Compensated outside activities: Instructions and guidelines for reviewing requests

The primary purpose for prior notification and supervisor approval of compensated outside activities is to provide supervisors with the opportunity to evaluate whether a compensated outside activity interferes with, or has the appearance of interfering with, an employee's performance of duties as contracted or as otherwise specified.

How review a COA request in InfoEd

1. After opening the Reviewer Dashboard, click on the PDF link to view the employee's COA request.
   When reviewing COA requests, here are some factors you may consider:
   • Degree to which participation in the activity may advance the employee's skills and abilities, with resultant benefit to the department or unit.
   • Possible detriment to the University from employee engagement in the activity.
   • Relationship of the outside activity to the employee's role statement or job description.
   • Status of the employee's standing with consideration for expected performance standards.
   • Potential for the outside activity to compromise or appear to compromise an employee's professional judgment in performing their University duties, or bias research results.
   • Possibility for the outside activity to influence a reasonable person in the employee's position to depart from the faithful and impartial discharge of their public duties.
   • Sufficiency of arrangements to cover the employee's responsibilities to the University during their absence, including requirements for annual leave (per NSHE Handbook Title 4, Chapter 3, Section 9, Item 2; and University policies (UAM 2,690 and UAM 2,237).
     
     When a supervisor believes that an employee's outside compensated activities conflict with the employee's obligations to the institution, or other obligations of the institution, the supervisor shall inform the employee of these concerns and try to negotiate a mutually acceptable course of action. If a mutually acceptable course of action cannot be negotiated, the matter may be referred to the University’s Conflict of Interest Designated Official. The designated official will determine if the matter needs to be reviewed by the Conflict of Interest Committee, or an appropriate higher authority.
     
     
2. After reviewing the COA request, click on Review Status and select Reviewed. If you are not affiliated with the School of Medicine, click Not Applicable on the next line. You may add a comment, but it is not mandatory.
   
   
3. After you have made your decision on whether or not to approve the activity, enter that decision through the drop down menu.
   • Approved – an email will be sent to the employee with notification that the activity has been approved.
   • Approved, Pending COI Review - the COI Designated Official will review the COA request for possible conflicts of interests. If the COI Designated Official determines that the COA will not result in a conflict of interests, the approval will be finalized and the employee will be notified by email that the activity has been approved. If the COI Designated Official has concerns about conflicts of interests, both the supervisor and employee will be contacted.
   • Not Approved - an email will be sent to the employee with notification that the activity has not been approved. This decision should only be entered after the supervisor and employee have failed to negotiate a mutually acceptable course of action, as described above.
     
     
4. After you confirm your decision and InfoEd completes the process, you may close the page by clicking on the Close button in the upper right corner.

For more information

If you have any questions about this process, please contact the COI Designated Official, Michele Dondanville at (775) 784-6360 or mdondanville@unr.edu.