Accountability also has a strong connection to expectations. Employees who do not meet the expectations of their supervisor are held accountable for their actions and must answer for their inability to do so. Accountability is crucial to ensuring high performance within an organization.
PrintOpeningVolunteers play an important role in society. A mixture of paid employees and volunteers staff many organisations. Volunteers provide many services that would otherwise not be available. Yet legally, volunteers remain in a vulnerable position here in Ontario. And, unlike some of the other provinces in Canada, Ontario has no specific legislation addressing the rights and obligations of volunteers or volunteer activities.
Once an individual becomes a volunteer they are responsible for their actions and must be familiar with the laws and regulations governing their voluntary activities.A. Legal Duties/Obligations of VolunteersLike every individual they have legal duties and responsibilities, and if they fail to meet those duties they may be liable for the injuries or damages they have caused. A volunteer has a duty to take reasonable care when carrying out their duties. Failure to do so can sometimes amount to the tort of negligence. Failing to do something can also amount to negligence.
We have updated the terms and conditions of our Rocket Lawyer On Call® Service Level Agreement that apply to your use of the platform and products and services provided by Rocket Lawyer. Please read the Service Level Agreement carefully as it governs the relationship between you and Rocket Lawyer and by continuing to use Rocket Lawyer, you are agreeing to be bound by the updated terms and conditions.If you have questions, comments, or concerns, please contact us at [email protected]. Start Your Non-Profit Answer some questions. We’ll take care of the rest.Most people are aware of the legal principle known as respondeat superior (a.k.a. Vicarious liability), even if they’ve never encountered the Latin before. This is because we all experience its effect in our daily lives: when someone’s agent, such as a volunteer or employee, performs a wrongdoing or acts negligently, their boss is held personally responsible for the damage caused.
Even though volunteers are generally not given monetary compensation for their work, they are still considered the organization’s “agents” under the law. So, when your volunteer makes a mistake or neglects to do something important, causing damage to a person or their property, your organization could be responsible for the problem.In many states, such as my home state of New York, employees are restricted from bringing a personal injury action against their employer (under most circumstances).
The reasoning behind this rule is that employees are compensated for their “on the job” injuries, and employee’s families are compensated for wrongful death from on-the-job accident, by Worker’s Compensation Insurance. This is not the case for volunteers, however, who are generally unprotected by Worker’s Compensation.
If your volunteers are hurt while performing their duties are left unable to work or function, they might sue your organization in order to be made whole.So, what can an organization do to build a competent volunteer base while minimizing their risk? There are many tools at your organization’s disposal, but three principles are key: 1) train volunteers well; 2) obtain the proper insurance; and 3) implement the right policies. Properly executed, these three principles can minimize your risk and strengthen your organization as a whole.
Training your volunteers well reduces accident rates and increases productivity. Having the proper liability insurance effectively shifts the risk from an accident to the insurance company, up to the limits of your policy. Finally, implementing the proper policies and procedures (with a solid volunteer manual to teach them) reinforces the first two steps, to make sure that volunteers follow your rules and the insurance company can’t deny coverage on a technicality, such as improperly reporting a claim. Following these principles, and to ensure their proper execution, should allow your organization to pursue its mission without fear.Start Your Non-Profit Answer some questions.
We’ll take care of the rest.Start Your Non-Profit Answer some questions. We’ll take care of the rest.About Todd Kulkinis a solo practitioner and a Rocket Lawyer On Call Attorney.
He is a business attorney specializing in providing legal services to small to medium sized businesses, start-ups and nonprofit organizations. He has a unique commitment to flat fees, personalized law services and education on the legal issues surrounding your business.This article contains general legal information and does not contain legal advice. Rocket Lawyer is not a law firm or a substitute for an attorney or law firm. The law is complex and changes often. For legal advice,.