CAREERRISE, INC.
POLICIES FOR VOLUNTEERS
1.01 INTRODUCTION
This handout is designed to acquaint you with CareerRise, Inc. (“CareerRise”) and to give you a ready reference guide to answer questions regarding our organization. Included in this packet is our mission statement, the goals and purpose of our organization, and a summary of our policies and procedures and our reporting obligations.
1.02 MISSION STATEMENT
CareerRise is a workforce intermediary. We aim to advance economic mobility and regional prosperity by creating and strengthening partnerships that meet employer needs for skilled talent and connect metro Atlanta residents to sustainable wage careers.
1.03 GOALS AND PURPOSE
Consistent with our Mission Statement, CareerRise operates with the following goals:
• Create sectoral workforce partnerships.
• Train workers.
• Promote equitable workforce practices.
1.04 VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
CareerRise greatly appreciates the work of its volunteers. If you have already volunteered with CareerRise or are about to begin volunteering with CareerRise, CareerRise thanks you for your service. If you want to learn about additional volunteer opportunities with CareerRise, please see our website https://careerriseatlanta.org/support/ or contact us at drogers@careerriseatlanta.org.
1.05 NO HARASSMENT
As a volunteer, you should be aware that CareerRise does not and will not tolerate harassment of other volunteers, or of CareerRise’s employees, applicants, or anyone else. Any form of harassment related to an individual’s race, color, sex (including same-sex), religion, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, or any other protected category is prohibited by this policy.
The term “harassment” includes, but is not limited to, slurs, jokes, and other verbal, graphic, or physical conduct relating to an individual’s race, color, sex (including same-sex), religion, national origin, citizenship, age, or disability. “Harassment” also includes sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, unwelcome or offensive touching, and other verbal, graphic, or physical conduct or electronic communications (including e-mail) of a sexual nature involving either members of the same sex or opposite sex. If you have any questions about what constitutes behavior prohibited by this policy, ask your volunteer supervisor or CareerRise’s Volunteer Coordinator.
Volunteers who harass others may be immediately asked to leave CareerRise or the premises of the volunteer work, and the volunteer relationship with CareerRise may be terminated.
If you feel that you are being harassed in any way by another volunteer or some other person, or if you observe another volunteer being harassed, you should immediately notify the Volunteer Coordinator. We will thoroughly investigate the matter and, where appropriate, take corrective action.
If you do not feel that you can discuss the matter with the Volunteer Coordinator or if you are not satisfied with the way your complaint has been handled, please immediately contact CareerRise’s President to arrange for a meeting to discuss your complaint.
2:01 STANDARDS OF CONDUCT
As a volunteer with CareerRise, you are expected to maintain high standards of conduct. The following list includes some (but by no means all) of the types of conduct which CareerRise does not tolerate:
• Theft or destruction of CareerRise property or the property of other volunteers, employees, or others helping or working with CareerRise;
• Abusing, threatening, or intimidating employees, other volunteers, or others helping or doing business with CareerRise;
• Possession, distribution, or use of alcohol or illegal drugs on CareerRise property or while on CareerRise business;
• Fighting, gambling or engaging in horseplay on CareerRise property;
• Sexual or other harassment or discrimination;
• Conduct or behavior that negatively reflects on CareerRise;
• Making long distance personal telephone calls using CareerRise telephones or making excessive personal telephone calls; and
• Unauthorized disclosure of confidential information.
2:02 DRUGS AND ALCOHOL
CareerRise is committed to providing a safe, healthy, and drug-free work environment. Therefore, CareerRise has established the following policy:
(1) It is a violation of CareerRise policy for any volunteer to use, possess, sell, buy, or offer to sell or buy illegal drugs or other nonprescribed intoxicants and controlled substances (or paraphernalia associated with such prohibited substances), or otherwise engage in the use of such substances on CareerRise property or while volunteering elsewhere for CareerRise.
(2) It is a violation of CareerRise policy for any individual to volunteer under the influence of or while impaired by illegal drugs or other nonprescribed intoxicants and controlled substances, or to report to an event as a volunteer while possessing in any amount such substances.
(3) It is a violation of CareerRise policy for any individual to volunteer under the influence of or impaired by alcohol or to possess or consume alcohol on CareerRise property (except during CareerRise-sponsored activities which may include the serving of alcoholic beverages), while serving as a volunteer for CareerRise.
(4) It is a violation of CareerRise policy for any volunteer to use prescription drugs illegally or in a manner inconsistent with the physician’s prescribed dosage. It is also a violation of CareerRise policy for any volunteer to use prescription drugs, which have the effect of impairing the volunteer’s ability to perform his or her volunteer responsibilities in a safe and acceptable manner. (However, nothing in this policy precludes the appropriate use of legally prescribed medications that do not cause unsafe or unacceptable performance of assigned tasks.)
2:03 SMOKING
CareerRise is a smoke-free facility. This restriction applies to volunteers, employees, and anyone else who comes to CareerRise.
2:04 NO VIOLENCE
Acts or threats of violence (including intimidating behavior, verbal or physical harassment, and/or coercion) which that involve or affect CareerRise’s volunteers, employees, or anyone else will not be tolerated. Violation of this policy may lead to the termination of the volunteer relationship with CareerRise.
All volunteers are encouraged and have an obligation to report any incidents of threats of acts of physical violence to the Volunteer Coordinator – regardless of the whether the violence is directed at the volunteer or at others.
3:01 PRIVACY
All property of CareerRise is furnished to volunteers for use only as an incident of their volunteer work and solely for convenience in performing the volunteer’s duties. CareerRise retains the right of full access to this property and may search it from time to time without further notice. CareerRise may also (without further notice) access equipment furnished by any person, but used in the course of performing volunteer responsibilities, e.g., personal computers, laptops, files, calendars, date books. Furthermore, CareerRise may, under certain circumstances, search personal property of its volunteers, including but not limited to packages and purses brought on CareerRise property.
3:02 CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
During the course of your volunteer work with CareerRise, you may have access to certain confidential information of CareerRise. This confidential information must be actively protected. Accordingly, volunteers shall not directly or indirectly disclose confidential information or materials to any individual or entity outside CareerRise for any reason without the prior written consent of the Volunteer Coordinator. In addition, volunteers should not discuss confidential information with other volunteers or employees, except on a “need to know” basis.
Some examples of the types of confidential information and materials which should be treated as confidential include (but are not limited to): addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, donation amounts, or any other information documented in CareerRise’s systems.
3:03 DOCUMENT RETENTION POLICY
CareerRise also maintains a policy of retaining only those documents (including paper documents, emails, voicemails, and computer files) that must be legally and are needed to operate CareerRise. Volunteers should be aware that if CareerRise becomes involved in a lawsuit or an investigation, it may have an obligation to immediately preserve certain categories of relevant documents. Accordingly, only unnecessary records may be shredded and/or deleted.
If you have a question as to whether a document must legally be retained, you must contact the Volunteer Coordinator. The purpose of this policy is to ensure the safety and security of CareerRise, the participants and others, while ensuring compliance with CareerRise’s legal obligations.
3:04 PHOTOGRAPHS/CAMERAS
Consistent with state law, all photographs are subject to distribution by consenting parties, approved by the Volunteer Coordinator, and are not allowed to be used for any purpose other than for personal enjoyment of that participant and, if a child, his/her parents. If a digital photograph is taken by you in accordance with this policy, it may be given to the participant; however, such digital photograph must be immediately deleted from the cell phone or camera’s memory or flash card. No digital photographs shall be forwarded via e-mail or to a website other than by the Volunteer Coordinator. Further, no volunteer may use a photograph of a participant, or if a child or his/her family for publicity purposes absent prior written approval from the Volunteer Coordinator.
3:05 PERSONAL INFORMATION
Volunteers are prohibited from giving out their personal information or any employee or other volunteer’s personal information (including mailing address, e-mail address and/or telephone number) or the personal information of anyone else associated with CareerRise to participants or their families without the prior approval of the Volunteer Coordinator. This policy is designed to protect your privacy and security (and other volunteers’ privacy and security) and to prevent you (or other volunteers) from receiving personal phone calls, visits and requests from the participants or their families.
4:01 SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE
If a child tells you of an incident or you have reason to suspect child abuse it MUST be reported. CareerRise defines child abuse as physical, sexual, or emotional abuse or neglect of the child or any other unsafe circumstances affecting the child. In the event you learn of or suspect child abuse, CareerRise requires you to follow the approach outlined below.
If a child confides in you or you suspect abuse, do not ask questions of the child, as this may cause confusion or a change in the story. Instead, report the incident to the CareerRise President or the person in charge of the event if the CareerRise President is unavailable. The person in charge of the event should make a factual report to the CareerRise President. The President will then report the suspected child abuse to the proper authorities. After the President reports the abuse to the proper authorities, a person trained in forensic interviewing will professionally interview the child.
If you are told of the abuse of a child, then as soon as practicable, you must document (a) the child’s exact words, (b) the date and time of the child’s communication of the abuse to you, and (c) a detailed description of any physical evidence.
If you make the report of suspected abuse, CareerRise will assume that your report was made in good faith. CareerRise will not penalize you as a volunteer if the accusation you convey results in a case which cannot be sustained.
Because of CareerRise’s work with children, it is imperative that we closely abide by this policy as CareerRise is a mandated reporter.
5:01 WHISTLEBLOWER POLICY
CareerRise requires that employees and volunteers observe and practice a high standard of ethics with regard to their responsibilities. All individuals who volunteer with CareerRise are expected to practice honesty and integrity and comply with any and all applicable laws and regulations.
CareerRise has an open-door policy and encourages volunteers to share their questions, concerns, suggestions, and complaints with someone who can properly address them. Issues should first be presented to the Volunteer Coordinator. If the concern is not resolved to the volunteer’s satisfaction, the volunteer should contact the CareerRise President.
CareerRise will promptly investigate all complaints raised pursuant to this Policy or CareerRise’s Code of Ethics. Volunteers who raise complaints under this Policy or under CareerRise’s Code of Ethics have an obligation to assist with the resolution of CareerRise’s investigation. If warranted, CareerRise will take corrective action. Further, those who violate state or federal law may be prosecuted or suffer other legal consequences.
Volunteers are expected to invoke this Policy in good faith and should have reasonable grounds for raising a complaint under this Policy. Any volunteer who makes knowingly false allegations against CareerRise under this Policy may be prohibited from performing any future volunteer work with CareerRise.
No volunteer who reports a complaint under this Policy will be subject to harassment or retaliation because of such complaint. Violations or suspected violations of this Policy or CareerRise’s Code of Ethics may be reported anonymously. CareerRise will endeavor to keep those reports confidential, if possible, during its investigation.
Where complaints are not reported anonymously, CareerRise’s President will notify the volunteer raising a complaint under this Policy within five (5) business days to confirm receipt of such complaint.
CAREERRISE, INC. – POLICIES FOR VOLUNTEERS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM
By signing this Acknowledgment Form, I hereby acknowledge that I have received CareerRise’s Policies for Volunteers, and I have read those policies and I am familiar with their terms.
I understand that this handout aims to provide CareerRise volunteers with general information regarding the policies and procedures CareerRise attempts to follow in most cases. I also understand that because of the nature of CareerRise’s operations and the variations inherent in individual situations, the policies and procedures set out in these policies may not apply to every situation. I understand that under no circumstances are the policies and procedures contained in this handbook to be considered promises by CareerRise.
I understand and acknowledge that CareerRise may, in its sole discretion, interpret, modify, revise, delete, or add to any policies or procedures contained herein. I understand that CareerRise may do this at any time, with or without notice, and that CareerRise’s decisions in this regard will be final.
I understand that CareerRise is not my employer as a volunteer, and I will not be compensated for the work that I perform for CareerRise. I further understand and agree that my volunteer work with CareerRise may be terminated by me or CareerRise for any reason.
I HAVE READ THE ABOVE STATEMENTS, AND I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND CAREERRISE’S POLICIES FOR VOLUNTEERS.
I FURTHER AGREE TO COMPLY WITH CAREERRISE’S SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE POLICY.
IF VOLUNTEER IS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE, THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM MUST BE SIGNED BY A PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN:
