Officials are allowed to sign labor contracts outside public service units

At the 10th Session, the 15th National Assembly passed the Law on Civil Servants (amended). The law takes effect from July 1, 2026 to 2026.

One of the new points of the 2025 Law on Civil Servants is the regulation on the rights of civil servants to carry out professional activities and business activities.

According to Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Truong Hai Long, the Law has supplemented and perfected regulations on the obligations and rights of civil servants, allowing civil servants to sign contracts to carry out professional activities outside public service units according to the principle that civil servants are responsible for completing assigned tasks at public service units, complying with the provisions of law on sector and field management and not having conflicts of interests according to the provisions of law on corruption prevention and control;

Also according to the provisions of the law, civil servants are allowed to contribute capital and manage enterprises if the law on anti-corruption is not prohibited or the specialized law does not have other provisions, in sync with the specialized laws on science, technology, education and training.

This content is stipulated in Article 13 of the 2025 Law on Public Employees: Rights of public employees on performing professional activities and business activities.

Accordingly, civil servants are allowed to sign labor contracts or service contracts with other agencies, organizations, or units if the law on the industry or field does not prohibit or ensure that there are no conflicts of interest as prescribed by the law on corruption prevention and control, is not contrary to the agreement in the work contract, and does not violate professional ethics.

In case there is no agreement in the work contract, it must be agreed in writing by the head of the public service unit; for the head of the public service unit, it must be agreed in writing by the direct superior.

Civil servants are allowed to practice as individuals if the law on sectors and fields does not prohibit or ensure no conflict of interests as prescribed by the law on corruption prevention and control and does not violate professional ethics.

Civil servants are allowed to contribute capital, participate in managing and operating enterprises, cooperatives, hospitals, educational institutions, organize scientific research in non-public areas, except for cases where the law on corruption prevention and control, the law on enterprises or the law on sectors and fields have other provisions.

Officials are allowed to exercise other rights in business activities if they do not violate the provisions of the law on professional activities and the regulations of competent authorities.

According to Clause 5, Article 13, civil servants working at public service units in the field of science and technology, public higher education institutions are allowed to exercise the rights specified in this Article, other rights as prescribed by law on science, technology and innovation, law on enterprises and other relevant laws.

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