'I am not employed elsewhere!': HR accuses remote worker of "overemployment" due to "abormal" keyboard and mouse activity

No employee enjoys the feeling of being watched like a hawk. When you sign a contract to work at a given company, a certain sense of trust is thereby established. On the one hand, the employee is expected to fulfill the tasks and responsibilities of their position as outlined by the terms of the agreement. On the other hand, the employer is expected to follow their end of the bargain. That should mean that it is the responsibility of the employer to provide support wherever needed and to operate a workplace environment that allows workers to thrive.

We know all too well at this point that most contracts are not honored due to the fault of the employer and not the other way around. That's because our conception of workplace environments puts far more pressure on the employee to go above and beyond in order to earn the slightest bit of additional support from management. Instead of expending resources and energy into ensuring that employees feel supported, the vast majority of human resources departments expend their resources and energy instead in enforcing unpopular policies and a hierarchical structure.

In this instance, an employee was brought into HR and was falsely accused of having more than one full-time job. The reasoning? HR was reportedly stalking their every move and using software to track their keyboard and mouse activity on their work computer. It's not like the employee wasn't fulfilling any of their tasks and responsibilities. It's not like he wasn't honoring his portion of their contractual agreement. Instead, a software's unsubstantiated conclusion led this HR representative to assume the worst from the employee. Keep scrolling below for the employee's response and for the subsequent fallout 

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  • "HR accused me of working two jobs at the same time, but I only have one job."

    A blonde man places both hands on his head and pulls his hair in frustration.
    via Ryan Snaadt

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

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  • Maddened from the encounter, the employee refused to sign a new contract from HR, one that states that they haven't been and will not be working two jobs simultaneously. Of course, this act of defiance raised eyebrows from HR and only further encouraged their suspicions. Some members of the online community supported the employee's convictions, while others suggested that they sign the contract anyway to get them to back off.

  • Last Monday, HR called me into a meeting and told me they had reason to believe I was working another job. They gave me a form to sign, an attestation that I am not employed elsewhere. I told them no, because I really don't have another job. I asked them why they thought that, and they told me they noticed an "abnormal pattern in my keyboard and mouse usage."
    via Ok-Plane5466
  • I work from the office in a shared office space, not remote, and I've been with this company for four years. I have never heard of anything like this before. I get all my work done, I don't miss meetings, and there has never been any issue with my performance. I didn't even know "overemployment" was a thing until I looked it up after the meeting, but now I feel like they've already decided I'm doing something wrong or they simply don't like me.
    via Ok-Plane5466
  • Today, we had our performance review meetings, and they gave me a raise. But before they proceed with the raise, they told me I first have to sign the form I told you about. I have never been asked to sign anything like this before for a salary increase. I feel like they are trying to get me to admit to something I didn't do.
    via Ok-Plane5466
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  • I sent an email to a legal firm to ask them if this is something I should be concerned about, but I thought I'd see if anyone here has been through this situation before. What should I do?
    via Ok-Plane5466
  • An open laptop open to a Zoom meeting sits next to a green coffee mug.
    via Chris Montgomery

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Therealchimmike ⚫ "we're micromanaging you and monitoring your keyboard usage" is literally what they told you, but distracted you with the baseless concern.
    via Ok-Plane5466
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  • tidymaze Do you have a contract with this employer that says you can only work for them? If not, they can go pound sand. Many people work multiple jobs. I could possibly understand if you were working in a sensitive environment and/or had a second job with a competitor, but it's still well within your rights to work for anyone and everyone you want.
    via Ok-Plane5466
  • IntelligentLake Start looking for other jobs. They are clearly paying attention to you, which can only mean they are looking for ways to fire you. I bet the form has some weasel- language about how they can fire you if you do something that you did, or in combination with some other language on your job- description or contract.
    via Ok-Plane5466
  • Winter-Hornet1684 · If they are concerned about you working a 2nd job from your office computer IT can check the computer to see where you have been on that computer. Sounds like they are trying to set you up for something.
    via Ok-Plane5466
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  • tearisha . If you are only working one job you should be fine. Are you using a mouse jigglier or anything?
    via Ok-Plane5466
  • Mountain_Sky_7867. Have them show you the proof you are working two jobs. If you're not working two jobs, then you have nothing to worry about and can mostly explain what they come up with.
    via Ok-Plane5466
  • Dfiggsmeister ⚫ Are you a contract worker? Is your employment at will? Then they have no standing beyond "we suspect." Unless they have hard evidence to prove you have a conflict of interest (legal definition version, not their made up version), then they can fire you but cannot exempt you from unemployment without a legal justifiable cause.
    via Ok-Plane5466
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  • The legal definition of conflict of interest involves taking bribes for favorable outcomes with contracts, hiring someone internally/externally and you get a kick back for it, receiving gifts. from vendors after a contract is executed, or taking their information and selling either to a person for stock purchases or
    via Ok-Plane5466
  • selling the information to a competitor. Working a secondary job (regardless of it being work time or outside of work) is not illegal nor does it have legal standing considering many people work multiple jobs and side hustles both in and out of working hours. There are two exceptions to this rule: you are an hourly wage worker or you are government contractor/employee.
    via Ok-Plane5466
  • Those are the only two exceptions to the rule and you're notified of it when you apply and get the job.
    via Ok-Plane5466
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workplace-stories employee work stories toxic-workplace job work toxic-boss overworked-employees Horrible Bosses company toxic-work-environment
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