If you were in this situation... Pls help

[ShapeTween]

Ok you have wonderful job. You love it and afraid of loosing it. Then some huge company asked you personally to develop a website for them. Taking into consideration that you'll be doing this alone in your house and you are a home based employee. Would you accept it as a freelance job and have all the glory of large pay checks without of course letting your employer know, or let your employer know about it and do it under his company?

What do you think?

[pheck]

unless you have a contract with your employer that you will disclose such things, you have no obligation to do so. my brother, now working for general mills, had to sign something like that when he started, so i know it does happen. but maybe in your case you didn't sign anything like that. just don't start falling asleep at your day job

[OddDog]

i would have to suggest informing oyur employer.

be honest. that has to be the way forward, and yes withholding this information is probably dishonest. You have given the impression that you work for a design company, at least be straight witht eh person that pays you your salary.

[RazoRmedia]

Check your contract, if its a decent contract it'll inform you that you have to disclose any third party work even if undertaken in your own time.

If you have not signed a contract or the contract does not stipulate this, what you do in your own time is your own business. If the other company is in the same field, this may cause complications as you are doing work for a possible competitor.

If you arte to tell your employers and they're not that impressed, tell them that any work undertaken can be reused and rebranded by them, make them think they're getting more for their money, ie. offer them something for nothing, they won't kick up a fuss much after that.

So my advice is this

if its in the contract - tell them about it

if its not but the other company is a competitor - tell them about it

if neither of these - its your business.


I personally have a full time job in the gaming industry yet I also create freelance pay to play games. These I sell to gaming companies but I always give my company first refusal (and also a knock down rate).

Hope this helps

[quistaquay]

My employer has an agreement where if anyone brings in any business they get a 20% cut ... mebbe you could get an agreement like that in place if one doesnt exist?

Other than that I'd be sorely tempted to work on my own..

[Owen Sutton]

If it's for a competitor, you're probably best leaving it well alone or at the very least informing your employer.

If not, however, get on with the freelance and reap the benefits, just don't let it affect your day job in any way.

[ShapeTween]

Thanks a lot guys and just an added information:
- I'm a home based employee of a web design and hosting company in LA
- I'm not living in the US
- The prospect client is not a competitor, its a television company in New York who wants to have a high end flash website
- The prospect client has already a domain and his own web space so it's only the website that he needs from me.
- I did signed an employee contract from the company in LA

[RazoRmedia]

Employee will not directly or indirectly engage in any business competitive with the Company.

doesn't matter if it is in California, if its not competitive with them, its okay.

You don't even need to tell them but perhaps you should mention it as common courtesy.

Regards

[erova]

the company uses the stiff language in the NDA/non-compete agreement in case you were to directly sell the secrets to anothe competitor. they don't write *usually* those things up to keep their employees from doing freelance work on their own....

[gingerbreadgirl]

I would consult a lawyer about the contract.

Are you ready to deal with all the other things that come with clients other than the design?

If you are worried about loosing your job, maybe you should offer this client to your company for a finders fee or percentage. That would make you a more valuable asset and you wouldnt have to deal with all of the admistrative BS that goes along with a new client.

[ShapeTween]

Thank you so much for your suggestions

Guess what, I was able to close a freelance deal today!

[RazoRmedia]

good news ShapeTween, well done!