Secondary employment - know your obligations

We recognise that some nurses and midwives may seek secondary employment due to financial pressures or personal circumstances and we understand this need for additional income. The Nursing and Midwifery Council is committed to supporting you to understand your responsibilities in declaring secondary employment.

What is secondary employment?

Secondary employment refers to any paid or unpaid work you do outside your primary role with your employer, NSW Health, or other public and private sector agencies.

This includes casual, part-time, or freelance work.  

Common examples include:

• casual or agency nursing shifts
• freelance consulting or education
• locum positions
• involvement in a private business
• volunteer or community roles.

Regulatory accountability

As regulated health professionals, registered nurses and midwives are responsible and accountable to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). The NMBA standards, codes and guidelines apply to all aspects of professional practice – including secondary employment. These expectations help to shape scope of practice, guide decision-making, and support safe and ethical conduct across all roles you undertake.

Scope of nursing and midwifery practice

Practice is not restricted to providing direct clinical care. Nursing and midwifery practice extends to any paid or unpaid role in which nurses and midwives use their professional skills and knowledge. This may include roles involving non-clinical relationships with clients, management, administration, education, research, advisory, regulatory, policy development, and other professional activities that contribute to safe, effective service delivery.

NSW Health requires all staff to contribute to a positive risk culture, including identifying and reporting risks related to secondary employment.

Why undertaking secondary employment can be a risk

• Conflict of interest: Secondary work may create situations where personal interests conflict with professional duties or public service obligations.
• Fatigue and performance: Additional work can lead to fatigue, which may affect performance, safety and judgement in your primary role.
• Confidentiality risks: Working across multiple organisations can increase the chance of unintentionally sharing sensitive or confidential information.
• Reputational impacts: If secondary employment is inappropriate, poorly managed or poorly aligned with public expectations, it may reflect negatively on the Ministry, your employer and yourself.

Why must you inform your employer?

• Transparency: Declaring secondary employment promotes openness and allows potential conflicts to be assessed early.
• Compliance: Public sector policies, codes of conduct and organisational requirements often mandate disclosure and approval.
• Support and guidance: Management can help identify any risks, provide advice or set conditions to ensure the secondary role remains safe and sustainable.
• Risk mitigation: Early disclosure allows your employer to manage risks proactively and maintain public confidence in the services it provides.

 What should I do if I am undertaking a second job?

• Review your organisation’s policies: Make sure you understand your employer’s secondary employment requirements.
• Seek approval: Always notify your manager and obtain written approval before starting any secondary employment.
• Refer to the NMBA: Understand your professional standards. 
• Keep information up-to-date: If your circumstances change, update your manager.

Your responsibility to disclose

It is your responsibility to disclose any secondary employment. Not doing so may affect your ability to meet regulatory and organisational expectations. This could have implications for your employment or registration.

 Policy requirements

NSW Health and other agencies require staff to seek formal approval before engaging in secondary employment to comply with:

• NSW Health Code of Conduct (PD2015_049)
• NSW Government Conflict of Interest and Gifts and Benefits (PD2015_045)
• Nursing and Midwifery Board Professional Standards

Tell us what you think

The Nursing and Midwifery Council of NSW is looking to provide you with shorter, more regular updates about topics relevant to the profession.

Please send us an email if you have a particular comment or suggestion about this update.