial: Am I being truthful? If the answer is ‘I’m just hoping nobody notices,’ then it’s time to re-examine.”  

“Transparency is critical,” says Szamet. “It’s necessary for individuals to review their labor contracts to ensure adherence to stipulated policies. If they plan to take on a second employment, it’s best to inform their main employer of such an intention to avoid any future misunderstandings or legal issues. They should ensure that their work performance isn’t affected and not use their employer’s materials, equipment, or confidential information to perform duties for another company.”

What Can Employers Do?

Employers have numerous options when it comes to protecting themselves against polygamous employees. It can start with sizing up the from-home-employment roles they offer. Are the responsibilities of these positions such that they don’t necessarily have to be full-time? You don’t want to pay someone while they’re actually working for someone else so you might consider trimming hours so you’re getting what you’re paying for.  

Szamet suggests that employers can protect their businesses in a few ways:

• Clearly defining expectations in employment contracts, including exclusivity or conflict-of-interest clauses
• Sharing secondary employment policy information in handbooks or through the onboarding process
• Evaluating productivity to determine whether workers are meeting set performance standards
• Addressing concerns through proper HR channels if they suspect divided loyalty or misuse of company resources
• Initiating legal action or firing an employee if the employee breaches contractual terms or ethical practices

The Bottom Line

Polygamous working isn’t a clear-cut issue. Holding down a second or third job can be understandably critical for many workers, but bosses certainly don’t want to see their companies jeopardized as a result. Open communication can avoid conflict and contention, particularly before an employer-employee relationship is officially entered into.  

Consider telling your would-be boss if you work a second job or are thinking about doing so. You might want to explain your position on the issue to your would-be employee if you think it will jeopardize your fir,m and what the consequences of such an action would be.