Olivia, a 37-year-old woman living in California's Bay Area, was struggling financially despite earning over $100,000 annually in her communications role. Her student loans, medical debts, and car payments consumed a significant portion of her income, leaving little for savings.
Following advice from a former coworker, Olivia decided to take on a remote side gig to supplement her income without disclosing it to her employer. This decision proved to be fruitful. Last year, Olivia earned nearly $250,000 by secretly working both her full-time job and a part-time, remote contract role. Despite working between 60 and 70 hours per week, Olivia found the extra income to be well worth the effort.
The additional income allowed Olivia to pay off her remaining student debt, afford elective surgery, improve her credit score, purchase a second car, book a vacation, join a gym, and eat healthier. Moreover, the reduction in financial stress contributed to a healthier romantic relationship for the first time in over a decade.
However, Olivia's income still falls short in one area: the housing market. Her combined income is insufficient to qualify for many mortgages in her area, where average home prices exceed $1 million. In San Francisco and San Jose, homebuyers need an income of over $400,000 to qualify for a standard mortgage on a median-priced home. Additionally, the high costs of rent, car insurance, groceries, and utilities in California have made it difficult for Olivia to save for a down payment.
Olivia believes that employers should pay employees, even educated professionals, enough to live comfortably. She is among the "overemployed" Americans who have secretly worked multiple jobs to boost their incomes and job security. These individuals have earned as much as $1 million annually and used the extra money to pay off student debt, afford luxurious vacations, and save for a home. While most over-employed people interviewed by Business Insider have been men, some women have also been working multiple gigs on the sly.
While some companies may tolerate their employees taking on a second gig, doing so without employer approval can have consequences. Competition for remote roles, return-to-office mandates, and burnout have led some job jugglers to question the sustainability of their over employment.
Olivia shared how she managed to juggle both jobs, why over employment has improved her romantic life, and whether she thinks her job juggling is sustainable.
Overemployment has helped Olivia pursue a relationship for the "right reasons." Juggling a full-time hybrid job with a part-time remote gig, while keeping it a secret from her employers, can be stressful. Of the 60 to 70 hours she worked weekly, 20 to 40 were dedicated to her contract gig. She focused on this gig early in the morning, in the evening, on weekends, or during working hours on days when her full-time employer allowed her to work from home. Her contract role offered flexible hours and few meetings, making it easier to balance with her full-time job. Additionally, the jobs were in different industries, reducing the risk of discovery.
While overemployment has increased Olivia's work-related stress, it has reduced her financial stress, which has positively impacted her romantic relationship. She feels confident in her relationship for the right reasons, not financial security, and is no longer burdened by financial constraints and stress.
Olivia believes that her overemployment journey is likely to be short-lived. The long working hours can take a toll, and remote job opportunities can be difficult to find. She doesn't believe she can maintain this lifestyle for more than a couple of years. To improve her work-life balance, Olivia recently switched her hybrid job for a fully remote role with better pay.
While Olivia sometimes wishes she made more money and worked fewer hours, she is grateful for the progress she has made. For example, she was recently able to pay over $3,000 for vehicle maintenance expenses without taking on credit card debt. She is gradually moving out of a poverty and survival mindset and is able to enjoy some of the perks of a higher-income life.
However, Olivia remains pessimistic about homeownership in her area. She believes that she would need to maintain her current level of employment for the foreseeable future and still risk being house-poor. She concludes that it's not worth it.