Community Service Leave

TITLE Leaves of Absence: Community Service
TYPE All Personnel – Procedures for General Policies and Compliance Issues
RATIONALE Provide College employees with time to conduct community service activities.
APPROVED: July 25, 2019

PROCEDURE

Community Service Leave (CSL) is offered to eligible employees as an opportunity, not an expectation. An employee’s decision to use or not use the benefit will not impact assessment of his/her job performance. CSL hours will be available to eligible employees beginning July 1 each year. The community service activity must take place during the employee’s typical workday to be eligible for CSL. For example, a staff member who works from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. may use CSL to engage in community service between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Full-time employees will be eligible to use up to 24 hours of their regular work schedule as paid CSL per year. Part-time regular staff who work 20 or more hours per week are eligible for up to 8 hours of CSL to volunteer for College-sponsored activities such as the College Day of Service and/or the Vikings’ Vault. Adjunct/part-time faculty are not eligible for paid CSL.

For full-time faculty, if the community service opportunity falls during scheduled class times or during office hours, approval must be obtained from the supervisor. Refer to the Academic Service Learning guidelines for service that occurs in conjunction with a class.

Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the employee to verify that his/her community service site is a College-approved agency or event as approved by the President’s Office. Employees are asked to complete the CSL Request form, located on the Employee Tab, at least ten business days before the activity to obtain supervisor approval. The College may waive this ten-day period in local emergency situations, such as a natural disaster or a civil emergency. It is the responsibility of the employee and the employee’s supervisor to ensure proper timekeeping procedures are followed. Employees must provide verification of service hours performed to the supervisor.

Staff will report CSL in hourly increments. Faculty must report CSL in half-day or full-day increments. The calculation of CSL time includes any travel to and from the community service site that occurs during the employee’s typical workday, in addition to the time spent in community service on the site. Mileage is not eligible for reimbursement; transportation is the sole responsibility of the employee.