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Volunteers

A great way to celebrate the University of West Florida (UWF) community and show Argo pride is through volunteering for various projects and events with university offices and departments, on and off-campus. Volunteering offers a wide range of benefits for both the volunteer and UWF including skill development, networking, community impact, and a sense of purpose. We hope you will consider volunteering with the university or hosting a volunteer in your office or department.

Volunteer Definition

A volunteer is any person who, of their own free will, provides services to UWF with no monetary or material compensation, on a continuous, occasional, or one-time basis.

Responsibilities for Supervising Volunteers

  • Initiate and submit a Volunteer Agreement prior to allowing the volunteer to begin any volunteer duties.
  • Require the volunteer to review and agree to adhere to the UWF Drug Free Workplace Policy‌ and the Detection, Reporting and Investigating Fraud and Misconduct‌.
  • Record the number, location and duties of volunteers.
  • Advise volunteers that they are entitled to workers’ compensation and state liability protection under the same conditions as UWF employees.
  • Inform volunteers that they must perform volunteer services in a professional manner and in accordance with the policies and procedures of UWF.
  • Provide direction and guidance to the volunteer as appropriate.

The responsible UWF faculty/staff supervisor should communicate to the volunteer the expectations for attendance, performance of activities, and compliance with UWF policies and applicable laws and provide instruction/training as necessary to ensure the individual has the knowledge and skills needed to perform their designated volunteer activities.

Volunteer Considerations and Limitations

  • A UWF employee may not volunteer to perform services for the university that are identical or similar to their duties as an employee.
  • A recently separated/former UWF employee may not volunteer to perform services for the university that are identical or similar to their duties as an employee.
  • Individuals may not volunteer when they are a potential new hire awaiting completion of pre-employment or new hire essential documents.
  • For international students, there are specific restrictions regarding volunteer service, email hr@uwf.edu regarding these situations/circumstances.
  • A person is only considered a volunteer if their services were rendered of their own free will, without pressure or coercion.
  • Volunteers may not be used as a replacement of an employee position.
  • Any individual who appears on the Florida Sexual Offenders and Predators Registry, Florida Department of Corrections Offender Network, National Sexual Predator Registry, or Online Wanted Persons Search shall not serve in a volunteer capacity for UWF or affiliated organizations.
  • All volunteers must be at least 14 years of age.
  • Volunteers may be released at any time, for any reason, and without prior notice.

Process to Onboard a Volunteer

If an office or department will utilize a volunteer, the department must initiate and submit a Volunteer Agreement prior to allowing the volunteer to begin any volunteer duties. Volunteer Agreements must be initiated by a Department Contact or the volunteer’s Supervisor. Volunteers must be at least 14 years of age or have parental consent to serve in a volunteer capacity and must review and agree to adhere to the UWF Drug Free Workplace Policy and the Detection, Reporting and Investigating Fraud and Misconduct policy. Some volunteers require a background screening, depending on the area, program, or population they will encounter during the course and scope of volunteer service and cannot begin volunteering until the department has been notified by Human Resources that the background is complete. Please review the Information on VECHS Level 2 Screenings for more information.

Volunteer Requirements for Recent Retirees of the Florida Retirement System

The Florida Retirement System has made allowances for retirees to serve in a volunteer capacity after retirement provided the department adheres to the following requirements as stated in s. 121.091(15).

(15) VOLUNTEER SERVICES. — Employers may establish post-employment volunteer programs to allow retirees to provide civic, charitable, and humanitarian services during the first 12calendar months following retirement without causing the retiree to violate the requirement concerning termination of employment as defined in 26 C.F.R. s. 1.409A-1(h)(1)(ii), provided that the program meets all of the following criteria:

(a) Before the date of retirement, there was no agreement or understanding between the employer and the retiree that the retiree would provide any service for the employer.

(b) The employer or a third party may not provide any form of compensation, including any cash equivalents, to a volunteer for his or her volunteer service.

(c) Except as otherwise provided in law, a volunteer may not be provided any employee benefits, including health or life insurance benefits. However, a volunteer may be provided certain perquisites necessary for, and for the limited purpose of, completing tasks associated with the volunteer program, such as an assigned uniform or the provision of equipment.

(d) The number of volunteer hours per week, including training hours, that the volunteer may provide is no more than 20 percent of the number of hours that the volunteer was expected to work per week before his or her date of retirement.

(e) There is a clear distinction between the duties of a volunteer and the duties of an employee.

(f) The schedule of a volunteer, including the number of hours volunteered and the number and type of assignments for which he or she agrees to volunteer, is controlled by the volunteer.

(g) The employer and the retiree are both required to maintain adequate records to document adherence to the criteria listed in this subsection. The records must be made available to the department or state board upon request.

Feel free to contact Human Resources at hr@uwf.edu or 850.474.2694 with any questions regarding volunteer agreements.