In a landmark ruling, the High Court of Justice in Madrid has granted a Guardia Civil officer from Costa Teguise, Lanzarote, the right to pursue a second career as a DJ.
This decision reverses an earlier ruling by the Ministry of the Interior that had rejected his request to balance his public job with his private DJ performances.
The court's decision allows the officer to work as a DJ in his own time, as long as he meets his responsibilities and schedule as a public servant. This case began with a decision in June 2024, which denied his request because his job-related pay exceeded the 30% limit of his base salary.
According to current rules, this limit prevents public employees from supplementing their income from having additional private jobs.
However, the High Court's Administrative Litigation Chamber, following recent Supreme Court guidance, decided that only the parts of his pay directly related to the job's nature, like danger or difficulty, should be considered. The court found that his earnings were within the acceptable limit, allowing him to take on the DJ role.
The ruling emphasizes that the officer's right to work as a DJ is contingent upon the strict fulfilment of his duties with the Guardia Civil, ensuring that his new role does not interfere with his official work hours or responsibilities.
Furthermore, the court has ordered the Ministry to cover the legal costs of the proceedings, up to 500 euros, while leaving the door open for an appeal to the Supreme Court.
