Moonlighting in the IT/ITES Sector

Information Technology (hereinafter referred to as IT) can be understood as the equipment, software, services and processes used to create, store, process, communicate and manage information. The IT industry is thriving with new technological advancements that materialize on the horizon every day. Our daily lives have also been adapting with this constant evolution and not a single aspect of our life has remained untouched and unaffected by technology and its usage. Of late moonlighting has been hovering as a major concern for the Management of the Companies in the IT or Information Technology Enabled Services (hereinafter referred to as ITES) Sector. Initially the trend could be seen in the West but now even India is not an exception to the moonlighting wave. The term Moonlighting refers to engaging in other jobs in addition to the regular job that an individual does. It is the phrase used to describe the practice of working for other organizations without the knowledge of the employer. Moonlighting has been a trend in the United States since the year 1996 but has become one of the debatable topics in India since work from home (hereinafter referred to as WFH) has become the new normal during the Covid-19 pandemic. The WFH culture has led to a rise in dual employment.