Side Work: Is It Worth It?

Should you REALLY be doing side work? A tough but worthy question to ask. In the latest episode of Electrician U, Dustin talks about what side work is and what the potential problems can be if you get caught working without the appropriate licensing.

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Let’s define Side Work first. Side work is work that you perform away from your normal job and get paid for it. So, say, your folks need some lights installed at their house, or someone you know has a building that they would like some receptacles installed in. second, you must consider your location in the country. Some states have rules governing contracting. Many states require a license for the particular trade in question and those states may also require some type of insurance to go along with that license. If you are performing work out there without these items, you can face serious consequences if you are caught. So, make sure and check with the state you are presiding in about the local rules. Another thing to consider is the company you are CURRENTLY working for. Are they OK with you doing work away from work? Or will they view that as taking customers away from them. Most employers are good with you performing small amounts of side work as long as it doesn’t impact your performance at the job or interfere with their customer base. But check first!
The problem really lies in the liability. If you honestly are not a qualified electrician (or any tradesperson!) you should not be performing side work. Our trade has A LOT to learn, and we should NOT be out there working on our own until we have enough experience to install things properly. If installed incorrectly, electricity can cause massive amounts of damage to houses, businesses, equipment and so on. It can also cause serious injury or even death. So, if the state you live in requires licensing, go out and get the required license and insurance. Even if the state you are working in does NOT require licensing, insurance is always good to have because we can’t possibly see each and every outcome for every situation up front.
Well, why would we do side work anyways if it’s such a liability and a huge no no (for the most part)? Finances could be one reason. We all know what its like to be just starting out as an adult and having more bills to pay than money coming in. Maybe, we want to learn additional skills. For some of us, we love the trade, and we love to work (yes, I am one of those!! Workaholics I think we are called!!). Some of us want to get into contracting and this may seem like the logical first step. I think it’s safe to say that most of us tradespeople do work on the side or have at least done some in our career. Whatever the motivating factor in your desire to look into side work, you really must weigh the potential consequences and see if it is worth the potential risk. Again, it depends on the municipality, but there can be stiff fines/penalties, removal of any licensing you currently have, and even the denial of any further licensing you want to obtain! So non conformance to the rules can have a lasting negative effect on your ability to work as an electrician.
We hope this sheds some light on the topic of whether we should do side work or not. Is there a topic you want to hear about? Leave a comment in the comment section and maybe we will do an episode on your question/topic. Please continue to follow Dustin and Electrician U as we are constantly adding new content to assist our followers in their careers as electricians!