Anyone Out There Get Paid to Volunteer?

Here's an interesting Wall Street Journal piece about how some companies are paying employees to volunteer for charities (by volunteering during work time.) The details:

Last fall, Jenny Balaze left her post in Ernst & Young LLC's Washington office to spend 12 weeks in Buenos Aires as a volunteer, providing free accounting services to a small publishing firm. It was among "the best three months of my life," says the 27-year-old business advisory services manager.

The Big Four accounting firm covered her transportation, food and hotel expenses. Even better, she remained on the company payroll the entire time she was gone, and her job was waiting for her when she got back.

Corporate volunteerism often used to mean cleaning up public parks or building homes for the needy. Today, a growing number of companies are lending out skilled employees to nonprofits and struggling small businesses around the world to provide accounting, marketing and other professional services. Under these programs, assignments tend to tap into participants' skills and career goals.

My company does this in a way. I get to take extra time at lunch, leave work early/arrive late, etc. when helping out a couple of local charities. It's not really an official program -- and not for an extended time like in the case above -- but I am, in effect, getting paid for volunteering for the time I'm away from the office.

How about you? Anyone else out there getting paid to volunteer?

Comments

[Blaine Moore]

I've left work early before to volunteer at races that fall on weekdays, and my bosses haven't had a problem with that. I don't do it very often, though. (Most races are on weekends.)

[Emily @ Taking Charge]

Wow, that would be wonderful to be paid to do a 12-week program abroad like that. We volunteer at a local charity one full day, twice a year. Last time we helped set up a city-wide garage sale for a large charity, and tomorrow (nice timing!) we are doing work for another charity that involves painting, landscaping, and furniture construction. We will spend most the day doing that, then around 3 or so we are going to a happy hour. So two days a year, we do get paid to do volunteer work. I just wish we had the option of doing a program like Ernst & Young -- I'm sure that is a wonderful experience for the employee and a very helpful service to those who need it.

[Jim]

After Katrina my employer flew people to Texas and Louisiana to help with all expenses paid by the company. They are pretty generous about allowing you to do volunteer work during work hours. They organize events and actively encourage employees to participate. Most of the efforts are for local community rather than flying people to other places, Katrina was the only non local event I remember.

Jim

[Ken]

One day a year and they just started this last month.

[Heidi]

My work offers VTO - Volunteer Time Off. You get 16 hours per year. And for exempt employees, you can "get paid" to sit on other non-profit boards and attend their board meetings as part of your personal development.

My employeer also offer "loaned executives" to the United Way - you get to keep your salary, title, and job, but you basically work for UW for 3 months to 2 years, depending on the project.

[Melissa]

I work at a community college, and we're given a number of opportunities throughout the year to volunteer for "campus-approved" activities. If you choose to participate and your supervisor approves, you don't have to take any leave to volunteer.

We also get emails asking for us to represent the college at a booth at various events - open houses, local festivals, etc. If your shift falls inside work hours you don't have to use leave for those either.

[miramaxa]

My company promotes volunteering in the community and it is a part of many employees' work plans. I like it because it gives us the opportunity to volunteer for things we otherwise would not be able to do due to schedule conflicts. My longterm volunteer commitment involves going to an elementary school weekly to help students develop their reading skills. Other than that, I do odds and ends that come up.
It's also a great break from work, which can be frustrating at times.

My law firm encourages me to do 100 hours of pro bono work per year, which is basically like being paid to volunteer.

[Glen Harness]

My employer has a "community giving" campaign every fall, in which they enlist hundreds of folks to hit up the rest of us for donations. Frankly, I think it's a waste of my time and their time.

[Meg]

One day a year the company divides into teams of 15 or so and splits up to help charities all over the city (whatever city you're in). It's not mandatory, becuase they can't make it so, but it is really neat to interact with your co-workers like that and help a local cause. And they do provide lunch as well - plus t-shirts.

[Dar]

I don't exactly get paid for volunteering, but my employer does match employees' charitable gifts dollar-for-dollar. Any time we volunteer to work for a charity is also matched with money--I believe $15/hour.

So, while I don't get paid to volunteer, it's nice knowing my contribution has that much more "oomph".

My employer, Wachovia Bank, gives me 6 paid days a year to volunteer.

[TheJapChap]

Funny timing there, FMF. Tomorrow my company is participating in a Junior Achievement Bowl-A-Thon that we've been raising donations for over the past month. We also have at least one volunteer workday every year where we try to improve our community--last year we renovated a flagging library in a nearby town. We are, of course, on company time and also reimbursed for our mileage. It's hardly a sacrifice on our part but certainly a worthy cause!

[mbhunter]

There are some circumstances that one can deduct expenses for volunteering. I wonder if payment from one's employer disallows the deduction?

[lori]

the unemployment has run out and we are one of the poorest counties in the state. I give 2.5 days a week to a local program to stay active in the area and as a job hunting source - sure would at least get gas/milage out of it....