Faculty Community Service Leave

In recognition of the State’s diverse needs for volunteers to support schools, communities, citizens, and non-profit charitable corporations, each constituent institution shall establish a program for awarding Community Service leave to faculty, with appropriate policies, rules, procedures and criteria for the administration and reporting of such leave, subject to the basic requirements set forth below. Community Service Leave may be granted to (1) parents for child involvement in the schools, (2) any employee for volunteer activity in the schools or in a Community Service organization, or (3) any employee for tutoring and mentoring in the schools. In addition, there are special guidelines providing for Emergency Service, Blood and Bone Marrow Donorship, and Disaster Service Volunteer with the American Red Cross. All faculty are encouraged to volunteer in support of North Carolina’s schools, communities, citizens and non-profit organizations.

A. Community Service Leave: Faculty who are permanent halftime (50% FTE) or more and in leave earning status shall be awarded twenty-four (24) hours of Community Service Leave annually which may be used for volunteer participation in the programs, services and organizations indicated below, or elect to receive an award equivalent to one (1) hour each week that a public school is in session. The latter award is to be used exclusively for mentoring or tutoring students in North Carolina schools.

(1) Leave for Child Involvement and School Volunteerism: Faculty may use all or part of their annual allotment of Community Service Leave to volunteer time in support of programs and services in public and private elementary, middle and high schools, and licensed public and private day care and pre-school settings. A parent may use this leave to meet with a teacher or administrator concerning the parent’s child or may attend any educational function sponsored by the school in which the child is participating.

(2) Leave for Non-Profit Organization Volunteerism: Faculty may use all or part of their annual 24-hour allotment of Community Service Leave to volunteer time in non-profit, non-partisan community organizations which are designated as 501(c)(3) agencies under the Internal Revenue Code, or human services organizations licensed or accredited to serve citizens with special needs including children, youth, and the elderly.

(3) Leave for Tutoring and Mentoring in North Carolina Schools: In lieu of the 24-hour award as noted above, employees may elect to receive one (1) hour of volunteer leave for each week that public schools are in session, up to a maximum of 36 hours, as documented by a local Board of Education. This leave award shall be used exclusively for tutoring or mentoring a student in accordance with established standards, rules and guidelines for such arrangements as determined and documented by joint agreement with the employee’s agency or university and the school. A “school” is one that is authorized to operate under the laws of the State of North Carolina and is an elementary school, middle school, high school, or childcare program.

B. Blood and Bone Marrow Donorship: A faculty member should be encouraged to use the privilege and opportunity to participate in life giving through blood and bone marrow donorship. Faculty who are permanent halftime (50% FTE) or more and in leave earning status shall be given reasonable time off with pay for whole blood donation, pheresis procedure and bone marrow transplant.

C. Emergency Services: Each institution must establish a policy to provide time off with pay to faculty who are appointed for nine months or more and work halftime (50% FTE) or more and who are participating in volunteer emergency and rescue services if a bona fide need for such services exists within a given area. A bona fide need is defined as real or imminent danger to life or property. Each policy should require sufficient proof of the faculty member’s membership in an emergency volunteer organization and that the performance of such emergency services will not unreasonably hinder university activity for which the faculty member is responsible. In emergency situations, which are not covered by an emergency volunteer organization, an institution may determine whether the emergency service to be provided can justifiably be designated as a work assignment, based on the expertise of the faculty member. If so, short-term work assignments may be authorized when requested by an official party requesting the assistance.

D. American Red Cross Disaster Service Leave: A constituent institution may grant leave with pay not to exceed 15 workdays in any 12-month period to participate in specialized disaster relief services. To qualify for leave, the faculty member must be appointed for nine months or more and work halftime (50% FTE) or more, be a disaster service volunteer of the American Red Cross, and be requested by the American Red Cross to participate. The decision to grant leave rests in the sole discretion of the constituent institution based on the work needs of that institution. Leave shall be granted only for services related to a disaster occurring within the United States. While on disaster leave, the faculty member shall not incur any loss of pay and, if the faculty member is covered under campus annual and sick leave policies, continue to accumulate annual and sick leave.