2125 - Volunteer Relief Leave Program
Category
Leave
Audience List
- Employee Relations Officers
- Personnel Officers
- Personnel Transactions Supervisors
Synopsis
This policy
- Provides information on employees who want to volunteer for fire relief work.
Introduction
The administration has authorized Administrative Time Off (ATO) for up to 5,000 permanent state employees who want to volunteer for fire relief work in Butte County.
Statement
The administration has authorized ATO for up to 5,000 permanent state employees who want to volunteer for fire relief work in Butte County.
ATO is limited to 40 hours for eligible employees. To be eligible, employees must volunteer for a recognized Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) organization, in the county listed above. The recognized CalOES partner is Butte County. Butte County created a website that contains links to available volunteer opportunities, which includes the job description and the number of volunteers needed.
Employees who wish to volunteer can go to the Butte County Recovers website linked in the resources section below. Employees should read each job description and follow the instructions to apply.
Employees who wish to volunteer beyond the 40 hours of ATO, may do so using their own leave credits.
Departments should use discretion when granting leave requests. While departments are encouraged to grant time off for employees to carry out this critical public service, they must also consider operational needs and budget constraints.
CalHR needs to know how many requests are being approved to ensure it does not exceed 5,000 employees. Beginning Wednesday, November 21, please submit to the Personnel Services Branch (psb@calhr.ca.gov) the number of employees who you have approved to take ATO utilizing the spreadsheet in the forms section below. Each Wednesday thereafter, please update the spreadsheet and send in an email as stated above.
Application
Employees must provide substantiation that the time spent was for the specified purpose in the specified county. CalHR has provided a letter template in the resources section below. As substantiation, the employee must have the letter signed and dated by a representative of the organization they are assigned to volunteer for. Departments should create the letter using their own letterhead and ensure the employee submits the letter with their timesheet.
Although ATO is a paid leave, it does not count as time worked for overtime purposes. In addition, time spent volunteering in excess of the employee’s regular work schedule is not compensated.
If any of the provisions provided in this policy are in conflict with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the MOU supersedes.
Authorities
- Bargaining Contracts - MOUs
- California Code of Regulations, title 2, section 599.785.5
- Government Code section 19991.10
Resources
Forms
- Letter Template: Volunteer Relief Employee Substantiation
- Volunteer Relief Tracking: Volunteer Relief Tracking
Related Policies
- 2121 - Administrative Time Off: 2121 - Administrative Time Off
Web Pages
- Volunteer: Butte County Recovers
Authorized By
Melissa Russell
Chief
Personnel Management Division
Contact Person
Personnel Services Branch
Personnel Program Consultant
, Personnel Services Branch
Phone: 916-909-3702
Fax: 916-327-1886
Email: psb@calhr.ca.gov
Superseded Policies
Not Applicable.History
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