Having a side business along a 9-5 job

sunny122

I would like to start a sole trader business alongside my 9-5. My employee contract basically states that I can't do work which will :

1. Put the company in disrepute
2. Which will affect the quality of my work

The start-up I want to do is completely different from what I do at my 9-5 and is nothing like the company. It is a perfectly legitimate idea which wouldn't put the company into disrepute. I'm also very confident that my day time work wouldn't be affected because I have run a similar small start up before, so I have 4 years experience of the approximate workload.

Any opinions on whether it would be alright considering my contract and if I need to tell my employer?

NewShadow

You should probably talk to HR about filling out a conflict of interest declaration.

They should also be able to help you with any other questions as well.

bap98189

Well 1 isn't going to be an issue unless you are appearing in blue movies or something similar.

If you are doing it in your own time then 2 shouldn't be either, so long as you aren't showing up for work knackered after getting no sleep.

My advice would depend on what position you currently hold. If you are a in some sort of senior management position then you really have to have some sort of conversation with your employer. If you are working on the tills in Tesco then I wouldn't bother.

sangie595

I don't see this as a decision that you can make. Whether either criteria applies depends on the employers interpretation AFTER they start procedures to dismiss you.! If you have evidence thay have agreed to it, all well an good. If not, you are treading on quicksand.

andygb

sunny122 wrote: »

1. Put the company in disrepute
2. Which will affect the quality of my work


Any opinions on whether it would be alright considering my contract and if I need to tell my employer?

If it isn't going to contravene either of those, then they don't even need to know, unless of course they ask employees to disclose information about ANY other businesses they undertake out of work hours.
I have known many people who have other jobs as well as their day job (I regularly had two jobs in the past) - part time mechanic, weekend catering vans, semi pro football (that one could have an impact if you regularly got injured), evening factory work etc.