A young person working two jobs in Portugal shared their daily routine on social media with the goal of retiring at 45. The testimony was shared via a TikTok video, published on the account @kelvynrodrigues, where they describe how they organise their nine consecutive working hours distributed across two different activities. The first job is in the construction and décor department at Leroy Merlin, where they work four hours, followed by a second shift of five hours at a shopping centre. The young person returns home around 8 PM and considers that the proximity between workplaces allows them to manage their time without living "rushing around".
This experience fits within a growing trend in Portugal. Between 2014 and 2024, the number of workers with two jobs increased by 84,000 people, representing a rise of 40%. In June 2024, there were approximately 287,000 workers in this situation, the highest value since 2011, the year the National Statistics Institute began compiling this information.
Having two jobs is legal in Portugal, as the Labour Code does not prohibit job accumulation. However, the worker must fulfil duties of loyalty and good faith towards the employer, not undertaking competing activities on their own behalf or for third parties. It is also necessary to check the employment contract to avoid exclusivity clauses or limitations on other professional activities.
The young person uses job accumulation as a strategy to achieve early retirement, at a time when dual employment represents a reality for hundreds of thousands of workers in Portugal.
