Employees secretly working multiple full‑time jobs is on the rise, particularly in the technology sector. Driven by remote work and economic pressures, this poses legal, operational and wellbeing risks for employers to manage.

Published: 6 March 2026
Authors: Gillian Todd

What is polygamous working?

Polygamous working (also known as over-employment) is the term used to describe individuals who hold several jobs at the same time without disclosing them to their employers. It is distinguishable from secondary freelance work or having two or more part time roles, as it involves individuals holding down more than one full time job at the same time, and not informing their employers about this.

While it is difficult to assess how many workers secretly hold multiple jobs,  one US survey from 2021 reported that 37% of remote workers surveyed held a second full-time job. Telltale signs include frequent rescheduling of meetings and deadlines and unusual working hours.

In the UK, this trend has become more high profile, given the UK government’s efforts to uncover these practices. Since 2016, the UK government’s anti-fraud initiative has recovered £1.35 million in salaries of those discovered to be working two jobs at the same time within the public sector. The National Fraud Initiative (NFI) cross references payroll and pension information to uncover whether individuals are working multiple jobs without consent.

What is causing the rise in polygamous working?

Given the cost of living and ongoing economic uncertainty, more workers are taking on multiple jobs to cover rising bills and other outgoings. Remote and hybrid working becoming commonplace has also influenced the rise in individuals working multiple jobs as there is less supervisory oversight day-to-day.

The BBC reported that one individual who worked for a public sector organisation started working a second job in the private sector because of boredom; his public sector job could be automated considerably and meant he had a significant amount of time every day to get through his second workload. Another individual worked four different jobs across multiple local authorities without notifying his employers, claiming he wanted to support councils who were short staffed. He was convicted of fraud and sentenced to three years in prison, and the councils are aiming to recover some of his income.

Where is polygamous working most prevalent?

Many of the individuals who have been exposed as working multiple jobs at the same time are in the public sector in the UK, given the targeted approach taken by the NFI and the ability of some public sector employees to automate their duties.

The practice is also a concern for employers in the technology sector, given the prevalence of remote working and reliance on workers with automation skills. A software engineer from Mumbai was found to be working multiple jobs to clear his debts and became somewhat of a symbol for ‘grind culture gone wrong’, influencing tech companies into cracking down on over-employment practices.

Smaller tech companies and start-ups are particularly susceptible to this practice given the common approach of hiring a significant number of workers within a small space of time on a minimal budget, which can often result in a largely remote workforce with limited day-to-day supervision.

Is it illegal?

While maintaining two jobs at the same time is not inherently illegal, it can be a breach of an employee’s contract of employment if it contains an ‘exclusivity’ or ‘outside interests’ clause which may limit the employee’s ability to undertake work with another employer and they have done so without the employer’s consent. If there is a restriction in their employment contract, employees should seek written consent before they take up any other work.

As shown from the high profile cases within the public sector, this practice can also potentially amount to fraud depending on the circumstances.

What other issues can polygamous working give rise to?

For employers, hiring staff who are working multiple jobs can lead to reduced performance and productivity and impact on service delivery. Employers should also be mindful of their obligation to protect the health and wellbeing of employees and consider whether they are struggling with stress or other mental health issues, or even whether there is an increased risk of health and safety incidents.

Working more than one job risks undermining the protection afforded to workers under the Working Time Regulations 1998 (the Regulations). Under the Regulations, all workers are restricted to working no more than 48 hours per week, unless they agree to opt-out contractually. The working time limit requires all working time to be counted, which means that if employees have more than one job, employers will need to keep track of how many hours are worked in total.

Of course, these issues are reliant on employees telling their employer that they are also working elsewhere, and underscores the need to encourage trust and open communication.

How can employers navigate this issue and mitigate any risks?

Pursuing legal action against employees in question is time consuming, costly and may not necessarily result in financial reimbursement depending on the facts of each case. Employers looking to deter employees from working multiple jobs or manage the risks involved should consider including exclusivity provisions in their contracts of employment and ensure that there is adequate supervision in place, particularly for remote workers. In addition, employers should include a clear obligation on an employee to disclose any other work that they do to the employer. Breach of either of these contractual terms should be viewed as misconduct.

When considering whether an exclusivity clause is appropriate to include into a contract of employment, employers should:

• think about the reason the restriction is required
• consider whether all outside interests should be restricted or just competing interests
• analyse whether there is a risk of harm to their business if the employee works elsewhere

These questions will help employers identify if there is a legitimate business interest to impose such a restriction. Remember that any attempt to impose a blanket restriction on a zero‑hours employee will be unenforceable, as they should remain free to undertake other work.

To manage the risks of overworking in breach of the Working Time Regulations, employers could require employees to disclose any other work they carry out and request that employees with more than one job sign an opt-out agreement. To address wellbeing concerns, employers could explore practical solutions, including offering an employee assistance programme, considering flexible working arrangements or even providing financial management assistance.