TD does not authorize employment. The fact that an engagement is occasional or paid into a Canadian account does not supply US work permission.
List every proposed activity
Describe the spouse’s physical work location, client and duties for separate assessment. An eligible spouse and unmarried children under 21 may qualify for TD, but dependent eligibility and employment authorization are different questions. Keep any proposed contract conditional on an appropriate independent authorization.
Nothing prevents two people in the same household from each holding TN status, provided each independently meets the requirements: Canadian or Mexican citizenship, a qualifying listed profession, the credential that profession accepts, and prearranged professional employment for temporary entry. The remote-work question comes up constantly and the conservative reading is the one to plan around: the location of the person doing the work matters, so continuing a Canadian job from a kitchen table in the United States is not a safe workaround. Where a dependant holds a different citizenship, such as Canadian citizenship by birth or naturalisation, their entry route may differ entirely, so confirm each person's documents, relationship proof, and any visa requirement before a joint travel date is booked. A spouse counting on working should raise that with counsel early, because TD permits study but does not permit employment, and remote or unpaid activities require individual review for an outside employer.