Work two full time jobs - ethics code & citizenship application

[accd.211]

Hello I posted this in a different section but thought maybe this is a place more appropriate.

The situation is, I recently started a second full time job, during the onboarding process, I am asked to complete the ethics compliance training. Here is one of the questions I have to answer:
"Do you render services to another organization, whether as director, officer, employee or consultant, that have not been approved by your business unit or corporate?" If I say "yes", it pretty much guarantees that I lose the job since my manager won't be happy that I work two full time jobs. So I hesitate to answer yes.

My question is: if I say "no". If at some point the company finds out I am an employee of another company, even the two job don't have any conflict of interest, I can still be fired because I am not compliant to the ethics code.

Losing the jobs is a risk I am willing to take, however, I am concerned if not compliant to ethics code will impact my green card status or future neutralization? I have heard of this "moral turpitude" can be ground of citizenship denial. so my question is
- if I am fired for such situation, is there record than can be found during citizenship application process?
- if there is record, would that impact any of the immigration process? (green card renewal, citizenship application?)
(I have green card now)

Thanks

 

[Zigner]

Please do not start a second thread for the same topic. Please keep all related questions in your original thread. Thank you.

 

[accd.211]

Please do not start a second thread for the same topic. Please keep all related questions in your original thread. Thank you.

sure, I have deleted the other thread

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

sure, I have deleted the other thread

Don't do that either if anyone has replied.

 

[accd.211]

Don't do that either if anyone has replied.

oops, sorry I deleted the other one already. I thought this might be a better section for this topic

 

[zddoodah]

if I say "no". If at some point the company finds out I am an employee of another company, even the two job don't have any conflict of interest, I can still be fired because I am not compliant to the ethics code.

More likely, you'd be fired for having lied. Also, you should understand that the overwhelming majority of employment in the United States is "at will," which means that the employee can quit at any time for any reason, and the employer can fire the employee at any time and for any reason that isn't expressly illegal. You can be legally fired for wearing purple socks.

I'll leave your immigration law questions for others to address.

 

[LdiJ]

Hello I posted this in a different section but thought maybe this is a place more appropriate.

The situation is, I recently started a second full time job, during the onboarding process, I am asked to complete the ethics compliance training. Here is one of the questions I have to answer:
"Do you render services to another organization, whether as director, officer, employee or consultant, that have not been approved by your business unit or corporate?" If I say "yes", it pretty much guarantees that I lose the job since my manager won't be happy that I work two full time jobs. So I hesitate to answer yes.

My question is: if I say "no". If at some point the company finds out I am an employee of another company, even the two job don't have any conflict of interest, I can still be fired because I am not compliant to the ethics code.

Losing the jobs is a risk I am willing to take, however, I am concerned if not compliant to ethics code will impact my green card status or future neutralization? I have heard of this "moral turpitude" can be ground of citizenship denial. so my question is
- if I am fired for such situation, is there record than can be found during citizenship application process?
- if there is record, would that impact any of the immigration process? (green card renewal, citizenship application?)
(I have green card now)

Thanks

I do agree with the response that you received regarding the fact that the employer can fire you if the employer does not like the fact that you are also working another job.

However, there would not be any impact on your immigration status or green card if you are not breaking any laws or committing any fraud by doing so.

Generally having two jobs that are in unrelated industries would not cause anyone to break any laws. However they could cause someone to break laws if they are trying to do the two jobs simultaneously. In other words, if you work from home and are logged in as working for two employers for the same hours of the day, you could possibly be breaking a law.

 

[t74]

This says a lot about your CHARACTER. Depending on the industry and position,many people have friends and associates in other organizations with whom they regularly communicate. You will suffer if you become known as untrustworthy, a liar, and unwilling to abie by your contractual responsibilities as an employee.

You need to have all of your employment documents read by an attorney (including the employee handbook if it is part of your contractual obligations) to see what, if any, legal actions can be taken against you based on a breach of your employment contract. Firing for cause can prevent you from getting unemployment insurance payments if you become totally unemployed because you are fired by both companies which could certainly happen.

Some types of employers (think state government agencies such as universities) require employees file "conflict of interest" statements. There are federal cases now where individuals who are citizens, green card holders, and naturalized citizens are being prosecuted for failing to disclose work for entities other than that receiving federal funding. Some are likely to receive extended prison terms as well as large fines.

Pick one company/organization and give it your full attention and loyalty. It will serve you better in the long run.

 

[cbg]

In other words, if you work from home and are logged in as working for two employers for the same hours of the day, you could possibly be breaking a law.

What law would that be?

 

[LdiJ]

What law would that be?

I did say "could". It could be considered a kind of fraud, potentially.

 

[cbg]

Let me reassure you. While under some circumstances it could be a firing offense, in 40 years of HR and benefits I have never heard of a law that would be violated in this situation.

Both here and in previous posts you seem very concerned that someone might be applying the same hours to two different employers. Let me reassure you again; while obviously I can't say that it has never happened, I have never heard of an employee who was accused of such a thing, and I talk to a great many HR managers on a regular basis and yes, we do share such stories. I think your concern that someone might put the same hours on two different employer's time cards is vastly exaggerated with respects to reality.

 

[accd.211]

Thanks for all your input!

I discover the policy of conflict of interest from the company website, it does talk about "decisions and actions are influenced by factors such as other employment should be disclosed and evaluated". It continues to say "Violation of this policy can result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment"

Does this mean being fired is the worst outcome? At what point will it become a conviction? (ultimately my fear is the impact to my legal status in US)

 

[cbg]

I'm reading that as meaning that they're not necessarily prohibiting you from having a second job; it's just that they want you to tell them about it first so that they can determine whether there is a conflict of interest. If you're working for Coca Cola they wouldn't want you to have a second job with Pepsi, but they might not mind your having one with Barnes and Nobel. If you violate the policy (i.e. don't give them input into any conflict of interest and/or take the second job anyway even if they say no) that's a termination offense and you can be fired. It is NOT a criminal offense, no matter what LdiJ is trying to tell you, and there is no possible chance of a conviction, if by that you mean a criminal conviction. As long as you keep within whatever limits you have on your visa, there's no reason it should affect your legal status in the US.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

Does this mean being fired is the worst outcome? At what point will it become a conviction? (ultimately my fear is the impact to my legal status in US)

Unless you break the law in violating the company policy the worst thing the employer can do to you is fire you. And even if you do break the law all they can do is report the crime and provide evidence that might lead to a conviction.

 

[t74]

Unless you break the law in violating the company policy the worst thing the employer can do to you is fire you. And even if you do break the law all they can do is report the crime and provide evidence that might lead to a conviction.

Isn't a possible conviction for violating a law a good reason not to lie to an employer. OP knows the policy and has admitted on a public forum that he is willing to lie. How cn anything else he does be trusted.

I am troubled that so many people here are apparently excusing OP's violation of his potential employer's ethics policy because there are likely no violations of law. OP should look for an employer who does not care if OP has multiple jobs if indeed his first employer also does not care.