3.02.12 - Professional Consulting

Policy Title: External Employment and Professional Consulting

Impact: Employees

Responsibility: Human Resources

Effective Date: 06/22/16

Last Update: 03/25/15

Relates to Procedure:

Legal Citation(s):

I. Policy Narrative

North Idaho College (NIC) encourages the sharing of professional knowledge with the community. Limited outside activities in an employee's discipline or area of specialization are encouraged if they contribute to employee development, provide a professional service and/or promote college/community relations. As used in this policy, "consulting" is defined to include any paid or unpaid professional activity or employment that is external to NIC or is clearly beyond the employee’s regularly assigned duties.

Benefits eligible faculty and staff owe their primary employment responsibility to NIC and are expected to fulfill the responsibilities established in their respective position descriptions and employment documents.

All employment and/or consulting arrangements, whether external or internal to NIC, must not create a conflict of interest, as outlined in Policy and Procedure 3.02.15. 

1. External Employment and/or Consulting
   1. Employers and clients must be informed that the faculty or staff member is acting as a private consultant or employee and that NIC is not a party to the contract, nor liable, nor responsible for the performance thereof. The name, “North Idaho College” and logo are the exclusive properties of NIC and consequently should not be used in support of claims, advertisements, or the deliverables of any private consulting. NIC stationery or letterhead may be used only for official NIC business.
   2. Employees must use accrued vacation or personal days, as approved by the supervisor, for absences related to private consulting work.
   3. Consulting by NIC employees must satisfy the following criteria:
      1. It will not impair, in quality or quantity, the performance of the employee's regularly assigned duties.
      2. It does not involve the use of any NIC supplies, equipment, or facilities, except as approved by the appropriate president’s cabinet (PC) member.
      3. It is not contrary to NIC’s best interests.
2. Consulting Performed for NIC

Whenever possible, NIC will look to the expertise of its own employees first, providing it will not impair, in quality or quantity, the performance of the employee’s regularly assigned duties.

1. 1. 1. Consulting services that are performed for NIC as part of the employee's regularly assigned duties are not a basis for additional compensation.

Additional compensation may be authorized using the stipend process for consulting services to NIC that are clearly beyond the employee's regularly assigned duties. Each instance of additional compensation is subject to approval by Human Resources and the appropriate PC member before the work is performed.

ii. Approval for additional compensation is contingent on the following:

1. 1. 1. 1. The work to be performed is outside of the employee’s regularly assigned duties.
         2. No other qualified NIC employees are available to do the work as part of their regular duties.