Conditions of Staff Volunteers

Library employees can volunteer, even as a “library team” member, for other causes. These could include a fund-raising walk/run/ride for some charitable effort such as medical research, hunger, etc.

Such volunteerism must not make an employee feel coerced or pressured. No manager, supervisor, or other person in a position of authority should require, suggest, request, or imply that other employees should or must volunteer for any effort. To provide information about the activity is acceptable. Crossing the line is not.

Employees participate in these activities completely on their own. They are not covered by workers’ compensation while doing so. They cannot have the expectation of pay or compensatory time off for the volunteer activities. They must participate in the activity on their own time.

In the 1985 amendments to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Congress made it clear that people are allowed to volunteer their services to public agencies and their community with but one exception - public sector employers may not allow their employees to volunteer without compensation, additional time to do the same work for which they are employed.

Traditionally, the Library System has allowed its employees to volunteer for activities that are not the same work for which they are employed. There is a fine line between the two: the same work for which they are employed and volunteer activities that are not the same work. Perhaps some examples might provide a better picture of what an employee could or could not do.

Permissible:

1. An accounting technician in the Business Office could volunteer to read stories at the Library booth at SeptemberFest at the Governor's Mansion, since programming is not a part of the duties of an accounting technician.
2. A circulation clerk could take money at the Friends Booksale, since while circulation clerks regularly accept payments for fines and lost books, they are volunteering their services to the Friends, a separate organization from the Library System.
3. A librarian could ride on a float entered by the Library in the Fourth of July parade, since riding in parades isn't a part of any employee's duties.

Not Permissible:

1. A librarian coming in to help shelve books for the opening of the new Downtown Library/Learning Center, since librarians do this type of activity in their own jobs and are paid for it, particularly during remodeling, re-carpeting, etc.
2. A maintenance mechanic could not volunteer to come in to paint a special children's area display, since painting is a typical duty of that job.
3. A children's programming specialist could not volunteer to read stories at SeptemberFest, because presenting programs is a normal part of their duties. Library employees can volunteer, even as a "library team" member, for other causes. These could include a fund-raising walk/run/ride for some charitable effort such as medical research, hunger, etc.