I agree 100% with you.

A volunteer is not paid, regardless of what their educational background is. That's what a "volunteer" is. Their actions seem greedy and elitist to me.

I have volunteered with several organizations over my 30+ year career, you are exactly right. The definition of volunteer is: "a person who performs a service willingly and without pay." One a person accepts payment they become an employee and are entitled to all the benefits as such. That's a line most organizations do not wish to cross.

My college degree never earned me a penny for my volunteer efforts, even as chairman of the Red Cross for several years. I don't believe I even turned in an expense report asking for reimbursement for out of pocket expenses I incurred on their behalf. It's called "Giving Back".

I have a college degree, and when I volunteer, I VOLUNTEER--I wouldn't ask for NOR ACCEPT money for volunteer work.

Is this being treated as a real job? Have these 'volunteers' filled out the necessary forms? , do they get 1040's at the end of the year? and do they pay taxes on this money? If they're getting paid, I hope it's all being done legitimately.

There are agencies that have some paid staff, and some volunteers. And example--The Seeing Eye (guide dogs for the blind)--has many paid staff members such as breeders, dog trainers, staff for the facility where the blind are housed during training, etc. BUT they also have volunteers who raise the puppies, 4-H leaders who run the puppy-raising clubs, volunteers who participate in fund-raising and other activities that help make the program work. I know of a number of agencies that have some paid staff and some volunteer staff--it's not that unusua, really.

However, that doesn't sound exactly like what you mean--it sounds like some of the volunteers have just taken it into their heads that they're better than others.

Frankly? I don't see that it's worth getting too upset over, though. It's my experience that in any community, there are so many places that need volunteers, that I'd have no problem seeking out an opportunity that was a better fit for me.

They are then paid employees if they receive money for their work. Plain and simple.

You need a new board of directors and some legal advice. No, most volunteers do not get paid (I never did) and if I could afford it, even donate postage and gas etc. And yes I have a college degree. Let us know what kind of group it is--National, local or just a group of people.

with paid workers that can create a conflict with it being a purely voluntary based business. It can certainly reflect in taxes and such. do these paid workers file taxes on this money? This could open a big can of worms....

A voluntary organization is just that voluntary.
Perhaps someone needs to provide them with a dictionary.

Four out of five of the members of the board of directors of a charity I was involved with resigned when the President wanted to be compensated for gas mileage at 40 cents a km when it wasn't approved by a previous motion. Educational level has nothing to do with it. Greed does.

I have been volunteering for 30+ years with several large and small organizations. I've worked in the trenches and also sat on Boards. I have never heard of a volunteer being paid. We have had many volunteers who were hired on as staff, and once that happened they were no longer volunteers. I work side by side with CEO's of forutne 500 companies, PhD's, etc... and not once have I heard them say they deserve more because of their education or status. If anything, they like to remain anonymous.

Your Board of Directors is way off base. Are any of these paid "volunteers" related to or have a close relationship with a Board member?

It is no longer volunteering once one has been compensated with anything more than a good feeling in one's heart and appreciation by the organization.

Question "Do you feel some volunteers should be paid for the work that they do? "
Answer -Not no, but HELL NO!!!!

By legal definition a volunteer is one who performs a service without the expectation of compensation.

Even the mere suggestion of compensation can and most assuredly will have some very serious ramifications to your organization.

1. Most civic organizations that rely upon volunteers also rely upon donations for their funding. In turn those who make those donations generally do so with the understanding that their contribution will ultimately be used for the intended purpose of the organization. Let the word get out that even a portion of that money is used to compensate volunteers for their time rather than performing the intended service and you can quickly begin kissing your donations good bye.

Second, if your service involves a direct service to the general public such as elder care, a free soup kitchen or a first aid station and such you are covered under the Good Samaritan Law, which means you cannot be sued for liability, but if you receive a compensation in any form, you are then legally defined as a paid employee and you could and most assuredly would be legally held responsible for any liability that results from your service.

Now in regards to their college degree. Truely educated people do not flaunt their degree. Those who feel compelled to flaunt their degrees are the draft dodgers, malingerers and social misfits who hide in college on mom & dads dime until the credits catch up to them and they have a degree. Suddenly they feel as if they are now a pillar of society, baloney.

Acouple questions ...who's budget are they being paid from ? If tis organization raising funds to support a cause, would people donate if they think their donations aren't fully going where they expect?

If this is a 503 group..could this effect their status?

Those above are right..Egos and greed are what this is about.

I volunteer as a counselor, and my fellow volunteers are retired nurses, social workers, PhD. psychologists, licensed family therapists, teachers, business people, and others. We also have paid staff who supervise the counselors, handling very knotty problems, do intake on new clients, and complete all the monthly/annual reporting paperwork for every organization that gives us money, such as the Area Agency on Aging and United Way, etc.

We do get some limited funds from a mental health program funded by state taxes, and that goes to volunteers who drive 5 or more miles each way per client visit, $5 per trip (both ways). Most everyone who gets those dollars donate it back to the organization.

I agree with you, volunteers are not paid. Yes, you may reimburse certain out-of-pocket expenses, but only according to guidelines laid out in advance.

Of course a volunteer is a volunteer and not paid but without knowing all your specifics it's hard to answer your question.

Say the board has a budget to pay someone to run an event. If they hire a volunteer to run that event and pay them as coordinator of that event then that may be ok. And who better to hire than a known volunteer and how better to differentiate who to hire than using education?

Without being on the board yourself you may not have all the facts. Have you tried going to a meeting and presenting your question? I can almost assure you, you probably don't have all the facts.

And, if a board member wants to be reimbursed for mileage, they probably should. Lots of board members eat costs like that but they shouldn't necessarily be required to eat expenses.

I volunteer at the hospital and we recently had this BIG controversy that's kinda the opposite of yours. They wanted volunteers to PAY to volunteer. Well, you can just imagine the chaos over that. I told them I volunteered, and paying dues was like an oxymoron to me, and I would not pay and none of my buddies would. It was so ludicrous. To be paid to volunteer takes the volunteering out of it, that's an employee, not a volunteer.

I also volunteer at a school and this subject has never come up, or the matter of paying dues. There are lots of venues begging for volunteers, so it beocmes an easy choice.

I have done lots of volunteer work and I have never been paid. I also used to work for non-profit orgs that used many volunteers and none were paid. One volunteer in a very small org was paid $5 a day to help cover her commuting costs. She was their only volunteer.

I worked at a hospital and volunteers got to park for free and a free soda with lunch.

Volunteers need to remember that they can deduct the cost of driving to their volunteer work from their taxes.

OP---could you please let us know if these answers helped you.
Thanks

Vannie, Pay to volunteer? I would be out of there so fast all they would see is the burnout tracks on the pavement! Are you serious? For what reason?

Thanks everyone for your replies. Most of you feel like I do.

I have been with this group for 8 years and it has been within the past 2-3 years that certain ones have begun to expect pay for their time. I have attended some of the board meetings and it was at one of these meetings I mentioned that I didn't feel it was right or necessary to pay these so called volunteers for doing what they should be doing without demanding payment. It was the president that said she felt if they weren't paid, then we probably wouldn't be able to provide these programs, but that's not true. I know there are some who would without expecting any payment. After all that's what this organization was originally about was being run by volunteers.

Our group is affiliated with a state park. Our revenue is received through donation boxes inside the parks center and also through a small volunteer run gift shop. The donations have helped purchase benches and other equipment for the parks visitors to use. Everyone that actually volunteers has helped out in the gift shop, as trail guides, at the centers info counter and even the bookkeeper and board members are not compensated.

The few that are wanting/receiving payment are giving talks about nature and the parks history. A certain one has decided this is a great way to supplement her income and has signed up to do several programs throughout the coming year. As word has gotten out about being paid for doing this type of thing, a few newcomers have shown interest in doing such programs for pay, not really being interested in actually volunteering any time doing anything else.

They are not given tax forms at the end of the year and as far as I can tell it is all money under the table. I am not talking about small pay here either. It is a hefty sum for the 1 hour programs.

These programs aren't any different than when another volunteer would take a group out for a hike or a talk on the flora or fauna of the area, but these people are not paid for their time.

There are others in this group that agree with me, but are afraid to speak up for fear of causing hard feelings.

I know there are other places to volunteer at, but I like the work we do at this park and I have met some great people that have turned into very good friends. I have recently cut down on the time I do spend there and I have stopped working in the gift shop. Since that is where the most money comes from, I don't feel right donating my time to make money so someone else can get paid.

I guess until there are new board members this type of thing will continue, but I think they will also lose out on some very good volunteers.

I'll link to the California State Parks guidelines for volunteers and docents. I suppose that if the people who are so highly skilled want to be on the payroll, they'll have to go thru an official state park hiring process, pay taxes, etc. Maybe that will end such nonsense.

I also know that the high trained volunteers at our world-renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium are volunteers. The go thru extensive training, some are retired professions in teaching or marine biology and some put in a lot of hours each week.

I think you might contact the state and ask if you have guidelines that spell all this out. There should be a rule book to follow!

Here is a link that might be useful: guidelines

I can tell you no matter how good the intentions of volunteers are, volunteers are not always dependable.

With that being said, it sounds like the programs have to be run by a paid person. Possibly a grant or something was issued to pay for them to be done. Often nonprofits receiving money from entities have to follow their guidelines. And a requirement from one of them may be that there programs have paid employees presenting them to mandate a budget and to be able to get funds issued to your group. (In other words, they have to show needs on various levels and paying someone defines those needs... if they don't pay for that job, certian funding/monies may not be availible to them). It's very complicated but there's probably more to the story than you know.

And, money has to be accountable. It will get caught by an audit and board members aren't going to risk that to pay Joe $20. Possibly board members are just "tipping" out of their own pockets? I don't know, but I really don't think you know all the ins and outs of what they are doing. It seems like gossip and speculation and pettiness. Quite honestly if you want to volunteer, volunteer. If other people get paid or want to be paid, that's not really your business. You're just a volunteer. You shouldn't worry if Fred is getting paid or not.

Although I don't know all the specifics, I'm highly suspicious of theft and fraud being involved here. This needs to be reported to the IRS (those employees should receive 1099s or W2s) and to the Attorney General. This is public funds being abused.

Paying for a college degree is typical college snob attitude. "I'm worth more than you" but so often someone with experience knows more. College does not equal competence. You buy a college degree, you don't earn it. Reading a script requires a college degree? Hardly. Nope, this whole thing stinks.

Sounds like this gravy train needs to be brought under control. I'd be irate if my donations were being stolen like this. And if you are being paid, you are not a volunteer and it also can lead to conflicts of interest.

The only way anyone can condone a "turn your head" attitude on this is to also condone the ones stealing money from the Salvation Army pails that also happens often. That money has an intended use and is being stolen and AFAIC you have an obligation to blow the whistle. Whether you like it or not, you're involved and someone has to take a stand.

Another possibility is if you have a local news organization with a good investigative team, they could investigate it too.

This sounds like a group with good intentions. Don't turn your back on them. Fight to make it right. Kudos to you for realizing this and taking the first steps to stand up to wrong.