‘Do I need my employer’s permission to start a side hustle?’

Question: I have a hobby that I think I can make some money from. I know that I need to have a licence.

My question is whether I am allowed to do this when I am employed by a company? Do I need their permission or a no-objection certificate to do something else? GH, Sharjah

Answer: The rules have become more flexible in recent years and generally speaking, it is not necessary to obtain an NoC from an employer to open a business and obtain a trade licence.

You need to ensure that the business is not in competition with the company or has any similarities in name to be safe.

You should also check the employment contract to ensure that you have not agreed to any clauses that prevent you from having a side business.

If an employee has agreed not to have any business interests but opens a business, they will be in breach of their contract and can be immediately dismissed.

In all cases, it is sensible to check employment contracts thoroughly before taking any action.

Q: Our family helper has been with us for five years and we would like to take her with us to the UK this summer for two months.

She will be working for part of the time, but we also want to show her a bit of the country. Is there a way we can sponsor her visa so she can come with us? LE, Dubai

A: It is possible to obtain a visa for a helper to travel to the UK, but strict rules apply. You need to obtain an overseas domestic worker visa.

The individual to be sponsored must have been in their current position for at least 12 months and be over the age of 19 years.

As part of the application, there must be evidence of the individual working for the same employer in the UK and living in the same household.

The employer must be either a British citizen who usually lives outside the UK and who does not intend to remain in the UK for more than six months, or a foreign citizen who is coming to the UK on a visit and who does not intend to stay for more than six months.

An important point is that the individual worker “must be able to support themselves in the UK without the need for public funds”, according to the UK government website.

This means that while in the UK, the employer will need to pay the worker at least the UK national minimum wage.

This is currently £10.18 per hour ($12.94) for someone aged 21 to 22 years and £10.42 per hour for anyone aged 23 and over. Evidence of this will be required.

In addition to the application form, documents required include passport, work and residence visa, proof of being able to support themselves during their stay, bank statements, payslips, contract of employment, and a statement from the employer confirming job title, length of employment and reason for visit.

The cost of the overseas domestic worker visa is £531 and the application is made online. The website has guidance and also provides information on where to go to submit biometrics – fingerprints and a photograph. In Dubai, this is located in Wafi Mall.

Once a visa is issued, the individual can visit the UK with their employer for up to six months.

The visa cannot be extended. An application can be made up to three months ahead of the date of travel and the usual turnaround time is three to four weeks, depending on whether any additional information is required.

Q: I have recently started a full-time job where I need to drive a lot to different venues.

Do I need to get business insurance for my car? I understand that under my personal insurance, driving to and from work is covered but am concerned that I may not be covered if I leave my office to go to other locations. SF, Abu Dhabi

A: SF is wise to look into this as it would be foolish to drive without being properly insured.

The first step is to read the terms and conditions of the existing insurance policy.

This will state if the cover is valid if he is driving for business reasons, rather than just to and from a place of employment.

It is common for UAE motor insurance policies to include a clause that states that the policy does not include coverage for a business.

I suggest that SF contact their insurance company for absolute clarity and if not insured for business, they must upgrade the policy.

Keren Bobker is an independent financial adviser and senior partner with Holborn Assets in Dubai, with more than 30 years’ experience. Contact her at keren@holbornassets.com. Follow her on Twitter at @FinancialUAE

The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only