Managing Maine Volunteers From a Legal Perspective
Published March 4, 2011
Maine has a proud tradition of
volunteerism. The State ranks 2nd in New England in terms of the number of volunteers and 7th in the nation for volunteer hours
per resident (www.VolunteeringinAmerica.gov). Managing all those volunteers is
a complex task and includes managing the risks associated with service by
volunteers. It’s for this reason, the
Maine Commission for Community Service published, “Managing Maine Volunteers
From a Legal Perspective.” Visit http://www.maineservicecommission.gov/publications/
to download a free copy.
“Managing Maine Volunteers From a
Legal Perspective,” aims to provided organizations information to help manage
risk by analyzing, planning, implementing, and monitoring risk management
strategies. The research complied in the publication outlines underlying legal
principles such as Duty of Care, Actual Harm and Foreseeability as they each
relate to the volunteer sector. The publication also covers important topics
like federal the Volunteer Protection Act, state volunteer protection laws, non-profit
volunteer immunity, the Good Samaritan Law, and specific provisions that apply
to health care volunteers.
“Volunteers can be a significant asset
but their mismanagement can cripple an organizations ability to accomplish its
mission. Part of managing volunteers effectively is assessing the risk
associated with their use,” said Maryalice Crofton, Executive Director of the Maine
Commission for Community Service.
The
Maine Commission for Community Service builds capacity and sustainability in Maine's volunteer and
service communities by funding programs, developing managers of volunteers and
service-learning practitioners, raising awareness of sector issues, and
promoting service as a strategy. To
learn more about the Maine Commission for Community Service visit our web-site
at www.maineservicecommission.gov.
