3.7.3 Community Service Leave

In recognition of the community’s diverse needs for volunteers to support schools, communities, citizens, and nonprofit organizations, and recognizing the commitment of Blue Ridge Community College employees to engage in volunteer service, Community Service Leave may be granted to full-time employees.

1. 1. Parents for involvement with their child in the schools (as defined below)
   2. Any employee for volunteer activity in the schools (as defined below);
   3. Any employee for volunteer activity in a not-for-profit Community Service Organization (as defined below); or
   4. Any employee for volunteering in a State of North Carolina Public University, Community College System or State agency provided that the service is outside of the employee’s normal scope of duties and responsibilities and that the employee is not receiving any form of compensation for the services rendered.

1. Amount Earned:
   1. With approval of the immediate supervisor, a full-time employee is eligible for 24 hours/year of Community Service Leave.
   2. The twenty-four hours (24) of paid leave shall be credited to each employee on July 1 of each year. New employees shall be credited with leave immediately upon their employment, prorated at two hours per month for the remainder of the fiscal year, which ends June 30.
2. Approval:
   1. Employees must receive approval in advance from their immediate supervisor and Vice President to use this leave. The supervisor may require that the leave be taken at a time other than the one requested, based on the needs of the College.
   2. The College may require acceptable proof that leave taken is within the purpose of this policy.
   3. Community Service Leave may be taken in units of no less than one hour.
3. Accumulation:
   1. Leave not taken is forfeited; it shall not be carried into the next fiscal year.
4. Separation:
   1. Employees shall not be paid for this leave upon separation.
5. Eligible Uses of Community Service Leave:
   1. Community service, for this purpose, is defined as:
      1. meeting with a teacher or administrator concerning the employee’s child;
      2. Attending any function sponsored by the school in which the employee’s child is participating. This provision shall only be utilized in conjunction with nonathletic programs that are a part or supplement to the school’s academic or artistic program;
      3. performing school-approved volunteer service approved by a teacher, school administrator, or program administrator;
      4. The ‘child involvement’ provision of the policy is limited to child day care, elementary school, middle school or high school involvement. A parent cannot, for example, use community service leave for on-site visits to colleges for the purpose of selecting a college, or to attend college orientations or assist with moving the child in and out of the on-campus housing, or for attendance at college graduations;
      5. performing school-approved volunteer work for a local school approved by a teacher, school administrator, or program administrator;
      6. performing a service for a community service organization; or
      7. Performing volunteer work for a State agency that is approved by the agency head or his/her designee.
   2. Community Service Organization is defined as a nonprofit, nonpartisan community organization which is designated as an IRS Code 501(c) (3) agency, or a human service organization licensed or accredited to serve citizens with special needs including children, youth, and the elderly.
   3. Although religious organizations may be 501(c) (3) agencies, this leave does not apply to activities designed to promote religious beliefs.
   4. Service may include working inside a polling facility to assist voters with the voting process as long as the employee is not receiving pay for the work. Vacation leave shall be charged if the employee is receiving pay for the “inside” poll work or if the employee is distributing brochures, transporting voters or other partisan campaigning outside of the polls.
   5. Partisan political activity during State time and the use of State equipment or supplies for any community service are not permitted. Special care must be taken to avoid any possible interpretation that the State is, in fact, permitting time off and in so doing supporting a political candidacy. Political activity must be in accordance with G.S. 126-13 of the State Personnel Act.