Sideline employment

If you are a manager and need information about the sideline employment undertaken by an employee in your unit, please write to pure@au.dk

Sideline employment can be professional or commercial. Professional sideline employment is undertaken as an extension of an employee’s position at AU, and commercial sideline employment is carried out alongside an employee’s position at the university.

Examples of professional sideline employment:

• Membership of committees, councils or boards appointed by AU or nominated by AU
• Membership of executive boards/boards in academic associations or societies
• Membership of editorial committees of national and international scientific journals
• Visiting lectureships at other national or international institutions
• Referee work for applications submitted to research councils abroad
• Membership of funding organisation committees
• Survey and valuation work for the courts

 

Examples of commercial sideline employment:

• Employment in other public or private companies, including the employee’s own company
• Ownership of shares in a company that is an AU supplier/collaboration partner (except for listed companies)
• Membership of executive boards and/or boards of commercial companies, including spin out companies from AU
• Duties for commissions and committees
• Long-term teaching obligations at other institutions

 

Examples of sideline employment with high research security risk

Both commercial and professional sideline employment can present research security risks Specifically, this applies to:

• Sideline employment related to high-threat countries. AU defines high-threat countries as the countries named in the section on research in most recent issue of the Danish Security and Intelligence Service publication ’Assessment of the espionage threat against Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland’ (in Danish only). As of 1 March the high-threat countries included on the list are Iran, China and Rusland. However, the list is dynamic and subject to change.
• Sideline employment with the risk of 'dual use', involving the exchange of knowledge for legitimate purposes which has the potential for misuse, for example for military purposes. Relatively few cases of 'dual use' in research at universities is expected. In case of doubt, please contact dualuse@au.dk 

The staff policy guidelines only cover sideline employment that is relevant for a member of staff’s employment at AU. Sideline jobs related to an employee's hobbies or similar, including civic duties, are not covered by the guidelines. However, this presupposes that the scope of such jobs is compatible with the member of staff’s employment at AU and does not affect the performance of his/her tasks or attendance.

Examples of sideline employment covered by the staff policy guidelines include employment in another independent organisation, board memberships in other companies, honorary offices, etc., undertaken concurrently with an emplolyee’s main occupation at Aarhus University. As a general rule, all employees at Aarhus University may engage in sideline employment, provided that such employment is compatible with their main occupation at Aarhus University, see section 17 of the Danish Civil Servants Act (Tjenestemandsloven) and section 15 of the Danish Salaried Employees Act (Funktionærloven).

However, sideline employment must not bring an employee’s competence or loyalty to AU into question or cause conflicts of interest. Sideline employment must therefore not distort competition in relation to AU's activities and core services. Employees who are unsure whether there is a conflict of interest between their employment at AU and their sideline employment should discuss the matter with their immediate supervisor as soon as possible.

By agreement with their immediate supervisor, employees can transition to part-time employment as a result of other employment – for example because they have started their own business or they work at another institution/company – provided that such employment is compatible with their position at AU.

Sideline employment that presents a potential risk to research security must be pre-approved by the head of department (Arts: head of school) no later than 14 days before commencement of the sideline employment. 

For example, this includes sideline employment related to high-threat countries. AU defines high-threat countries as the countries named in the section on research in most recent issue of the Danish Security and Intelligence Service publication ’Assessment of the espionage threat against Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland' (in Danish only). As of 1 March the high-threat countries included on the list are Iran, China and Rusland. However, the list is dynamic and subject to change.

It also includes sideline employment with the risk of 'dual use', involving the exchange of knowledge for legitimate purposes which has the potential for misuse, for example for military purposes. Relatively few cases of 'dual use' in research at universities is expected. In case of doubt, please contact dualuse@au.dk 

The staff member may only register their sideline employment in Pure after the manager has assessed it as being compatible with employment at AU.  
 

As described in the AU staff policy, Aarhus University wants to strengthen relations and collaboration with the rest of society through employees' sideline employment so that their experience and competencies are utilised to benefit society as a whole. 

AU therefore considers it positive and desirable that employees engage in the development of society through sideline employment. This engagement is considered recognition of employees' professional expertise, and it helps profile Aarhus University in the public debate. However, it is crucial that sideline employment is compatible with an employee’s main occupation at AU and does not impede AU's activities.

The employees’ knowledge is a resource for society, just as the knowledge and experience gained through sideline employment may benefit Aarhus University. Aarhus University takes a positive view of sideline employment on the condition that such employment does not cause

• distortion of competition in relation to other businesses and organisations
• conflicts of interest in relation to the university, problems related to employee impartiality or conflicts between the employees and the university.
• Particular risk to research security

If the employee is in doubt with regard to whether a specific form of sideline employment is compatible with his or her main occupation, this should be discussed with the head of department (Aarhus BSS, HE and ST)/head of school (Arts)/centre director/deputy director.

If AU receives a request for right of access to information about sideline employment of an employee in accordance with section 21(3) of the Access to Public Administration Files Act, AU may disclose information about public-sector sideline employment, e.g. membership of a council, board, committee or commission. No right of access to information about sideline employment in the private sector will be granted.

Managers are responsible for ensuring that the scope and nature of sideline employment is compatible with an employee's main occupation at AU.

Employees who have taken on sideline employment that is not considered compatible with their main occupation at AU will be informed in writing with a notice ordering the sideline employment in question to be terminated.

If the employee fails to comply with the written notice, there may be consequences for the member of staff’s employment. See the rules on dismissal of employees at Aarhus University