Watch That Moonlighting, Even While Furloughed

Employees on shortened workweeks and furloughs everywhere got a rude reminder last month when California Department of Public Health workers were told, er, “Go work at Target.”

Let’s rewind a bit:

All nonessential California state employees are working a four-day workweek to save money in the state budget. This includes DPH workers, many of whom have tried to pick up second jobs to make up for the difference.

Then the DPH sent a memo to furloughed workers reminding them of their second-job policy. It said that second jobs couldn’t conflict with their first job, not involve the use of confidential state information, and couldn’t be at any establishment that might be inspected by the DPH. All reasonable requests.

Then the memo suggested that workers “fill their furlough Fridays with work at a retail store, like Target.”

Badly, badly worded. Just awful.

The point is not to make fun of California’s DPH (though this memo makes us want to) but to remind all y’all that if you’re thinking of moonlighting or picking up some freelance work on the side while business at your company is slow, please check your company policy and be smart about it. Journalists probably* shouldn’t take on consulting work with companies they cover and public relations pros should stay well away from working with any company that competes with existing clients. It’s all common sense really, but when you’re stressed about finances, sometimes common sense goes out the window.

And Target’s always hiring.

*definitely

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