Can my employer find about moonlighting?

99 Posts

OK so I have two jobs.
One job is in the Maritime Industry, so I work at sea.
The second job is in a factory, close to my home address.
I have been dismissed from my sea-going job as a result of a struggle with mental health issues and alcoholism. I had a fit note between an incident and my dismissal. I am optimistic that my appeal will see the dismissal reversed.
Now, I have signed up to counseling for my issues and the GP is willing to renew the fit note. The reason I need a fit note is because it's unfeasible to attend counseling because of the nature of the job. There's no telling which port I'd be in by next week and potentially I'd be at sea.
Working my other job close to home, I could still attend counseling appointments.
Here's the thing: could I just continue working at the factory whilst using my fit note for my Maritime job to keep me at home until my treatment is completed?
One job is in the Maritime Industry, so I work at sea.
The second job is in a factory, close to my home address.
I have been dismissed from my sea-going job as a result of a struggle with mental health issues and alcoholism. I had a fit note between an incident and my dismissal. I am optimistic that my appeal will see the dismissal reversed.
Now, I have signed up to counseling for my issues and the GP is willing to renew the fit note. The reason I need a fit note is because it's unfeasible to attend counseling because of the nature of the job. There's no telling which port I'd be in by next week and potentially I'd be at sea.
Working my other job close to home, I could still attend counseling appointments.
Here's the thing: could I just continue working at the factory whilst using my fit note for my Maritime job to keep me at home until my treatment is completed?
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Nope the counseling appointments are the sole reason for the fit note.
If the GP is willing to issue a fit note to excuse you from the CS job, then you just produce that for the CS.
The factory job doesn't need to see a fit note does it?
The factory job (which you describe as "moonlighting") might be found out about by your employer, but your reason for doing that and not your CS one is that the work is different.
How could they find out?
How could the CS find out? Chance remark (you let something slip), direct questioning if they suspect this, your social media, you're recognised on here by a CS colleague or manager ...
Factory job probably knows already that you have another job - if your tax code there is BR it's an indication that you have another source of taxable income.
Some individuals can't wait to burst to the employer. The fewer who know your arrangement the better.
Reading between the lines, it sounds like the working arrangements may be a root cause that caused the incident that led to the dismissal - given your situation, should you be trying to go back to the role, since treatment may, or may not be effective.
I'm also presuming it is a serious matter that led to this situation as it is quite difficult to get dismissed from the CS - would your colleagues want you back in reality, or would you be something of a pariah?
Your tax code would also be a give away to the MOD - and I'd wager that payroll checks are done periodically to identify possible undeclared double jobbers (especially somewhere like the MOD, with security concerns).
Not being upfront about the other job by declaring it, also calls your integrity and honesty into question - which doesn't look great in an appeal situation. (Are the MOD still paying you, or is there a cashflow dimension to the alternative employment)
I read your OP as you have been dismissed from your maritime job, and you are currently appealing that decision, if so, you are not currently employed with them.
Your plan, should you win your appeal though is not to actually return to work but use a fit note so as to be paid by them whilst working in you current job in a factory.