link to Human Resources home page

U.S. Department of Justice Human Resources Guidance

Interim Procedures for Documenting Volunteer Service

red, white, and blue horizontal line
  1. Coverage:  These procedures apply to all Department components.


  2. Applicable Regulation:  Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Memorandum for Directors of Personnel, dated November 2, 2000, and Chapter 33 of the OPM Guide to Processing Personnel Actions, dated December 31, 2000.


  3. Definition:  Volunteer service includes:

    1. Student volunteer service performed under 5 U.S.C. 3111, with the permission of the institution at which the student is enrolled, as part of an agency program established for providing educational experience for the student; and


    2. Other volunteer service under programs for persons other than students as defined in the individual laws and regulations authorizing those programs.

  4. Documenting Service:

    1. Bureau Personnel Officers (BPO) will be responsible for documenting volunteer service as follows1:


      1. All volunteer service will be documented on a "welcome" letter written to the volunteer, which contains the following information:

        -  name of the volunteer;
        -  U.S. Department of Justice and the name of the employing component;
        -  position/office title which will be shown as "volunteer" or "student volunteer;"
        -  duty location;
        -  days/hours of duty; and
        -  a statement indicating that volunteer service is not creditable and/or reference of the Tort Claims Act.

      2. A sample "welcome" letter to be prepared and given to all volunteers before service is to begin, is contained in Attachment 1 (HTML version or WordPerfect file). The letter will be signed by the employing office. BPOs may establish procedures to clarify signatory authority for volunteer "welcome" letters, e.g., the immediate supervisor, staff director, or personnel officer.


      3. Since volunteers are not Federal employees under 5 U.S.C. 2105, and thereby are not appointed to a Federal position, the position title in the "welcome" letter will be shown as "volunteer" as the individual does not encumber an official position. Components may tailor the sample letter to fit organizational style/format or preference, but must include the information shown in item (a)(1) above.)


      4. When volunteer service is concluded, a "thank you" letter will be prepared and forwarded to the volunteer. The letter will contain the following information.

        -  inclusive dates of service;
        -  total hours or days worked;
        -  and guidance on obtaining documentation of volunteer service in the future.

      5. A sample "thank you" letter is contained in Attachment 2 (HTML version or WordPerfect file). The letter will be signed by the employing office. Bureau Personnel Officers may establish procedures to clarify signatory authority for volunteer "thank you" letters.


    2. For student volunteers, a student volunteer agreement will be prepared and signed by all concerned parties. This documentation is in addition to the "welcome" and "thank you" letters. The student volunteer agreement documents the permission of the student's educational institution for him or her to serve as a student volunteer, along with other important information, e.g., a statement of the service to be performed, that volunteer service is not used to displace any employee, that service is uncompensated, etc. The volunteer agreement to be completed for all student volunteers is contained in Attachment 3 (HTML version or WordPerfect file). A signed copy of the agreement will be provided to the student, the institution, the personnel office, and the original will be maintained by the employing office.

  5. Recordkeeping:

    1. Method of recordkeeping within Bureau Personnel Offices is discretionary as described below. BPOs are responsible for determining the method to be used to record volunteer service for volunteers serving within their organization. An Official Personnel Folder cannot be used to maintain volunteer service. BPOs may use any of the following methods to maintain records of volunteer service.

      1. Maintain individual volunteer service files on each volunteer. Files will contain a copy of the "welcome" and "thank you" letters; for student volunteers, a copy of the student volunteer service agreement; for other volunteers, a copy of the law or regulation authorizing the program for volunteer service; and other materials deemed relevant by the BPO, e.g., resume; and/or


      2. Develop an electronic database system to record volunteer service. The system must provide for the ability to track and maintain required data on each volunteer. The required data must include the name of the volunteer; the name of the employing component; duty location; days/hours of duty; inclusive dates of service; and total hours or days worked. If a database system is used to record volunteer service, copies of the "welcome" and "thank you" letters, student volunteer service agreement if applicable, or law or regulation authorizing the program for the volunteer service, and other relevant materials will be maintained by the supervisor, or as defined by the BPO; or


      3. Bureau Personnel Offices may continue to input volunteer service data into their automated payroll/personnel system (i.e., PeopleSoft, the National Finance Center (NFC), etc.). However, no SF-50 will be generated2. Reports can be generated from these systems to track volunteer service. If this method is used, the nature of action code (NOAC) for hiring is 928 and the NOAC for separation is 929. Copies of the "welcome" and "thank you" letters, student volunteer service agreement if applicable, or law or regulation authorizing the program for the volunteer service, and other relevant materials, will be maintained by the supervisor, or as defined by the BPO; or


      4. Use of other automated systems that provide for electronic recordkeeping. If chosen, copies of the "welcome" and "thank you" letters, student volunteer service agreement if applicable, or law or regulation authorizing the program for the volunteer service, and other relevant materials will be maintained by the supervisor, or as defined by the BPO; or


      5. Establish a notebook binder, with alphabetical indexes, for filing volunteer service records. Records for each volunteer would include copies of the "welcome" and "thank you" letters, student volunteer service agreement if applicable, or law or regulation authorizing the program for the volunteer service, and other relevant documents; or


      6. Establish microformed records, e.g., microfilm or microfiche. If chosen, copies of the "welcome" and "thank you" letters, student volunteer service agreement if applicable, or law or regulation authorizing the program for the volunteer service,and other relevant materials will be maintained by the supervisor, or as defined by the BPO.

  6. Safeguards:

    1. BPOs will ensure that volunteer service records are safeguarded, e.g., in locked desks, metal filing cabinets, a secured room, etc., to prevent loss or destruction of records.


  7. Disposition Schedule:

    1. The disposition schedule for volunteer service records is as follows:


      1. Volunteer service files will be maintained for five years. (Note to readers: this time frame coincides with the period of time data is currently maintained by NFC.) After five years, service files may be destroyed by shredding or burning.


      2. Automated records may be maintained indefinitely as a basis for longitudinal work history statistical data or for a minimum of five years. After five years, records may be destroyed by erasing or as appropriate.


      3. Records maintained by supervisors or as defined by the BPOs (see items (5)(a)(2), (3) and (4) above) will be kept for five years, and may be destroyed thereafter by shredding or burning as appropriate.


  8. Requests for Documentation of Volunteer Service:

    1. BPOs are responsible for responding to requests from former volunteers for documentation of volunteer service.


1  An SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) cannot be used to document volunteer service.

2  We are requesting, in writing, that NFC no longer produce an SF-50 on any volunteer service actions keyed by Department components. This request is being made since volunteer service can no longer be documented on an SF-50. This change in procedures may take up to four weeks to be effective.



Return to the TOP

red, white, and blue horizontal line

Page created May 9, 2001
usdoj/jmd/ps/wdt