Is It Legal for Employees to Take Side Gigs Like Teaching After Work Hours?

Dear Seniors, I would like to know whether an employee can do something else for more earning after working hours or on weekends. For example, if some college wants industry professionals to guide their students, would it be legal for those industry professionals to work after their regular working hours or on weekends? The college may inform their students that Mr. X from ABC Ltd will be providing guidance. Does the company have the authority to terminate the employment of that individual?

Thank you.

Dear @Pon1965, if a professional wants to mentor certain students about the corporate environment and the industry, particularly students who belong to a semi-urban area with no exposure to urban corporates, and if the mentor charges a nominal fee and offers services only on weekends, does he/she need formal approval from their organization?

Thank you.

It will differ from company to company. Generally, no employer will allow their employees to work in any other organization for profit or non-profit purposes during official working hours. If you want to work in a non-profit organization, you should receive remuneration in the form of a salary 

Regards,
"If you dream it, you can do it"

Generally, an organization with sound management is not concerned about what an employee is doing after office hours and on weekends, as long as the organization's work is not affected. If the activity is not for earning extra income, management should be least bothered. Many employees do carry on with activities to earn additional income, with or without the knowledge of management, without facing any problems.

Clarification on Advisory Work After Hours

Your query does not indicate whether you are asking a question for yourself as an employee or on behalf of your organization in which you or other employees are employed and have to work for some advisory jobs, or on behalf of some educational institute that needs the help of industry experts to suitably advise your students. In all three situations, the reply would be quite different.

If you seek a solution to your own problem, unless your organization specifically prohibits your part-time job through employee conduct rules, you are free to do such advisory jobs in your spare time.

If you are asking on behalf of your organization, as an HR professional, if you or your organization has any objection to the engagement of your employees on a part-time basis before or after working hours, you would specifically need to add such provision in the terms and conditions of employment for your employees.

If you have asked the question on behalf of an educational institute or even some other organization, irrespective of whether that is a commercial or non-profit organization, and you need the services of industry experts for rendering proper advice to your students or employees under training, you need not bother about what the terms and conditions are between the employer and employee to ask for their services. Even you can send your request directly to the employee or through their employer for sparing their services for an advisory job. It is the headache of the employee whether or not to get permission from their employer.

Regards

Examples of Part-Time Work and Consultancy in Different Countries

P.S. Dinghra has asked pertinent questions and also has given you answers to different scenarios. I support his response with examples from my experience.

When working in India for a defense establishment, the organization encouraged staff to teach on part-time courses after work, on Diploma courses run by them. Additionally, Indian Institutes of Management and other research establishments allow their staff to do consultancy work, and the proceeds from that are shared between the staff member and the institute.

In the UK, while working in industry, I have done voluntary work as an advisor to the Young Enterprise Scheme. Most of the advisors were from the industry. Similarly, I have also taught on part-time courses in the evening at a college. As there was no stipulation that I could not work and as the college was not a competitor, I had no problem. Even in the UK, academic staff can engage in consultancy work (with the permission of the employer), and the proceeds are shared. Academics are encouraged to work as external examiners for other institutions and become members of assessment panels, etc.

Have a lovely day.

Regards,
Simhan

Learning & Teaching Fellow (Retd) The University of Bolton, UK

Thank you for your valuable advice. My special thanks to Mr. PSDhingra and Mr. Simhan. I have asked this question on behalf of an Educational Consultancy.