It is the policy of the Commonwealth to grant employees up to 16 hours of paid leave in any leave year to provide volunteer services through eligible non-profit organizations within or outside their communities. Such service may be provided as a member of a service organization or through authorized school assistance.
The Code of Virginia increases from 16 to 24 the number of hours of paid leave in any leave year (in addition to other paid leave) that may be allowed to state employees to serve with a volunteer fire department and rescue squad or auxiliary unit thereof. Note: This time is not in addition to the 16 hours of paid volunteer service leave to provide other volunteer services or school assistance.
Leave under this policy may be used for providing volunteer service through volunteering for non-profit organizations or for school assistance as outlined below.
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteer Fire Departments and Rescue Squads - Members of volunteer fire departments and rescue squads, or auxiliary units thereof, shall be granted paid leave of up to 24 hours under this policy in accordance with ยง2.2-2821.2 of the Code of Virginia.
Other Volunteer Service Activities - Employees may be granted paid leave under this policy to provide voluntary service as part of an organized service project sponsored by a community, national or other service organization. For example, an employee could be granted volunteer leave to:
- deliver meals to the elderly or to needy community citizens through an organization such as Meals on Wheels;
- attend non-profit boards and committee meetings (Scouts, Big Brother/Big Sister, Red Cross, etc.);
- participate in activities directly related to non-profit fundraising (e.g., set up/take down, registration, answering phones, recruiting/organizing/training volunteers);
- do yard work, painting, cleaning, maintenance through a non-profit organization, or;
- volunteer for Scouts, Big Brother/Big Sister, or other non-profit organization.
School Assistance
Employees with children may be granted paid leave under this policy to:
- meet with a teacher or administrator of a public or private preschool, elementary school, middle school, or high school concerning their children, step-children, or children for whom the employee has legal custody;
- b attend a school function in which such children are participating.
Any employee may be granted paid leave under this policy to perform volunteer work approved by any teacher or school administrator to assist a public preschool, elementary school, middle school, or high school.
Home Schooling: Employees may be granted paid leave under this policy to assist in the education of their child (or step-child or child for whom the employee has legal custody) in state-approved home education curricula, including meetings with local school board officials and required field trips.
For additional details and for administrative procedures, please see the DHRM policy for School Assistance and Volunteer Service Leave.