Two full time jobs--kosher?

SECURITY CLEARANCE Q&A
1

Hello–

I do not have a clearance. (Used to have TS/SCI with FSP years ago). I have one private sector job that requires very little of my time, and I just had an offer for another position. I am confident I can do both jobs with excellent results. I also checked my employment contract and it says nothing to prevent this (they are different fields so no conflict of interest.)

My question is: will this create problems for me in the future if I want to get a security clearance?

2

Just a side note that I talked to an employment lawyer who saw no problem with this (but she doesn’t specialize in clearances.)

3

There’s nothing wrong with simply having overlapping activities. The problems arise when someone is committing time fraud (charging 40 hours to Company A when they only actually worked for 10, purposely not telling Company B about Company A, etc).

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4

Thanks for this. In terms of time fraud, I can keep track of my hours manually (or using a computer program) for any future inquiry/audit. In terms of telling each company–technically my contract doesn’t state that I need to do that and my lawyer said I don’t have to since lots of people work 80 hour weeks.

5

As others have said, it should be fine. I knew a girl who worked her FT job 5 days a week but only went in the office 1 day a week and TWs the remaining 4. She found a 3-11 job and almost doubled her money while not killing herself with 2 jobs.

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6

It depends on the employers. Most employers basically allow side work as long as it doesn’t violate their non competition regs AND you notify them and obtain approval. The grey area is when the side work is also full time. That’s a pretty big snag but if you can make the side gig hourly (and maybe promise that current employer always gets priority), you may be able to get the green light.

Can you see this huge BUT!!! coming? BUT, the federal noncompete laws may be about to change so even that might not be much of a factor anymore.

Bottom line, if you can make it a side gig and it doesn’t violate your current non compete regs, you may be able to obtain approval from your current employer. Just be up front with them.