UK Statistics Authority policy documents relating to secondary employment/self employed work

FOI reference: FOI-2025-2681

You asked

Please provide any HR policy documents relating to staff holding secondary employment or undertaking self employed work.

We said

Thank you for your request under the Freedom of Information Act. 

The primary policy relevant to your request is the Outside Interest Policy which is in the associated download.  

There are also other policy documents that make references to secondary employment.  Excerpts from these policy documents are additionally provided. 

Leave Framework 

This framework outlines the various leave arrangements that are available to colleagues. The sections below have references to secondary employment or self-employed work: 

• Section 5 – Career break:  The relevant excerpts are separately attached. 

• Section 6 – Leave for Reservists:  The relevant excerpts are separately attached. 

Flexible Working Framework  

Parts of this framework outline the requirements for rest breaks and the Working Time Regulation, which refers to secondary employment or self-employed work.   The relevant excerpts are separately attached, together with the Working Time Regulations opt out agreement. 

Employment Contracts 

Our contracts of employment have a clause entitled ‘Outside Appointments’ which reads as follows:

In certain circumstances you are required to obtain the agreement of the Crown before accepting any offer of employment outside the Civil Service or which would start within two years of leaving Crown employment. You must seek the permission of your Deputy Director before doing so. The rules on acceptance of outside appointments can be found on the ONS Intranet, as amended from time to time. 

You are not permitted to engage in outside work while on duty, nor to undertake, at any time, work which might in any way impair your usefulness or efficiency to ONS or which might conflict with the interests of the public service.  

You are not permitted to engage in work outside ONS during periods of sickness absence.