Multiple jobs in Brazil
To work in more than one place is an increasingly common practice in Brazil, for several different reasons. In this article you will know why this practice is so common and what are the advantages and disadvantages of the double workshift.
It's not unusual to know people who not only work but also do other activities, like going to the university, learning a foreign language or playing sports, for example. To combine activities besides work can usually be difficult because people can't precisely determine important things such as time and traffic, but even so, they have to manage them somehow to avoid being late for the appointments.
Things get even more complicated when there are two jobs to combine, because there are double responsibilities and obligations. However, according to IBGE (Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística, or Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) approximately 4 million people have two jobs in Brazil, and there are a lot of reasons for this double workday.
Why people work doubled?
One of the usual motivations is that most people who work two shifts usually need to increase their income, but there are also others who just want to earn more, being able to afford a lifestyle that wouldn't be possible to pay for if they had only one job. Some others have their work doubled to improve their skills at some profession in order to obtain a better position in the labor market.
Besides these reasons, there are people who work at two jobs because of the job offer. IBGE has registered in 2012 one of the lowest unemployment rates in Brazil in a decade. And since people who have double workday not only have doubled responsibilities, but also doubled benefits, the number of citizens with two jobs increases considerably.
Things that must be considered
There are some important issues that must be taken into consideration when thinking about a second job. For instance, the working hours of both jobs must combine, so that there isn't a conflict between them. Also, the person has to ponder if the financial return compensates physical and mental tiredness.
More than that, the double workday can call into question employees' commitment with their job, because not all of them work with an employment contract. Brazilian laws allow citizens to have a second job, but if this one interferes negatively in the other job, the person can be fired for justa causa, which is a misconduct that justifies an employee dismissal. In this case, employees lose some of the rights granted by law.
The income tax (Imposto de Renda) also increases for someone who works at two different places. For instance, every Brazilian who earned more than BRL 23,499.15 in 2011 has to declare the income tax return in 2012. This means that everyone who is obliged to declare their goods have to declare all of the sources where the money comes from.
Another matter at issue is vacation. The employee is advised to talk to both employers and explain the two-jobs situation in order to get both vacations at the same period.
Health is probably the most important thing that should be pondered. Workers can't stop doing exercises and eating healthy food at the right times (every three hours, for example). A double work routine can lead workers to exhaustion and sickness. That's why the second shift should be temporary and for a good reason.
Most common double workdays
Doctors and teachers usually have more than one workplace. There are physicians who work at three or four different jobs and stay awake for more than 24 hours and teachers who go to more than two schools in order to supplement the family income.
It's common to find women who stay at home taking care of their children and doing handicraft. There are also people who work at stores in the morning or in afternoon and at clubs at night, as dancers or musicians.
Lately, the entrepreneurial trade has been increasing as a second job. In fact, some enterprises encourage their employees that become entrepreneurs, because they tend to have more creative ideas and to be more disposed to combine their jobs and schedules.