Moonlighting: Should You Tell Your Boss?

July 2, 2009 — -- When fitness buff Amanda Furgiuele began teaching pole-dancing classes after work two years ago, she didn't broadcast it to colleagues at her day job as a television producer.

"Although I know that pole dancing is a legitimate fitness pursuit, most people still refer to it as 'stripping class,'" said the Maui, Hawaii resident, who has never worked as a exotic dancer and does not allow nudity in her classes. "I was kind of worried about the social stigma. I didn't want to appear unprofessional."

Despite her discretion, it didn't take long before Furgiuele's co-workers found out.

"One of my student's cousins was my office manager," she said. From there, it was only a matter of minutes before her evening occupation was laid bare before the entire office.

"After a thorough round of teasing and a few moderately inappropriate comments, it's mostly smoothed out at my day job," Furgiuele said. "I'm glad everyone knew me as a person before they knew my 'other profession.' I'm not sure they would have been so understanding had they thought of me as a pole dancer first."

According to a January survey conducted by The Daily Beast, 23 percent of those polled have more than one paying job. Some said their second job was a hobby that had morphed into a money-making operation. Others said they needed the extra income.

So does the fact that we've become a nation of cash-strapped moonlighters mean that your employer will support your after-hours vocation? Or could fessing up that you've been serving cocktails, driving a limo or designing canine outerwear on the side jeopardize your reputation, or worse, your day job?

The short answer is, it depends.