Can I take a second job in Czechia?
Yes — and in a different field you ask nobody. The Labour Code restricts one thing only: gainful activity identical to your employer's business scope — that needs their prior written consent (revocable in writing; you must then stop without undue delay). A waiter may code in the evenings; a developer may not moonlight for a competitor without consent. Always free: scientific, teaching, journalistic, literary and artistic work. With the same employer a second contract works only for a different type of work. Mind your rest: working-time limits don't legally add up across employers, but fatigue does.
📋 The rules
- Different field: no consent, no notification
- Employer's own field: prior written consent (§ 304)
- Consent is revocable in writing — you must then stop
- Always free: science, teaching, journalism, literature, art
- Same employer: second contract only for a different work type
🔓 Exceptions
- Post-employment non-compete clauses: a separate contract (mandatory financial compensation)
- Civil servants: stricter special regimes
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Working in the employer's field without consent: a duty breach — warnings up to dismissal (§ 52 g), plus damages where harm arose. Not criminal; the consequences are labour-law ones.
📎 Official sources
- Finance.cz · When employer consent is needed (CS) →
- Dostupný advokát · Two jobs at once (CS) →
- Měšec · Consent for side jobs and business (CS) →
❓ Frequently asked
Must I report a second job?
No — no notification duty exists; consent is needed only when the field matches your employer's business.
What exactly is a "matching field"?
The employer's registered business scope — not your position. An accountant at an engineering firm needs consent for outside bookkeeping only if the firm also sells accounting.
Can the boss revoke consent?
Yes, in writing with reasons — you must then end the competing activity without undue delay.
Does § 304 cover casual DPP work?
Yes — it applies to all basic employment relationships, agreements included.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “second job czech republic”
- “moonlighting consent czechia”
- “side business employee czech”
- “non compete czech labour”
- “two jobs czech law”