Take time off for volunteering

Volunteering is an opportunity to contribute to the community, gain personal development, knowledge and experience, as well as supporting the health and wellbeing of our workforce. We value the importance of volunteering both to our employees, and to the wider community.

From May 2019 all Cheshire East employees can request up to two days paid leave per year to volunteer for local organisations in Cheshire East.

Conditions

Volunteering is open to all Council employees and a request for volunteering must be made by the employee to their line manager.

The following should be discussed before the manager considers authorising the time off for volunteering.                  

• There should be a benefit both for the Council and to the community group and the charity organisation concerned.
• It should support the learning, development and wellbeing needs of the employee.
• The activity must not disrupt the work performance of the individual, team or service.
• Any voluntary work must take place in the borough of Cheshire East.
• The voluntary activity must be non-political and must not carry any risk of bringing the Council into disrepute.
• Employees on voluntary experience are expected to adhere to the Council’s Code of Conduct.
• Any abuse of the Volunteering Policy may result in disciplinary action being taken against an employee.
• the employee must check that the community group and/or charity concerned has sufficient Public Liability Insurance (covering injury or damage to third parties) and Employer Liability Insurance (covering injury to employees/volunteers employed by the Council) that will indemnify both them and the Council in the event of a claim against them. The voluntary work should not be authorised without this confirmation.  
• Employees may be asked to contribute to publicity produced by CEC Communications team to highlight the work of Volunteers in Cheshire East (subject to any employees’ agreement).
• The Council reserves the right to refuse an application by an employee to take on volunteering, where it considers that it would not be in the best interests of the Council or the individual applicant to do so.

If approved, the Council will provide the equivalent of two days paid leave per year for employees who volunteer for local organisations in Cheshire East. 

Steps to volunteering

1. Review volunteering opportunities on the Community and Voluntary Services CVS website. www.cvsce.org.uk/
2. Complete the Employee Time Off for Volunteering Application Form (MS Word, 73KB) and discuss the benefits and the time off required for voluntary activity with your line manager.
3. Enjoy the experience and tell your line manager and colleagues about the volunteering.
4. Share the experience with colleagues through Team Voice, and help to keep the volunteering momentum going.

Please see the leave and time off policy for full details about time off for volunterring.