Dual Employment Or Moonlighting In India

'Moonlighting' or dual employment, refers to the practice of taking up a second job, often covertly, outside normal business hours, while continuing to be formally employed with another employer. In India, moonlighting is often perceived as a way of acquiring an additional source of income and improving one's skillset, especially amongst certain categories of skilled employment. With the introduction of 'Work-From-Home' ("WFH") policies during the pandemic, this concept appears to have gained traction recently and different companies have sought to address it - albeit in different ways, however, the concept of dual employment has been rampant in the unskilled sector in India, due to a lack of job security and low levels of income. The intent behind moonlighting therefore, clearly differs across sectors in the labour market.