Side gig or moonlighting?

[Us2bCool]

Hey, all,

I've worked most of my life in the high-tech sector, but I've made some pretty big moves over the last year toward a side gig that can be parlayed into a new career that will give me a lot of flexibility, the ability to live in a more rural area, and slowly scale down toward ER rather than do it all at once (if you're interested in knowing what it is, PM me...hopefully it's not relevant for the question).

I have the opportunity to do this side gig for a couple of years, allowing me to keep my full time job for a couple of years and stash the extra cash. Since I've never done anything like this before, I'd like to hear from other Mustachians on how much they inform their current employer. More specifically:

- Am I obligated to tell my employer that I'm taking on a side gig, if it won't have any detrimental effect on my work and is in a completely different industry, and
- If I don't tell them, would they find out anyway?

I'd rather they not know, as technically my position is considered upper management, although it's become a bit of a cakewalk for me.  I'm not sure if this is dependent on state law.

[GrowingTheGreen]

1) I am not aware of any legal obligation you have to tell your employer that you've got a side gig.  This largely depends on each company's policy.  Check your employee handbook.  Most employers don't care unless your side gig could be considered a conflict of interest.  If it is even remotely a conflict of interest, I'd talk to your employer about it.  Some have forms that you fill out either way.  Do a little research in your employee handbook.

2) That all depends on how successful you are and whether or not you're using the office printer for your side gig :)

[big_slacker]

Some employers specifically say you can't moonlight. Most don't and you shouldn't tell them. You also shouldn't let your side gig interfere with your real job.

I had to turn down a very lucrative side gig because it was almost certain to overlap at times with my real job.

[By the River]

Some thoughts from the management side.  Our company doesn't have a outside employment policy but have investigated it recently.  Main concerns with outside employment 1) employee competing directly with us using knowledge of our pricing, our supplies, etc. would be prohibited; 2) excessive number of hours (say working as a bouncer at nightclub until 4:00 AM) and then working 8-5 would be problematic so we would want to know the scheduled hours and 3) ghosting hours at our company while actually working at another job would also be grounds for termination. 

As long as these 3 conditions are not violated, I would let the employee do the side gig. 

[FIPurpose]

Also do not use your company's equipment for your side-gig. If you are working on the computer, you may want to use your own. If you create any Intellectual Property during their time and on their equipment, they can have grounds to claiming that idea.

[J Boogie]

I do a lot of woodworking in my free time and I've built custom projects for a couple of my coworkers.

Another colleague mentioned to me that someone had been let go when they printed out blueprints of a deck they were building for someone.  Good thing I am clueless with drafting software I guess!

I think woodworking is probably seen as a healthy and non threatening hobby by most managers though.  It's pretty common and in my opinion shows that person enjoys completing projects which is good.