Volunteers are meant to support the University in furthering its mission of teaching, research, and public service, and to provide valuable experience to volunteers. This requires careful planning on behalf of the volunteer supervisor to create a productive, safe and mutually beneficial environment for volunteers and for the campus. They can do this by setting appropriate expectations, goals and clarifying roles and responsibilities for both volunteers and their sponsoring department to accomplish such goals.
Defining a volunteer
What is a volunteer?
- A volunteer is an individual providing service directly to and under the supervision of the university with no promise or expectation of compensation
- Volunteers should be primarily shadowing, observing, and learning from existing staff, including Principal Investigators in the department or unit for a period of time. Individuals volunteer as a public service, for civic and humanitarian as well as personal development reasons. Volunteers freely donate their services without promise or expectation of pay or future employment. It is critical in protecting the interests of both the University and the volunteer that their work status as “volunteer” be distinct and separate from the status of paid employees. However, it is the responsibility of the department director or manager to oversee their work to ensure that volunteers comply with all applicable University policies as well as all State and Federal laws. Volunteers do not have an employment relationship with the University and are not covered by Personnel Policies for Staff Members, or by Academic Personnel Policies.
What is a volunteer NOT allowed to do?
- A volunteer should not perform duties that an employee would otherwise perform and be paid for. Are activities of the volunteer(s) supplementing duties performed by regular employees? Or are they displacing regular employees? If displacing, assignment cannot go forward. This is particularly sensitive when it comes to those duties performed by staff. Such duties typically include data collection or data entry.
- Students cannot be volunteers when the services they provide are part of a curriculum leading to an academic degree, professional licensure, or certification.
- Interns, subject to affiliation agreements with other educational institutions and community organizations, cannot be appointed as volunteers because their activities are part of an ongoing educational program.
- Volunteers cannot perform work for which they may have previously received compensation as an employee of the University.
Best Practices and Guidelines
What are acceptable duties for a volunteer:
- Volunteers perform a service under the University's supervision.The service is entirely uncompensated; in exchange for the performance of the service, the volunteer derives no academic recognition or any other form of tangible benefit. The service cannot job duties or responsibilities of other employees on campus.
- Volunteer services may be used to support the University in furthering its mission of teaching, research, and public service, and to provide valuable experience to volunteers.
How long can a volunteer be appointed?
- Volunteer services cannot be used to fulfill the work of full-time and/or long- term assignments. By their nature, volunteer services must be provided on a part-time, limited-term, or sporadic basis. Accordingly, the department should determine a reasonable end date (up to one year) for the volunteer assignment.
When can a volunteer begin?
Volunteer services should not commence unless and until the individual has completed the requirements below:
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Departmental approval via google form
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HR processing of volunteer appointment in UCPath and forms have been completed
Can a volunteer be appointed outside of the US?
- Due to export control and additional risk factors, volunteers cannot be appointed outside of the U.S.
Can volunteers perform their duties remotely?
- Volunteers should be under direct supervision and having them perform duties remotely, generally does not satisfy this.
What are alternatives solutions if your volunteer cannot be appointed
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Proactively work with your RA to submit for grant funding so that you can hire employees.