Woman Told to Quit Side Hustle by Her Boss Shares Dilemma Online; Here's What Netizens Said

Expenses don't seem to be going down anytime soon and an extra income has become essential for people to sustain a certain standard of living. But at the same time professionals in different parts of the world have faced opposition from firms threatening to fire them citing moonlighting as unethical. Amidst this debate, an employee shared her dilemma about having to quit her side hustle outside of working hours because of her boss' demand and ignited a conversation about employers influencing people beyond the office. The incident brought to light by a TikTok user seeking advice from employment and financial expert Ben Askins, sheds light on the challenges faced by individuals balancing multiple sources of income in today's economy.

According to a survey by Self, 45% of working Americans engage in side hustles, often to supplement their income. However, some employers express concerns about the implications of these additional pursuits. The employee in question, fearing job loss, is seeking guidance on whether to fight back or relinquish her side hustle. Askins, expressing support for side hustles, criticized the employer's stance as "old school" and "idiotic." He emphasized the financial strain many employees face despite holding full-time jobs and degrees, highlighting the necessity of additional income streams for many individuals.

Despite initial perceptions that side hustles might be temporary, nearly 44% of employees intend to continue them indefinitely, citing ongoing financial needs. One common concern among employers is the potential impact on productivity when employees are stretched too thin, even though most individuals ensure their side hustles do not interfere with their primary job responsibilities.

Employment laws permit the termination of employees with side hustles that directly compete with their full-time jobs or significantly affect their performance. But the legality surrounding side hustles can be ambiguous, with state laws varying on whether employees are required to disclose such activities to their primary employer. Askins argues that side hustles should only be prohibited if they directly conflict with an individual's job or cause a noticeable decline in performance. Many netizens criticized employers for condemning side hustles without addressing underlying issues such as low wages and overwork.

"If companies have a problem with side hustles, they should pay better so that people don't need them to survive," suggested one commenter. Others echoed this sentiment, suggesting that employers' objections to side hustles stem from a desire to maintain control over overworked employees. On TikTok, users shared their reactions to an employer's stance on side hustles. An employer, @Peter Home stated that any side hustle is acceptable as long as it doesn't conflict with the employee's primary job. At the same time, he argued that a graphic designer having a graphic design side hustle would be problematic due to the conflict of interest.

@Gracie's Dog Walking Service chimed in, suggesting that if someone is graphic designing as a side hustle while employed, it raises questions about whether they are being adequately compensated for their work. @Harfish shared their experience, noting that their contract explicitly allows for a side hustle as long as it doesn't compete with their employer's business, which they consider fair. @Chris Donnelly agreed with the sentiment, questioning why employers would have an issue with employees earning extra income. @Shelt outlined two key points: Side hustles shouldn't compete with an individual's primary occupation, and they shouldn't interfere with their duties at their main job. @Defective expressed frustration with employers attempting to control what workers do outside of work hours, especially when it doesn't impact the company negatively.

For more such insights, you can follow @ben.askins on TikTok.