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Interim Procedures, with Request for Comments, for Documenting Volunteer Service

U.S. Department of Justice
Justice Management Division
Personnel Staff                       

                                                                


Washington, D.C. 20530

May 8, 2001

MEMORANDUM FOR BUREAU PERSONNEL OFFICERS

FROM:             Joanne W. Simms
                          Director, Personnel Staff
                          Justice Management Division

SUBJECT:      Interim Procedures, with Request for Comments, for Documenting Volunteer Service

Attached are interim procedures for documenting volunteer service. As of December 31, 2000, volunteer service is no longer documented on an SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) and maintained in an Official Personnel Folder. Agencies are now responsible for establishing procedures for documenting volunteer service. This includes:
 

-  determining what information to collect on volunteer service;
-  determining how the information will be collected and documented;
-  determining the method of long term filing/recordkeeping;
-  responding to former volunteers' requests for service documentation; and
-  establishing the disposition schedule for agency volunteer service

The attached interim procedures cover all volunteer service, i.e., student volunteer service performed under 5 U.S.C. 3111 and other volunteer service under programs for persons other than students as defined in law and regulation authorizing those programs. These procedures have been established to ensure consistency throughout the Department in documenting volunteer service, using simplified procedures that will allow for program effectiveness and efficiency Departmentwide.

We would appreciate receiving your comments on the attached interim procedures by May 23, 2001. Following a review of your comments and clarification of certain issues from the Department's Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) on a 1978 OLC opinion that pertains to volunteer service with the Department, final Departmental procedures on documenting volunteer service will be included in the Department's Human Resources Order. The current Student Volunteer Order will be revised to cover all volunteer service and include procedures for documenting volunteer service. You will be provided the opportunity to comment on the Order before finalization.

Please forward your written comments on the attached interim procedures to Jolliette Spencer, of my staff's Policy Group, in Suite 1110 of the National Place Building, or via facsimile on (202) 514-6827, or via email at jolliette.m.spencer@usdoj.gov. Negative (or no comments) should be reported as well.

Questions on documenting volunteer service may be referred to Ms. Spencer, Robert Seymour, or LaShon Adams of the Personnel Staff's Policy Group on (202) 514-6778 or Karen Humes-Dancy, of the Personnel Staff's Planning and Workforce Development Group, on (202) 514-4558. For an electronic copy of the attachments contained in the interim procedures, please contact Ms. Spencer.

Attachment (WordPerfect Doc) - Interim Procedures, with Request for Comments, for Documenting Volunteer Service
  Attachment 1 (WordPerfect Doc) - Sample "Welcome" Letter
  Attachment 2 (WordPerfect Doc) - Sample "Thank You" Letter
  Attachment 3 (WordPerfect Doc) - Student Volunteer Service Agreement


Page created May 10, 2001
usdoj/jmd/ps/wdt


Updated September 3, 2014