Outside activities procedure

Procedure

Intent and objectives

To provide guidance to staff and managers on the implementation of the ‘Outside Activities policy’.

Scope

University-wide

Exclusions

Casual staff

Outside work unrelated to the staff member’s role, which does not affect their performance of RMIT duties.

Procedure steps and actions

1. Approval

Outside activities (as defined in the Outside activities policy) must be negotiated with the manager in the context of the staff member's annual workplan.

Managers should document all details and approval of staff members’ outside activities, as the information may be required for auditing and reporting purposes.

1.1 Discussion

  • The staff member discloses their private paid outside work and discusses with their manager a new or ongoing arrangement for this work.
  • During discussions, particular attention is paid to the impact of any outside activity on the staff member’s normal duties and workload.
  • Re-negotiation must occur at least annually, or earlier if significant changes have occurred to the nature of or time consumed by the private paid outside activity.

1.2 Approval and documentation

General principles

  • Staff members should seek approval before commencing outside activities.
  • Approval is conditional on the satisfactory performance of the staff member’s normal duties.
  • Approval to undertake outside activities is project-specific, and each new activity should be discussed and approved.

For industry consultancy and unpaid outside activities

The staff member and the staff member’s manager outline the agreed arrangements in the staff member’s workplan, noting both the RMIT workload and the level of industry consultancy and/or unpaid outside activity that will be undertaken.

For private paid outside work

Before approval to engage in private paid outside work can be given, relevant details and working arrangements must be agreed and documented using the Record of private paid outside work form. Each party should keep a copy of the agreement (attached to the staff member’s workplan), and a copy should be forwarded to Human Resources for recording on the staff member’s personal file.

The delegated authority may approve the staff member undertaking private paid outside work provided that:

  • there is no actual or potential conflict of interest between the proposed activity and RMIT's educational and commercial activities
  • the staff member is able to meet their normal employment duties, which includes access to students
  • the proposed activity will not adversely affect the reputation of RMIT and/or its subsidiaries
  • the staff member undertakes not to use RMIT's name or, by their conduct, imply RMIT involvement in or association with the activity
  • the staff member is aware that the activity is not covered by RMIT’s insurance policies

If a staff member wishes to undertake private paid outside work and the time involved in undertaking the work will, in the manager’s opinion, interfere with the staff member's annual workplan, leave without pay or a reduced time fraction should be considered.

1.3 Approval and documentation

Renegotiation of the arrangement must occur at least annually. If significant changes have occurred to the nature of – or to the time consumed by – the private paid outside activity, this arrangement should be reviewed earlier.

2. Insurance

In the event of a claim against a staff member, the onus is on the staff member concerned to show that the activities that are the subject of the claim had the sanction of RMIT.

Private activities undertaken by RMIT staff outside of that person's annual workplan but conducted on RMIT premises must have prior written approval from the delegated authority. In this case the staff member must also have current valid public liability and professional indemnity insurance cover. They must supply relevant Certificate of Currency in relation to such insurance annually.

Refer to the Insurance policy or contact the University’s Insurance Officer for advice.

3. Cost recovery

All staff and work units involved in outside activity must stipulate the level of use of the RMIT name, staff, equipment and facilities as a consequence of the project and, where remuneration is involved, must agree to the work unit recovering full costs.University resources are not to be used for private purposes, unless permission has been granted by a staff member’s manager. Where the delegated authority approves a staff member's use of RMIT facilities for private paid outside work, the level and cost of using University resources must be identified, and the full recovery of the costs agreed to.

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