Can an Employee Hold Two Jobs at the Same Company and Get Paid for Both?

Hi all, I would like to know if an employee can have two jobs in the same company and receive salaries for both positions.

What a fanciful question! Can you ride on two horses simultaneously? You should remember one important fact of employment—i.e., as an employee, irrespective of your employment status, responsibilities, and abilities, what you are doing is simply selling your time to your employer at his disposal for the consideration of appropriate compensation. Duality or multiplicity of role-play of an individual in an organization by virtue of his status of employment does not, in my humble opinion, entitle him to stake a claim for distinct multiple compensations in the form of salaries accordingly.

I would like to thank you first for the time you spent answering the question I posted. However, the employment is aware of the dual role the employee plays in the organization and has done nothing so far. I am a new joiner in the company, and I know I can't raise an issue. The said employee is a senior in the organization. When I asked about a few others, they mentioned that this has been going on for almost five years. I have enough experience to know that this is not acceptable in any organization. When I saw this happening here, I wanted the opinion of others who have more knowledge than me in these matters. That's why I posted the question here. Thank you for your kind reply.

Thanks and Regards,
Senthil Kumar.A

Dual employment is not illegal according to our statutory law. Is that person a direct employee of your organization, or is he working on contract/as a consultant? You mentioned that the management knows he is also employed in another company. I know of a company where a senior management person is associated with five companies.

New Joiner Concerns

You have mentioned, "I am a new joiner in the company, and I know I can't raise an issue." Is this tagged with any particular reason?

Regards.

The said employee is not working for any other companies. She is working in the same company, and yes, she is a direct employee of the company, and the management knows about the dual role and the dual salary.

Reason for Not Raising an Issue

The particular reason I said that I can't raise an issue is that one of the jobs she is doing is as an HR Administrator. Now, who will the company protect, the new joiner, or the said employee?

Thanks and Regards,
Senthil Kumar.A

Of course, you can and you must. Position/Being new does not matter in business; what matters is experience and knowledge.

I am surprised how the General Audit has been passed in your company for the same employee by paying her dual salary for a dual position for so many years in the same company. It will surely have accounting effects, and hence, I wrote "NO" earlier. You need to have a Board Resolution passed for such cases, and it has its own complexity.

We had a similar issue with one of the companies I worked for in the past, where a certain employee was contributing to his sister firm in one position and a different position in the Parent firm, receiving a separate salary. Later, I changed one of his positions to "Consultant" in the Parent firm. In your case, it's the same company. I suggest you immediately check with your MD/Finance Manager/Chartered Accountant, and they will put this wrong practice in your company for 5 years to rest.

If the said employee is contributing to two separate distinctive responsibilities, she must be given "one relevant designation" and her salary may be compensated accordingly for her dual responsibility and not "Dual Position/Designation with Separate Salary/payroll."

Regards,
Ukmitra

Many members are trying to help you with your query. I just want to ask you one thing. If you are not able to raise the issue yourself and follow the advice of the members, then why did you raise this query here? Even though it's known that having dual designation with dual salary is not possible and you can't take any action, what is the point of wasting other people's time?

Secondly, as you are new in the company, it's possible that you are unaware of any legal actions taken by the company in such cases. Thirdly, if the company is willing to pay dual salary, it's the company's matter to handle. You should focus on your work as a new employee rather than paying attention to such matters that may not concern you.

Regards, Megha

It's nothing new, unethical, impossible, or unheard of to allocate two portfolios to the same person. However, there is no compulsion or practicality in paying two salaries to the same individual. Definitely, there cannot be two full salaries for the same person. Instead, an additional sum is paid to compensate for or remunerate the additional responsibilities shouldered. Such an arrangement is common, and there is nothing wrong or prohibited about it. Personally, I have shouldered such responsibilities attached to top posts in a CPSU and have been paid additional remuneration for it. I have held on to not just one or two, but three portfolios simultaneously. For example, a Production Engineer may be asked to also oversee maintenance, or a Finance Manager may be tasked with administration or HR responsibilities.

In many organizations, these types of arrangements are made as stop-gap measures, especially when vacancies arise due to retirement, resignation, removal, or when the incumbent is on leave or transferred. In the government sector, it's referred to as Officiating or Additional, while in PSUs, it's termed as Acting. You are free to designate it as you see fit. However, there may be statutory posts that require individuals appointed exclusively, in which case such arrangements cannot be made. In some private firms, particularly those managed by family members, this practice may be common. There could be instances where a senior employee has a lighter workload and can be asked to take on additional responsibilities or share the workload when pressure is felt.

It is essential to exercise caution, as at times, such arrangements may lead to confusion if roles are not clearly defined. The effectiveness of this practice depends on the circumstances.

I hope this helps clarify the situation.

Best regards,
Regards

Of course, yes, if an employee is capable of handling two jobs, then definitely a person can hold both jobs. However, the employee should be asked about their area of interest. It should not be that one job is loved and the other is hated.