Information technology giant Infosys has warned its employees against moonlighting, the practice of having a second job after working hours. In an internal message, the company told its employees that such activities would result in contract termination, The Mint reported. In internal communication, Infosys said duplication is not permitted per the employee handbook and code of conduct.
The tech company also pointed to the part of the offer letter that stated that employees are not allowed to take positions at other companies without Infosys’ permission, the Mint report added.
What is moonlight?
Moonlighting refers to the practice of taking side jobs after normal working hours. This secondary employment is taken without the knowledge of the employers. These are generally side jobs performed at night or on weekends.
IT companies fear that “black work” will affect productivity, lead to conflicts of interest and possibly a data breach.
READ ALSO : Swiggy’s ‘Moonlighting Policy’ allows employees to take on external projects
Is undeclared work illegal in India?
In India, a person can hold one more job without breaking the law. But someone with a similar set of jobs might raise concerns about breaching confidentiality. A majority of companies include single employment clauses in employee contracts. In such a situation, moonshine can be considered cheating.
In India, duplication is prohibited under the Factories Act. But in some states, IT companies are exempt from this rule. Employees should carefully check their employment contract before accepting multiple jobs.
Is undeclared work ethical?
The IT industry is sharply divided over the ethics surrounding moonlighting. Wipro President Rishad Premji called the practice “cheating”. “There’s a lot of talk about people moonlighting in the tech industry. This is cheating – plain and simple,” he tweeted on August 20.
Tech Mahindra CEO CP Gurnami recently tweeted that it is necessary to keep evolving with the times. “I welcome the disruptions in our ways of working.”
On the other hand, former Infosys director Mohandas Pai said that low entry salaries in tech industries lead to moonlighting. “If you don’t pay people well they say I want to make more money and here is the easy way to make good money because the technology is available… I get paid very well in dollars, I can make more. .. and so it’s attractive,” he told PTI.
