Policy For Establishing Volunteer Relationships

The talent and services of volunteers are important to Skidmore College in accomplishing its mission. Although volunteers are not employees of the college, as with employees it is important to establish standards and guidelines for volunteer services so that both the volunteer and the college understand the parameters of the volunteer relationship.To assist college departments in establishing volunteer relationships, Human Resources has developed the following policy.

College departments should use the Volunteer Agreement and Release (VAR) form prior to the commencement of any person participating in a volunteer relationship with the college. Federal laws define and regulate volunteer relationships; as a result there are some instances where, by law, the college will not be able to engage in a volunteer relationship. To learn more about federal regulations concerning volunteer relationships, please visit the Department of Labor website. Please contact Human Resources prior to filling out the VAR form to ensure that your intended volunteer relationship is legally permissible.

1. Prior to the beginning of the volunteer relationship contact the Assistant Director for EEO and Workforce Diversity in Human Resources at ext. 5819 for advice and guidance as to whether the relationship is permissible by law.Once it has been determined that the volunteer relationship is legally permissible, the appropriate departmental administrator should complete the VAR form.The Volunteer Agreement and Release form includes:

a. The name of the volunteer and the name of the college department or office;

b. A schedule of the days of the week and times it is anticipated that the volunteer will be performing services for the college or a listing of the hours per week the volunteer will be serving;

c. The name(s) of staff who will oversee the volunteer's service; and

d. A listing of the specific services the volunteer will be performing for the college.

2. After the specific information is added to the VAR form, it should be signed by the volunteer and then the department head or director.A copy of the fully executed VAR form should be given to the volunteer, an additional copy should be retained by the department, and the original should be sent to Human Resources.

3. At the time of signing the VAR form, the volunteer should be given a copy of the most current version of the brochure entitled "Anti-Harassment Overview of Policy and Procedures," which details the college's anti-harassment policies. Additionally, if the volunteer is over the age of 18, a background check will be required.

4. If the volunteer is not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, the volunteer must provide documentation of their visa status. Due to U.S. Department of Labor regulations (FLSA), individuals on a temporary visa may not serve as volunteers in positions where others receive compensation to perform the same services. Individuals with a pending H-1B visa application to work at Skidmore College cannot serve as volunteers.