You must first look at what your employment contract says. Many employers include a ‘whole time working’ clause which will set out what you need to do before you commit yourself to additional work. You may find that you will need to have written authorisation from your employer before you undertake any additional work, either paid or unpaid. This means that any voluntary work would be included, and the clause is not restricted to Educational Psychology work.
Conflict of Interest
Employers have a duty of care to you, and certain things will be considered before your request will be approved. Firstly, there should not be a conflict of interest. For example, some employers, such as local authorities, will decline a request if the planned work would be with children within their boundaries. This may cause difficulties if, for example you have undertaken a private assessment of a child or young person whose case subsequently goes to tribunal. Secondary employment in a related field could also mean that you may be conflicted. As an autonomous professional, it is usually for you to decide whether there is a conflict of interest, but you may need to be prepared to discuss this with your manager.
Working Time Directive
If you are a full-time employee, your employer may consider taking on additional work is likely to be detrimental to the service you are able to give them. The Working Time Directive (WTD) states that your average working hours should not be more than 48 per week (averaged over 17 weeks). This was agreed many years ago in response to the increased burden on working hours. So, if you work 37 ½ hours for your employer, you should not agree to a contract of more than 10 ½ hours for another employer, as this could be detrimental to your well-being and work-life balance.
Employer Policy
Some employers, particularly Local Authorities who have developed a traded service are developing policies on additional work. You may find your employer has one, or is in the process of developing one. Generally, developing a policy around this is likely to be helpful, as it will ensure that all requests will be dealt with objectively, and there will be more consistency in approach. Before any policy is implemented, there should be a period of meaningful consultation.
If you are seeking or have been offered additional employment, and would like some advice tailored to your specific circumstances, please contact enquiries@aep.org.uk.
