Administrative Manual on University Volunteers

This manual supplements the University’s policy on Volunteers (VI.B.2). Please refer specific questions to the appropriate contacts listed in the policy.

Assessment of Volunteer Services to be Provided
Screening Volunteers
Volunteer Agreements
Additional Background Screening
Reimbursement of Expenses
Annual Reports

Appendix A — Sample Volunteer Registration Form (Word)

Appendix B — Sample Consent to Volunteer Form (Word)

Appendix C — Sample Volunteer Agreement and Release (Word)

Assessment of Volunteer Services to be Provided
Departments/units are advised to consider the following questions prior to enlisting the services of a Volunteer.
- Is the task clear enough to be understood?
- Are duties and responsibilities clear?
- What resources are available for this assignment?
- Who will be the advisor or supervisor for the Volunteer?
- How long will the Volunteer position last?
- What qualifications are required?
- What are the benefits to the Volunteer?
- What are the expectations from this position?
The following lists are intended to serve as a guide to departments/units when assessing the services a Volunteer may be expected to provide and are not considered comprehensive or exhaustive. Departments/units may consult with Human Resources with regard to specific tasks or activities to determine their appropriateness.
1. Prohibited Volunteer Services
  1. Any work that displaces paid work performed by an employee or contractor of the University or any work that does not meet the definition of volunteer work according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
  2. Volunteers may not perform any service that places the Volunteer, the University or the community in substantial risk, including:
    - Any activity considered inappropriate for an employee
    - Operating heavy equipment
    - Work with hazardous materials
    - Work with or having access to export-controlled materials
    - Entry into any contract on behalf of the University
    - Commitment of the expenditure of University funds
2. Services Not Requiring a Volunteer Agreement
  
  In general, services that involve the following types of activities do not require a completed Volunteer Agreement.
  - Clerical work
  - Greeting or directing individuals at a University event
  - Phone-a-thon services
  - Distributing or collecting items at a University event
  - Public speaker
3. Services Requiring a Volunteer Agreement
  
  Services that involve the following types of activities or access require a completed Volunteer Agreement. Refer to section 3 for more information on Volunteer Agreements.
  - Key access to a building or facility
  - Direct contact with minors or other vulnerable populations (e.g., patients, persons with mental disabilities)
  - Direct contact with animals
  - Access to cash, cash equivalents, checks, credit card account information or financial information of any kind
  - Access to protected, personal, or other sensitive data or other confidential information
  - Work in a laboratory
  - Work in a facility in which biological, chemical, radiological or other hazardous materials are present
  - Services that require travel of any kind (driver or passenger)
  - Professional services
Screening Volunteers
Departments/units are required to record Sex and Violent Offender Registry Checks performed on Volunteers using the Online Volunteer Screening Verification Submission Form provided by Human Resources. If the unit is sponsoring an event that must be registered with the University in accordance with the policy on Programs Involving Minors (III.A.6), the registry check must instead be recorded in the Purdue Protection of Minors Portal.
1. Volunteer Registration and Verification
  
  A Sex and Violent Offender Registry Check must be performed on all potential Volunteers (see policy for exclusions) prior to the individual serving as a Volunteer and, for ongoing appointments, annually thereafter. Departments/units may require potential Volunteers complete a Volunteer Registration Form and provide a government-issued photo ID for verification of identity. A sample form can be found in Appendix A.
2. Non-U.S. Citizens as Volunteers
  
  As stated in the policy, a non-U.S. citizen who is in the United States on a visa may be prohibited from serving as a Volunteer or limited to certain Volunteer roles by federal law. A non-U.S. citizen who serves as a Volunteer for the University, but is not authorized by the federal government to do so, puts their legal status at risk. Departments/units need to exercise due diligence in obtaining verification that a non-U.S. citizen is permitted to serve as a Volunteer for the University in the specific role the department/unit is trying to fill. This manual provides a starting point for obtaining that verification.
  1. Individuals Prohibited from Serving as Volunteers by Federal Law
    - Anyone admitted to the U.S. in, or otherwise holding B-1 or B-2 visa status.
    - Anyone traveling under the Visa Waiver Program under an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) document.
    - An individual holding an R-1 or R-2 visa may only volunteer for the religious organization sponsoring them and only for work approved through their visa process.
  2. Individuals Advised by an Attorney that They May Perform Volunteer Work
    
    For all visa statuses other than those listed under 2.B.i above, the department/unit must recommend to the individual that they consult with a qualified immigration attorney. If the individual has done so and was advised that they may serve as a Volunteer, the department/unit may engage the individual as a Volunteer only in positions that meet all of the following criteria:
    - The service is not listed as prohibited under section 1.A above.
    - The work is performed for a civic, charitable or humanitarian purpose.
    - A U.S. citizen would typically perform the same type of work without pay under similar circumstances.
    - There is no promise, expectation or implication that the individual will receive any type of compensation or remuneration, including non-monetary benefit or future employment.
    - The Volunteer is not performing the same services for which they were previously or are currently employed in a paid position to do and/or for which they expect to be hired in the future.
    - The individual is not coerced or pressured in any way into performing the services.
    Examples that typically meet these criteria:
    - Help at a special University event outside the course of regular operations, such as a walk for cancer or a phone-a-thon to raise funds for a department.
    Examples that typically do not meet these criteria:
    - Work in a lab at the University.
    - Filing or administrative work that would otherwise be performed for compensation.
    - Routine work of a department/unit that occurs on a regular and recurring basis, even if only temporary or periodic in nature.
  3. Students and Scholars with Special Work Authorizations
    
    Individuals with the following visa statuses may be subject to further restrictions on volunteering than those listed in section 2.B.ii above. The department/unit must consult with the Office of International Students and Scholars before engaging the following individuals as Volunteers.
    - Students and scholars with a work authorization for curricular practical training (CPT), optional practical training (OPT) and/or a STEM OPT extension.
    - Students and scholars holding a J-1 visa.
  4. Questions may be directed to the Office of International Students and Scholars at 765-494-5770 or iss@purdue.edu.
3. Minors as Volunteers
  
  The parent or legal guardian of a potential Volunteer under the age of 18 must sign a Consent to Volunteer Form. A sample form may be found in Appendix B. Individuals under the age of 18 may only provide services that do not require a completed Volunteer Agreement (see section 1.C above); the same applies to parents or guardians who are supervising a dependent child under the age of 15. This provision does not apply to minors who serve as volunteers in 4-H programs.
  
  The department/unit must perform the Sex and Violent Offender Registry Check on the minor and the parent or guardian if the parent or legal guardian will be supervising the minor.
4. Checking the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website
  1. Visit the registry website: www.nsopw.gov/.
  2. Click the option to search for sex offenders.
  3. Read the conditions of use and agree to them.
  4. Search for the individual’s name.
  5. If a match(es) is found, click on the name to see the detailed information and verify whether it is the same person.
5. Checking the Indiana Sex and Violent Offender Registry
  1. Visit the registry website: https://www.icrimewatch.net/index.php?AgencyID=54663&disc=.
  2. Use the search by name.
  3. If a match(es) is found, go into the details to verify whether it is the same person.
6. Verification of a Match
  
  In the event the potential Volunteer’s information matches a record on one of the registries that individual may not volunteer. The department/unit will need to forward the information to its campus Human Resources department for further verification. Only if Human Resources is able to determine that the person listed on the registry and the potential Volunteer are not the same person may the individual volunteer.
Volunteer Agreements
If a Volunteer will be providing services that require a Volunteer Agreement (see section 1.C above), the department/unit may consult with human resources regarding language that should be included in the agreement. The agreement must be signed before any services are provided by the Volunteer, and annually thereafter if the Volunteer provides ongoing services. A sample agreement is provided in Appendix C.
Additional Background Screening
Any services that require the completion of a Volunteer Agreement (see section 1.C above) may also be services for which it would be in the best interest of the University to require additional background screening. Human Resources will assist departments/units in assessing the need for additional screening, which may include the following:
- Educational verification
- License verification
- Employment verification
- Credit history check
- Criminal history check
- Limited criminal history chec
Departments/units must consult with Human Resources prior to conducting any additional background screening in order to ensure appropriate procedures are followed. The cost for background screening will be borne by the department/unit.
Reimbursement of Expenses
Departments/units may reimburse Volunteers for actual and reasonable expenses in accordance with standard University reimbursement policies and procedures. Reimbursements are not a form of compensation nor are they linked to productivity or the performance of services.
Annual Reports
Human Resources will provide to each department/unit in September of each year a copy of the annual report from the Online Volunteer Screening Verification Submission Form of all registry checks recorded for the previous year. The Office of the Vice President for Ethics and Compliance will provide to Human Resources on the West Lafayette campus at least annually a report of all registry checks recorded in the Purdue Protection of Minors Portal for programs sponsored by a unit of the University.

Appendix A

Sample Volunteer Registration Form (Word)

Appendix B

Sample Consent to Volunteer Form (Word)

Appendix C

Sample Volunteer Agreement and Release (Word)

Table of Contents

Assessment of Volunteer Services to be Provided

Screening Volunteers

Volunteer Agreements

Additional Background Screening

Reimbursement of Expenses

Annual Reports

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C