The Gettysburg College Volunteer Time Off (VTO) was effective June 1, 2013.
Purpose of the Program:
The purpose of this program is to support activities that enhance and serve the communities in which we live and work. The intention is to allow the employees of Gettysburg College to give back and support the community. At the same time, Gettysburg College recognizes that participating in these sorts of activities enriches the lives of its employees.
Eligible Charitable Organizations:
Currently our College’s Center for Public Service works with over 30 agencies and organizations to meet our community’s needs. Their partners include agencies and organizations working with homelessness, hunger, poverty, migrant farmworkers, technology, literacy, elderly, youth, environmental justice, food security, and community development. To be eligible for this program, employees must choose from our list of community partners.
Amount of Time:
Employees may volunteer with a partner organization one (1) day each fiscal year between June 1 and May 31 of each year. This volunteer time is considered paid time and must be used in no less than ½ day increments. The pay rate is the employee’s current base salary or hourly pay on the days the time is taken. With approval from the employee’s supervisor, vacation time may be used if a longer time span is needed. Usage of this time or lack thereof does not affect vacation or sick leave accrual.
Eligibility:
All full time regular employees of Gettysburg College are eligible to participate in this program. Employees must have one year of service at Gettysburg College and be in good standing for participation in this program.
Approval Process:
An employee must complete the Volunteer Time Off (VTO) Request Form and submit it to his/her immediate supervisor at least 2 weeks before the requested time off. The employee is asked to consider peak work periods in his/her department before requesting time off to volunteer. Approval is at the discretion of the employee’s supervisor. Completed forms should be sent to Human Resources (Box 2443) for filing.
Employees serving as Project Leaders for an Immersion Project through the CPS:
Employees may also lead a student Immersion Project through the Center for Public Service. Immersion Projects are off-campus, educational service opportunities at sites in the United States and abroad. A Project Leader must be fully invested in the project they are chosen to lead. He/she should take an interest in their group members, learn about the site community and its issues in advance, prepare educational materials, and attend required meetings.
With regard to time off of work for administrators or support staff to lead a project, the College allows supervisors to approve paid time off. It is the Project Leader’s responsibility to work with his/her department head to secure time off. This program is separate from this VTO program.
Note: Employees who participate in an Immersion Project must use vacation time if they are not serving as the Project Leader.
** Support Staff employees who take time off to volunteer during their workday should mark “OTH” on their timesheets and include a note in the comment section of their timesheet.