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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is work being too nosey?

98 replies

stressystressed · 16/01/2023 17:04

I work for an organisation that is within a county council.
Many of us work part time.
We have been told we have to submit a "Conflict of Interest" form for any similar work we do outside of our county council job.
So imagine…you are a sports teacher, and go round different schools teaching PE lessons. You are employed by the county council education team part time, and also on a self employed basis to private schools.
To me, it feels too nosey. Why should I have to tell the county council what I do when I'm not working for them? Or AIBU?

OP posts:
BrookeD · 16/01/2023 17:06

It's to identify if you're in a position to benefit/disadvantage your other interest.

This protects you and the employer, it's smart and in certain roles, legally required.

CellophaneIsTheName · 16/01/2023 17:08

YABU say the council tender for business and your other employer get the contract, it then comes out you're within the team that tendered for the business...

It's quite standard for working in the public sector.

stilldumdedumming · 16/01/2023 17:09

Absolutely standard in the public sector. We have to declare lots of things including voluntary work or anything that might lead to a conflict.

Chubbernut · 16/01/2023 17:10

It’s because the government (of which councils are a part) have an obligation to ensure that they are not only behaving fairly but also eliminate any risk that they could be perceived as behaving unfairly. It’s a basic concept of the rule of law.

You have to tell them in case there’s a conflict of interest. It’s not an unusual concept and the idea is to ensure that their work is done for the benefit of the general public and there’s no back-door benefits for themselves or employees (and, further than that, that no one could even perceive there to be any back door benefits).

Employers very often stipulate this type of work in roles relating to government, the public sector or regulated industries. Why are you opposed to it?

SleeplessInEngland · 16/01/2023 17:10

YABU. There's so much scope for corruption in local government that it's basically the least they can do.

watchfulwishes · 16/01/2023 17:11

YABU, it is a standard conflict of interest request.

People who do not understand this sort of thing should not work in the public sector.

Shivermetimbers0112 · 16/01/2023 17:11

Completely normal and sensible practice.

AgentProvocateur · 16/01/2023 17:13

It’s also to make sure that you’re not working too many hours - eg 30 hours in one position and 25 in another.

Original poster
stressystressed · 16/01/2023 17:13

i've been working in the council job for many years, and it's only just come out that we need to do this. It wasn't explained WHY we had to do it, just that we had to.
I've never considered what I do outside of my job to be any of their business.

OP posts:
Original poster
stressystressed · 16/01/2023 17:14

ok, ok, I can see the sense of it now.
I was just a bit shocked to get the e mail.

OP posts:
littlelid · 16/01/2023 17:14

Loads of places do this

Original poster
stressystressed · 16/01/2023 17:15

isn't it even a little bit nosey?

OP posts:
barneshome · 16/01/2023 17:15

stressystressed · 16/01/2023 17:13

i've been working in the council job for many years, and it's only just come out that we need to do this. It wasn't explained WHY we had to do it, just that we had to.
I've never considered what I do outside of my job to be any of their business.

It does not matter what you think.
It has been explained to you why they ask.

They are the rules.
If you do not like it - leave

justasking111 · 16/01/2023 17:15

We had to ask permission to have a second job back in the day 1974 . I did bar work at weekends for extra money which was okay

MilkshakesBringAllTheCoosToTheYard · 16/01/2023 17:16

It's not nosey, it's a minimum requirement.

However, I do think it should have been explained to you why it was important, what a conflict of interest is, and how often it's as much perception as actual conflicts that are important, rather than just flinging out a form. Without context, it will feel intrusive for sure.

TokenGinger · 16/01/2023 17:19

Completely normal to declare conflicts of interest when working within the Local Authority. It doesn't seem nosey at all. It's good practice to be open and honest.

Dobbyismyabsolutefav · 16/01/2023 17:22

Fairly standard in the private sector. I had to declare that I had another paid position before being employed in my current job and that it wasn't in the same sector, ie competitor.

MySoCalledStrife · 16/01/2023 17:23

No it's not nosy. A county council will be funded by the tax payer. That's not being nosy that's ensuring the organisation is transparent and stands up to scruntiny. It's utterly facile to describe that as being nosy.

DelurkingAJ · 16/01/2023 17:25

Standard where I am. You have to get explicit permission for anything, paid or unpaid (so being a Scout Treasurer for example, went through on the nod but I still had to get permission from my Department Head and then send that on to HR).

riotlady · 16/01/2023 17:26

Perfectly normal and Im not sure why you think it’s “nosey”- it’s hardly private information to ask if you have any other jobs. I’m in the civil service and had to declare my second job for similar reasons

whataboutsecondbreakfast · 16/01/2023 17:27

stressystressed · 16/01/2023 17:15

isn't it even a little bit nosey?

No. You work for the government - they have to make sure there are no conflicts of interest.

It's also common in the private sector.

Dixiechickonhols · 16/01/2023 17:41

Standard. Ensures no conflicts and not doing anything to bring council into disrepute.
Eg you work in planning pt and pt for a housing developer. Another developer complains developer you work for always gets approved. Council can’t just shrug and say who she works for nowt to do with us. Some grades you can’t have another job at all.

Paq · 16/01/2023 17:43

Why do you think anyone cares what you get up to aside from preventing conflicts of interest?

Diffuserqueen · 16/01/2023 17:43

This is completely standard. Why are you taking issue with it. It’s a very good policy to make sure of no corruption.

Hoppinggreen · 16/01/2023 17:44

A lot of private sector companies state you can’t work for another employer at the same time as them without permission