Archives > 1976 South Carolina Code of Laws - Previous Versions > 2005 Session > Title 8

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Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees

CHAPTER 25.

GOVERNMENT VOLUNTEERS

SECTION 8-25-10. Definitions.

As used in this chapter:

(a) "Volunteer" shall mean any person who, of his own free will, provides goods or services, without any financial gain, to any agency, instrumentality or political subdivision of the State;

(b) "Regular-service volunteer" shall mean any person engaged in specific voluntary service activities on an ongoing or continuous basis;

(c) "Occasional-service volunteer" shall mean any person who provides a one-time or occasional voluntary service;

(d) "Material donor" shall mean any person who, without financial gain, provides funds, materials or opportunities for clients of agencies, departments or institutions of the State;

(e) "Department" shall mean and include all departments, agencies, and institutions of state government.

SECTION 8-25-20. Use of volunteers and development of programs.

Every department is authorized to develop volunteer programs and accept the services of volunteers, including regular-service volunteers, occasional-service volunteers, or material donors, to assist in programs carried out or administered by that department.

Volunteers recruited, trained, or accepted by any department shall, to the extent of their voluntary service, be exempt from all provisions of law relating to state employment, hours of work, rate of compensation, leave time, and employee benefits. Volunteers shall comply with applicable work rules.

Every department using the services of volunteers is authorized to provide volunteers with such incidental reimbursements and as the department deems appropriate to assist volunteers in performing their duties.

SECTION 8-25-30. Duties of departments.

Each department utilizing the services of volunteers shall:

(a) Take such actions as are necessary and appropriate to develop meaningful opportunities for volunteers involved in its programs and to improve public services;

(b) Develop written rules governing the recruitment, screening, training, responsibility, utilization and supervision of volunteers;

(c) Take such actions as are necessary to ensure that volunteers and paid staff understand their respective duties and responsibilities, their relationship to each other, and their respective roles in fulfilling the objectives of their department;

(d) Take such actions as are necessary and appropriate to ensure a receptive climate for citizen volunteers;

(e) Provide for the recognition of volunteers who have offered exceptional service to the State; and

(f) Recognize prior volunteer service as partial fulfillment for training and experience established by the State Personnel Division's classification and compensation plan.

SECTION 8-25-40. Mileage, meal allowance and liability insurance; protection of sovereign immunity.

(a) Transportation mileage reimbursement may be furnished those volunteers who use their personal vehicles to perform departmental tasks; provided, however, that mileage shall not be furnished to the volunteers for driving to and from their volunteer work. A meal allowance may also be furnished to such volunteers making departmental trips at departmental request if the trip necessarily extends over an established meal period.

(b) Liability insurance may be provided by the department utilizing their services both to regular-service and occasional-service volunteers to the same extent as may be provided by the department to its employees. Volunteers in state service shall enjoy the protection of sovereign immunity of the State to the same extent as employees.

SECTION 8-25-50. Information required in annual report; use of volunteers in new programs.

(a) Each state agency required to make an annual report shall include in the report:

(1) Information relating to the total number, location, and duties of all volunteers, including regular-service volunteers, occasional-service volunteers, and material donors;

(2) Information relating to the total number of annual hours of service provided to the agency by all volunteers, including regular-service volunteers, occasional-service volunteers, and material donors.

(b) Every effort shall be made by every department in the development of new programs to make maximum use of volunteers.