conflicts of interest

[workpaysno]

Is it possible to work full-time as a Customer Service Advisor in the Housing Department for the local council and also take a part-time job at the office as a Customer Service Advisor for an insurance company handling home emergencies?

The council requires permission to take another job to avoid conflicts of interest. Do you think the council would approve working for the insurance company? I struggle to see any conflict, but I may be mistaken.

Additionally, is it feasible to work 37.5 hours per week for the council (weekdays, no weekends) and then do 30 hours (or more, if possible) for the insurance company in the evenings? The council role involves approximately 2-3 weeks of training in the office (8 am to 5 pm), after which the work is done from home, with occasional office meetings as required or working at the office by choice. The insurance job is from 6 or 7 pm to 11 pm on weekdays, with scheduled weekend work once a month and potential for overtime.

Is working around 67.5 hours a week possible

Working for local council is excellent job- the pay is lower but the benefits and opportunities are excellent.

I tried to leave teaching to Move to the council because of the holidays, pension, sick pay and hours and much much better than teaching. There are always promotion routes.

It also depends on the council job hours which you haven't stated except for the in office training.

@workpaysno no definitely not any medical checks aside from the usual health disclosure!

It's like a customer service job working in the housing department of the council. So I have to know about the bidding for properties procedures etc.

The benefits and opportunities working for a council have been incredible for me.

Woking 37 hours pw Mon-Fri but was told up front that they didn't mind how I did those hours. All manner of working patterns available, 4 day week and 9 day fortnight compressed hours seem popular.

I have only been there 4 months but feel so well supported. Never experienced that before in a private industry job!

Yes, I think they asked for further assessment because I declared some long term health/medical conditions. I wish I never did but disclosed but I did because I don't want have any headaches if I need time for appointment

you and your kids also if you as mum works 70 hours a week? And if their dad is unable to work due to illness, is he really able to look after kids solo 7 days a week? I agree obtaining a LA job has been a good achievement and it could lead to development opportunities. Personally, if you’re working FT and you and your husband maximise any benefit entitlement, then if possible I would focus on doing well at that job, to facilitate promotion opportunities and maximise my own well-being by spending time with my family and my own relaxation and fitness in spare time. Otherwise you risk burnout and underperforming and sabotaging the job you’ve worked hard to get. It may also upset your family and their well-being: kids missing you, husband’s health failing. You know your situation best - what is the whole picture and what is the best long term sensible plan taking into account finances, work life balance, everyone’s health wellbeing etc.

Wow thanks and that sounds amazing and reassuring for me and looking forward to the council job now.

He is able to look after them single handedly and the work plan I have is absolutely needed at least for now and hoping to do both for at least 6 months to 12 years before stopping the insurance job. I wouldn't if I find think it was necessary. Is going to be tough but I am ready for it - I have to make things much easier around here for myself and kids.

If it's only you working, your husband is unwell and you have kids I would think you would be entitled to quite a substantial amount in benefits.

I know that isn't what you want but for the short term it could really help your family.

www.entitledto.co.uk/

Thanks but if I take on the job with the council alone, the benefit we are entitled to will be very little & would not help much at all. Partner is currently getting half his salary from income protection insurance which we get benefit top up for but does not help much at all. but that income is ending next month which means my income will replace his income as I am going to be getting my 1st pay from council job. hence we will get around same amount of top benefits we are getting now for the top up on his income protection insurance pay if not less.
If I decide not to work & we both sit on our backsides, we will get much more but still will have a hand to mouth situation 🤷🏽‍♀️ with a lot of stress because the monies are not just paid to claimants, you have to look for jobs, submit sick notes & all sorts of things one is got to do to get the pay & I don't think the money paid is worth all that at all.

Doctors - I was just being lazy lol

Won’t the new job expect references from your main Council job ?
How do you propose keeping it a secret from them ?

It’s not right that any employer can dictate what you do outside your contracted hours. That shouldn’t be allowed in employment contracts for exactly the reason OP has stated.

I will be getting the jobs at the same time hence using last job(s) as reference. So, I don't need reference from council for the other job at all.

Plan now is not to mention anything about 2nd job to council. I am not doing 2nd job during contractual working hours for the council. Like you said what one does outside those hours is one's business although I understand the argument for tiredness but then desperate times calls for desperate measures & everyone is different & then how does an employer aim to get 100% from an employee is awake all night worried about their finances?

desperate times calls for desperate measures

That's what drove me. Needs must and all that. I have been there (as you know from earlier post), and wish you the best. Try to keep as rested as you can in between.

The other way they might find out is tax codes, not sure how this works in detail but presumably you'll need to make sure that the Council can't identify you've got another income because your personal allowance has been reduced, I don't know whether you can designate one job your main one with HMRC for your whole personal allowance and then not have a personal allowance with the other one, but another thing to consider / check.

While in the EU it was illegal to work more than 48??? Hours. No idea if that still stands

If you need to take on further hours. I would speak to your current employees and olay diwn how many hours youre likely to do. I would say you have been. offered some part time hours which fit nicely around your job

Yes, that's another way they can find out but I don't know how it works and where to find out.
To be honest, I have worked to jobs before although briefly, none of the employers knew or they did but didn't care 🤷🏽‍♀️ but then it was only for a couple of months

It still is. It is covered by the working time directive, however it is possible to opt out, thus enabling a working week of over 48 hours.

I worked on the basis that forgiveness was easier to acquire than permission. If anyone ever says anything, you can, hand on heart, say that there is no crossover of business interest (i.e. completely different industries), and that you need the money.

There is risk in that of course, but you'll have been paid in the meantime.

Yes, you can designate all your tax free allowance to the council, and opt to have zero tax free earnings on the second job.
I'd be ontop of HMRC to get that sorted.
Does the second job need to know about the first one??

I am not telling of the other job I am working for the council and vice visa

But how do I do this tax thing? Call HMRC?

Drs = doctors

It was never illegal, just a recommendation. A lot of hospitals force drs to sign opt out forms prior to starting work

You can have all your personal allowance on one job, we do when working in multiple places