My manager says I can get a second job, but...

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...I have to type up a request for official permission from the higher ups.

What exactly should be noted in this request? Suggestions, please!

Thanks!

Is there a WRITTEN policy that states you must ask or write a permission or notification letter of this type of thing? I would ask to see the policy before doing anything. Do they have a right to have you ask for permission of where to send your kid to school? Where to vacation(when, yes!), or what type of food to eat?

Yes, actually it is a written policy. I've actually seen it myself.

Depending upon what company you work for they can actually tell you where to send your kids to school, but thankfully that's not this company and thankfully I haven't any kids! The last two questions: no.

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Military spouse - I gather you might work for a government contractor? This is very common in the military. When I worked at the VA in Indianapolis, I had to obtain permission in order to do prn home care with another agency. Not common in the civilian sector for sure, but par for the course if you work for the government - it all goes back to conflict of interest.

When I held a security clearance overseas, again, this was common practice.

This is pretty much my situation: it's a government contractor along with some rather large commercial contracts.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho.

OK well "theres your sign". Governmental and commercial contractors that do business with the government most definately can create problems not just through the business end of it, but politically.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

There are a few other reasons why some employers want/need to regulate outside employment. The most common policy I have seen in nursing is for hospitals to allow outside employment, but they want to "keep an eye on it" institution-wide because ...

1. They need to be able to estimate how many nurses will be available for them during a community emergency. A hospital with a large number of employees who have their PRIMARY committment to another institution might have problems finding enough staff to fulfill its responsibilities during a community disaster.

2. A hospital might object to someone working another job which prevents them from being available on holidays, etc. The obligations that the employee owes each employer need to be spelled out in advance. Making sure that the employee understands this and gets things clarified up front is part of the reason for having a policy requiring that the employer be notified of any outside employment.

3. "Double-dipping" for certain benefits (e.g. insurance) can be a problem in some cases. The employer has a legitimate interest in knowing whether there are 2 insurance policies and if so, which one is primary ... whether or not that work injury occured at their job or the other job ... etc.

4. In some cases, employers engage in "predatory practices" to steal employees away from a competitor -- and the employer might want to take a stand against that by not allowing employees to work for both hospitals simulataneously. That happened at 1 hospital I worked at. The predatory hospital would not pay for orientation, on-going education, etc. ... but offered our staff higher per diem compensation to pick up extra shifts at their hospital. Neither hospital could afford to do both (provide training AND pay exceptionally high salaries). By eliminating their training costs, the predatory hospital could afford to pay higher per diem salaries -- essentially letting us pay to train people for them. We felt we had to retaliate by not allowing our staff to work per diem for that other hospital. If they wanted to work for the other place, they had to leave our hospital completely. We would not going to allow people to get all their orientation and on-going education from us, while working at the other hospital.

So, there are some legitimate reasons why an employer has an interest in your other jobs. It's not always something sinister and "none of their business." Just thought I would add this food for thought to the thread.

llg

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I still think your off time is your own and you should be able to work wherever you want, as long as it's legal. Now maybe if I go work in a strip bar I won't wear my hospital's name tag....

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
I still think your off time is your own and you should be able to work wherever you want, as long as it's legal. Now maybe if I go work in a strip bar I won't wear my hospital's name tag....

We are all free to think whatever we want to think ... but employers are also free to think and free to establish their own rules and regulations for conducting their business affairs. Many employers feel they have a community obligation to have staff available during disasters ... and to not cheat their insurance companies ... etc. You may not like the resulting policies, but they have a right to establish and enforce them -- just as you have a right not to like all of them.

llg

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Specializes in Long Term Care.

I completely understand all of your points, however, I am not a child nor indentured servant or slave for anyone other than my family. :D Having to request to be able to work elsewhere, just smacks of being treated less than an adult.

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We are all free to think whatever we want to think ... but employers are also free to think and free to establish their own rules and regulations for conducting their business affairs. Many employers feel they have a community obligation to have staff available during disasters ... and to not cheat their insurance companies ... etc. You may not like the resulting policies, but they have a right to establish and enforce them -- just as you have a right not to like all of them.

llg

if so many of their employees are getting second jobs to make it prudent to write out a policy because they are so worried about the "community", then perhaps they would be better served paying their employees more so the second job isn't necessary. Just a thought! :idea:

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Sharann,

I am not writing you re: your last post (sorry). I actually Googled "ICU research proposal" and your thread regarding ICU visitation came up. I am teaching NRS 328 (understanding research) and am interested in using your proposal as an example.

Sorry, there is not much fame and fortune in this endeavour...

Canadian copywrite laws are very strict and I will have an easier time formulating my syllabus from forein nursing papers.

What do you think? I really can't offer you anything in return except the undying gratitude of a cold Canadian nurse :)

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to me i would check the employees hand book or polices to see what it say about taking another job. plus i wouldn't let the new company know you're still working at another company. and if the policy doesn't say anything about you working another job there nothing they could do about it.

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My NM has the tendency to think that she could control our outside activities, such as part time jobs or whether or not we are "available" on our days off for her to call us.

She tells us all the time that THIS job is our primary job....those of us who have had part time jobs in the past or present.

I always make sure tho, that she can't get ahold of me, if I don't want to be contacted.

She told another staff RN that she shouldn't have a mixed drink on her days off. The girl is NOT an alcoholic, but she went out to dinner with some friends and they had a mixed drink. NO BIG DEAL. People do that all the time.

But the NM told her that she shouldn't do that.

Now how is that for being controlled in what you do on your days off?

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Specializes in Hospice, Med/Surg, ICU, ER.
My NM has the tendency to think that she could control our outside activities, such as part time jobs or whether or not we are "available" on our days off for her to call us.

She tells us all the time that THIS job is our primary job....those of us who have had part time jobs in the past or present.

I always make sure tho, that she can't get ahold of me, if I don't want to be contacted.

She told another staff RN that she shouldn't have a mixed drink on her days off. The girl is NOT an alcoholic, but she went out to dinner with some friends and they had a mixed drink. NO BIG DEAL. People do that all the time.

But the NM told her that she shouldn't do that.

Now how is that for being controlled in what you do on your days off?

I would probably lose my job over it, but I'd tell that NM to go take a flying freak at a rolling donut!

Why anyone would put up with this kind of bullsqueeze is totally beyond me.

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