Volunteer

Many university departments use volunteers to augment their staff. These individuals perform various professional and administrative functions and when performing these duties, they act as "agents" of the University, just like any paid employee. Utilize the Appointment MOU for Voluntary Work to clarify the individual's role and identify the university's responsibilities.

A "volunteer" is defined as a non-paid person who performs a prescribed university function or responsibility that has been approved by the department head. The casual, non-employee who may watch the office telephone for a few minutes, or someone's son or daughter who helps file papers for a couple hours on a weekend, is not considered a "volunteer".

There should be no compensation, per se, for the voluntary work. However, the volunteer should be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses related to university work and may participate in departmental activities at no cost, such as attending a theater production. Any gratuities should be reasonable and commensurate with the level and type of work performed.

Volunteers are covered by the university's liability insurance for simple negligent acts and omissions when acting as agents of George Mason University (GMU) within the course and scope of their assignment. This protection does not extend to improper conduct, the willful disregard of safety practices, or illegal activities. If the volunteer is injured while working, the university has a $10,000 medical payment insurance policy to assist in covering the medical expenses. Both the Risk Management Office (993-2599) and Workers' Compensation (993-2600) should be notified immediately in the event of a mishap.