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Civil Servants
18. Payment for work on behalf of outside bodies
18.1 On occasion civil servants are asked to carry out tasks for which they receive payment or other benefit in kind on behalf of bodies other than their Departments/Offices, as a consequence of their official positions. While, in many instances, this practice does not give rise to problems, there are certain circumstances where difficulties may arise, such as where the task performed forms part of the official duties of a civil servant or is performed during normal working hours.
18.2 All Departments/Offices should ensure that they have appropriate standards which have been clearly set out and made known to all staff. The standards should ensure that there is a consistent, appropriate and clear standard applied across a Department/Office in relation to the acceptance of payment or other benefit in kind for work carried out on behalf of other organisations. The following guidelines provide a framework within which decisions in this area can be made or local rules formulated.
- Where, because of his or her official position, a civil servant is invited to carry out work on behalf of an outside body, he or she shall notify his or her Personnel Officer in advance and may not seek or retain payment (other than appropriate travel and subsistence expenses) or other benefit in kind where the proposed activity is part of the civil servant’s duties. Where a payment is made, it should be surrendered to the Personnel Officer, who will lodge it to the Department/Office’s account. Any benefit in kind should be returned to the body in question.
- A civil servant may accept a modest payment or benefit in kind if the task, while work related, is not an integral part of his or her official duties and is carried on outside of normal working hours.
- The question of whether or not a task is an integral part of a civil servant’s official duties may normally be determined by reference to the relevant work programmes. In case of doubt the civil servant should request his or her manager to determine if the task is an integral part of official duties.
- In cases where no payment or other compensation arises a small token gift may be accepted by a civil servant by way of recognition.
- Where a civil servant has any doubts concerning the propriety of accepting any payment or compensation from bodies outside of the Department/Office, the matter should be referred to a manager for determination in accordance with the guidelines outlined above. If a civil servant is unhappy with the decision of a senior officer, he or she may appeal the matter to the Personnel Officer or the Secretary General or Head of Office as appropriate.
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