1

Citiz

en C

orps

Vol

unte

er L

iabi

lity

Gui

de

Pres

ente

d by

: C

lair

e Le

e R

eiss

, J.D

., A

RM

, CPC

U

Dep

uty

Exe

cutiv

e D

irec

tor

and

Gen

eral

Cou

nsel

Pu

blic

Ent

ity R

isk

Inst

itute

Citi

zen

Cor

ps V

olun

teer

Lia

bilit

y Pr

ojec

t

A n

atio

nwid

e pr

ojec

t to

supp

ort e

mer

genc

y &

di

sast

er v

olun

teer

pro

gram

s th

roug

h re

sear

ch

and

deve

lopm

ent o

f onl

ine

tool

s an

d go

od

prac

tices

: W

orke

rs’ c

ompe

nsat

ion

Civ

il (to

rt) li

abili

ty

Lice

nsur

e/ce

rtific

atio

n/pe

rmits

2

Proj

ect S

teps

Inte

rvie

w C

itize

n C

orps

lead

ers

Sur

vey

stat

e an

d lo

cal C

itize

n C

orps

Cou

ncils

Dev

elop

wor

king

rela

tions

hips

Form

ulat

e qu

estio

ns

Res

earc

h st

ate

stat

utes

(sub

stan

ce a

nd m

etho

dolo

gy)

Pre

pare

tool

s an

d re

sour

ces

for p

ublic

atio

n

3

2007

Sur

vey

& C

onve

rsat

ions

Fou

nd…

Con

cern

abo

ut li

abili

ty fo

r vol

unte

er’s

act

s

Con

cern

abo

ut li

abili

ty fo

r inj

ury

to v

olun

teer

s

Con

cern

abo

ut v

olun

teer

lice

nsur

e

Con

cern

abo

ut in

ters

tate

mob

iliza

tion

Nee

d fo

r sta

te s

peci

fic in

form

atio

n

Lim

ited

acce

ss to

lega

l adv

isor

Lim

ited

time

4

Que

stio

ns F

orm

ulat

ed

Who

are

em

erge

ncy

volu

ntee

rs?

Wha

t fun

ctio

ns d

o em

erge

ncy

volu

ntee

rs p

erfo

rm?

Wha

t are

the

pote

ntia

l sou

rces

of l

iabi

lity?

Why

doe

s lia

bilit

y m

atte

r?

To w

hom

doe

s lia

bilit

y m

atte

r?

Wha

t lia

bilit

y pr

otec

tion

is a

vaila

ble?

How

can

em

erge

ncy

volu

ntee

r pro

gram

s m

anag

e lia

bilit

y ris

k?

5

Who

are

Em

erge

ncy

“Vol

unte

ers”

?

Indi

vidu

als

(not

alw

ays

unpa

id)

Non

prof

it or

gani

zatio

ns

Bus

ines

ses

Org

aniz

ed v

olun

teer

team

s

6

Wha

t Fun

ctio

ns d

o Em

erge

ncy

“Vol

unte

ers”

Pe

rfor

m?

7

Sup

ply

Cha

in

Man

agem

ent Com

mun

icat

ion

Tran

spor

tatio

nTr

aini

ng,d

rills

&

Exe

rcis

esV

olun

teer

M

anag

emen

t D

onat

ions

M

anag

emen

t

Insp

ectio

ns

Edu

catio

n

Sea

rch

&

Res

cue

She

lter

Ope

ratio

n P

rem

ises

M

ass

Car

e

Cas

e w

ork

Sour

ces

of L

iabi

lity?

The

volu

ntee

r may

cau

se h

arm

Bod

ily in

jury

Pe

rson

al In

jury

The

volu

ntee

r may

be

harm

ed

Inju

ry

Dea

th

Dis

crim

inat

ion

Illne

ss

Prop

erty

da

mag

e Pr

oper

ty

dam

age

Vehi

cle

acci

dent

s

Inte

ntio

nal o

r w

rong

ful a

cts

Prof

essi

onal

er

rors

/om

issi

ons

The

law

may

lim

it th

e vo

lunt

eer’s

act

iviti

es

Lice

nses

Cer

tific

ates

Perm

its

8

Why

Doe

s Li

abili

ty M

atte

r?

Dire

ct c

onse

quen

ces

of li

abili

ty

• D

amag

e aw

ards

•

Settl

emen

ts

• C

osts

of l

egal

def

ense

•

Loss

of p

rope

rty

• Lo

ss o

f per

sonn

el

May

be

som

e pr

otec

tion

Indi

rect

con

sequ

ence

s of

liab

ility

•

Dam

age

to re

puta

tion

• Lo

ss o

f sup

port

& fu

ndin

g •

Loss

of p

artn

ersh

ips

• D

imin

ishe

d vo

lunt

eer b

ase

• H

ighe

r ins

uran

ce p

rem

ium

s

No

prot

ectio

n

Chi

lling

effe

ct

9

To W

hom

Doe

s Li

abili

ty M

atte

r?

Gov

ernm

enta

l age

ncie

s

Org

aniz

ers

of v

olun

teer

pro

gram

s

Bus

ines

s an

d no

npro

fit o

rgan

izat

ions

Empl

oyer

s of

vol

unte

ers

Indi

vidu

al v

olun

teer

s

Supe

rvis

ors

and

trai

ners

of v

olun

teer

s

Don

ors

of p

rem

ises

, equ

ipm

ent &

sup

plie

s

10

Wha

t Lia

bilit

y Pr

otec

tion

is A

vaila

ble?

Goo

d Sa

mar

itan

Law

s

Volu

ntee

r Pro

tect

ion

Act

s

Emer

genc

y M

anag

emen

t and

Hom

elan

d Se

curit

y A

cts

Gov

ernm

enta

l Im

mun

ity

Wor

kers

’ Com

pens

atio

n A

cts

Lice

nse,

Cer

tific

ate

or P

erm

it La

ws

Mod

el L

egis

latio

n

Emer

genc

y M

anag

emen

t Ass

ista

nce

Com

pact

Insu

ranc

e an

d C

ontr

actu

al A

gree

men

ts

11

Wha

t Lia

bilit

y Pr

otec

tion

is A

vaila

ble?

Liab

ility

prot

ectio

n is

prim

arily

sta

te la

w, a

nd v

arie

s gr

eatly

The

follo

win

g de

scrip

tions

are

gen

eral

– c

heck

with

a

lega

l adv

isor

abo

ut y

our s

tate

’s p

artic

ular

law

s.

12

Wha

t Lia

bilit

y Pr

otec

tion

is A

vaila

ble?

Goo

d Sa

mar

itan

Law

s

Lim

ited

imm

unity

for i

ndiv

idua

ls w

ho a

ssis

t oth

ers

in e

mer

genc

ies,

us

ually

in s

ettin

gs w

here

acc

ess

to p

rofe

ssio

nal c

are

is n

ot

imm

edia

tely

ava

ilabl

e U

sual

ly p

rote

ct o

nly

indi

vidu

als

Lim

ited

imm

unity

pro

tect

s on

ly fo

r ord

inar

y ne

glig

ence

Pro

tect

ion

may

be

limite

d to

thos

e w

ith s

peci

fic c

rede

ntia

ls

Pro

tect

ion

is n

ot li

mite

d to

dec

lare

d em

erge

ncie

s &

dis

aste

rs

13

Volu

ntee

r Pro

tect

ion

Act

s

Lim

ited

imm

unity

for i

ndiv

idua

ls w

ho w

ork

as u

ncom

pens

ated

vo

lunt

eers

for g

over

nmen

t age

ncie

s an

d no

npro

fit o

rgan

izat

ions

Fe

dera

l and

man

y st

ates

’ gov

ernm

ents

hav

e V

PA

s

Pro

tect

vol

unte

ers

regi

ster

ed w

ith g

over

nmen

ts a

nd n

onpr

ofit

orga

niza

tions

but

not

the

orga

niza

tions

Pro

tect

ion

is n

ot li

mite

d to

dec

lare

d em

erge

ncie

s &

dis

aste

rs

Lim

ited

imm

unity

pro

tect

s on

ly fo

r ord

inar

y ne

glig

ence

Man

y lim

itatio

ns a

nd q

ualif

icat

ions

Wha

t Lia

bilit

y Pr

otec

tion

is A

vaila

ble?

14

Wha

t Lia

bilit

y Pr

otec

tion

is A

vaila

ble?

Emer

genc

y M

anag

emen

t and

Hom

elan

d Se

curit

y A

cts

Emer

genc

y M

anag

emen

t and

Hom

elan

d Se

curit

y A

cts

may

pro

vide

: • L

imite

d im

mun

ity fo

r em

erge

ncy

and

disa

ster

vol

unte

ers

• Com

pens

atio

n fo

r inj

ured

em

erge

ncy

and

disa

ster

vol

unte

ers

• Tem

pora

ry re

cogn

ition

of l

icen

ses,

per

mits

and

cer

tific

atio

ns fo

r em

erge

ncy

and

disa

ster

wor

kers

, bot

h pa

id a

n un

paid

Lim

ited

imm

unity

pro

tect

s on

ly fo

r ord

inar

y ne

glig

ence

Imm

unity

is o

ften

limite

d to

indi

vidu

als

Usu

ally

requ

ired

to re

gist

er a

s a

volu

ntee

r with

an

emer

genc

y re

spon

se a

genc

y an

d be

invo

lved

in a

utho

rized

act

iviti

es

May

spe

cific

ally

pro

tect

ow

ners

of s

helte

r pre

mis

es a

nd a

rchi

tect

s an

d en

gine

ers

who

insp

ect d

amag

ed p

rem

ises

15

Wha

t Lia

bilit

y Pr

otec

tion

is A

vaila

ble?

Gov

ernm

enta

l Im

mun

ity

Lim

ited

imm

unity

for a

gov

ernm

ent a

nd it

s re

pres

enta

tives

, usu

ally

se

t for

th in

a s

tatu

te

Ofte

n in

clud

ed in

a “t

ort c

laim

s ac

t” th

at d

escr

ibes

how

the

gove

rnm

ent c

an b

e su

ed

16

Wha

t Lia

bilit

y Pr

otec

tion

is A

vaila

ble?

Wor

kers

’ Com

pens

atio

n A

cts

Req

uire

an

“em

ploy

er”

to p

rovi

de s

tatu

tory

ben

efits

to “

empl

oyee

s”

who

are

inju

red

on th

e jo

b In

som

e st

ates

, reg

iste

red

disa

ster

or e

mer

genc

y vo

lunt

eers

are

tre

ated

as

“em

ploy

ees”

Ben

efits

for d

isas

ter a

nd e

mer

genc

y vo

lunt

eers

may

be

mor

e lim

ited

than

for r

egul

ar e

mpl

oyee

s, o

r may

be

subj

ect t

o co

ntin

genc

ies

In s

ome

stat

es, l

ocal

gov

ernm

ents

and

age

ncie

s ar

e pe

rmitt

ed b

ut n

ot

requ

ired

to p

rovi

de in

jury

ben

efits

to d

isas

ter o

r em

erge

ncy

volu

ntee

rs

17

Wha

t Lia

bilit

y Pr

otec

tion

is A

vaila

ble?

Lice

nse,

Cer

tific

ate

or P

erm

it La

ws

In a

n em

erge

ncy,

may

pro

vide

for t

empo

rary

wai

ver o

f lic

ense

, ce

rtifi

cate

or p

erm

it re

quire

men

ts o

r tem

pora

ry re

cogn

ition

of

licen

ses,

cer

tific

ates

and

per

mits

from

ano

ther

juris

dict

ion

An

issu

e fo

r pai

d an

d un

paid

em

erge

ncy

and

disa

ster

wor

kers

wor

king

ou

t of j

uris

dict

ion

and

retir

ed p

rofe

ssio

nals

with

no

activ

e lic

ense

U

sual

ly re

quire

d to

regi

ster

with

an

emer

genc

y re

spon

se a

genc

y an

d to

be

invo

lved

in a

utho

rized

act

iviti

es

Sta

te’s

gov

erno

r ofte

n ca

n lim

it sc

ope

of a

ctiv

ities

18

Wha

t Lia

bilit

y Pr

otec

tion

is A

vaila

ble?

Emer

genc

y M

anag

emen

t Ass

ista

nce

Com

pact

A

n na

tiona

l dis

aste

r rel

ief c

ompa

ct –

all

50 s

tate

s, th

e D

istr

ict o

f C

olum

bia,

Pue

rto

Ric

o, G

uam

, and

the

U.S

. Virg

in Is

land

s ar

e si

gnat

orie

s –

trig

gere

d by

a g

over

nor’s

em

erge

ncy

decl

arat

ion

• Lia

bilit

y pr

otec

tion

• Lic

ense

, cer

tific

ate

and

perm

it re

cogn

ition

Pro

vide

s lia

bilit

y pr

otec

tion

for a

n as

sist

ing

stat

e an

d th

at s

tate

’s

offic

ers

or e

mpl

oyee

s w

hen

they

are

aid

ing

a re

ques

ting

stat

e

Lice

nses

, cer

tific

atio

ns, a

nd p

erm

its re

cogn

ized

by

the

assi

stin

g st

ate

are

reco

gniz

ed b

y th

e re

ceiv

ing

stat

e, s

ubje

ct to

lim

itatio

ns a

nd

cond

ition

s pr

escr

ibed

by

the

gove

rnor

's e

xecu

tive

orde

r.

19

. Mus

t be

part

of th

e st

ate’

s E

MA

C re

spon

se fo

r EM

AC

pro

tect

ion

Wha

t Lia

bilit

y Pr

otec

tion

is A

vaila

ble?

Mod

el L

egis

latio

n U

nifo

rm E

mer

genc

y Vo

lunt

eer H

ealth

Pra

ctiti

oner

s A

ct

• Lic

ense

reco

gniti

on

•Opt

iona

l lia

bilit

y pr

otec

tion

•Opt

iona

l wor

kers

’ com

pens

atio

n pr

otec

tion

Lim

ited

to th

e he

alth

car

e co

ntex

t

ww

w.u

evhp

a.or

g/

20

Wha

t Lia

bilit

y Pr

otec

tion

is A

vaila

ble?

Insu

ranc

e &

Con

trac

tual

Agr

eem

ents

Lo

cal g

over

nmen

t ins

uran

ce o

r sel

f-ins

uran

ce p

rogr

ams

Mem

oran

da o

f agr

eem

ent

Mut

ual a

id a

gree

men

ts

Not

e:

Prot

ectio

n de

pend

s on

the

term

s of

the

insu

ranc

e do

cum

ent o

r1.

agre

emen

t

Agr

eem

ents

can

als

o es

tabl

ish

a ba

sis

for l

iabi

lity

clai

ms

2.

21

Und

erst

andi

ng th

e La

w

Onl

ine

rese

arch

(sta

tute

s an

d pe

ndin

g le

gisl

atio

n)

Con

sult

with

kno

wle

dgea

ble

atto

rney

or r

isk

man

ager

Net

wor

k w

ith o

ther

pro

gram

s

Wor

king

with

in th

e La

w

Cha

ngin

g th

e La

w

Con

stru

ctin

g th

e pr

ogra

m to

qua

lify

for e

xist

ing

prot

ectio

n

Bui

ldin

g co

aliti

ons,

mak

ing

cont

acts

and

find

ing

an a

dvoc

ate

How

Can

Citi

zen

Cor

ps P

rogr

ams

Man

age

Liab

ility

Ris

k?

22

How

Can

Citi

zen

Cor

ps P

rogr

ams

Man

age

Liab

ility

Ris

k?

Com

pone

nts

of R

isk

Man

agem

ent

Ris

k id

entif

icat

ion

& a

sses

smen

t W

hat c

an g

o w

rong

and

the

likel

y co

nseq

uenc

es

Ris

k “c

ontr

ol”/

miti

gatio

n R

educ

e lo

sses

and

thei

r con

sequ

ence

s C

ompl

y w

ith th

e la

w

Enh

ance

the

prog

ram

’s a

bilit

y to

fulfi

ll its

mis

sion

Ris

k fin

anci

ng

Pay

for l

osse

s th

at o

ccur

23

Ris

k Fi

nanc

ing

NOGU

ARAN

TEES

!

How

Can

Citi

zen

Cor

ps P

rogr

ams

Man

age

Liab

ility

Ris

k?

Ris

k Fi

nanc

ing

-Not

hing

Pro

vide

s 10

0% P

rote

ctio

n Pr

otec

tion

unde

r sta

tute

s

Insu

ranc

e

Agr

eem

ents

with

oth

ers

24

How

Can

Citi

zen

Cor

ps P

rogr

ams

Man

age

Liab

ility

Ris

k?

Iden

tify

poss

ible

liab

ility

eve

nts

Ass

ess

the

likel

ihoo

d an

d co

nseq

uenc

es

Esta

blis

h pr

iorit

ies

Ris

k Id

entif

icat

ion

& A

sses

smen

t

25

How

Can

Citi

zen

Cor

ps P

rogr

ams

Man

age

Liab

ility

Ris

k?

Ris

k “C

ontr

ol”/

Miti

gatio

n Sc

reen

ing

and

sele

ctin

g vo

lunt

eers

& a

ffilia

tes

Prep

arin

g vo

lunt

eers

for t

heir

role

s, i.

e. tr

aini

ng

Man

agin

g vo

lunt

eers

, i.e

. sup

ervi

sing

26

Four

Ste

ps to

Tak

e N

ow

Go

to y

our s

tate

’s o

nlin

e st

atut

es

Find

a le

gal a

dvis

or

Beg

in to

est

ablis

h a

netw

ork

Go

to th

e C

itize

n C

orps

Vol

unte

er L

iabi

lity

Gui

de

ww

w.c

itize

ncor

ps.g

ov/c

ounc

ils/v

olun

teer

_mgm

t.sht

m

27

Con

tact

Info

rmat

ion

Cla

ire L

ee R

eiss

, J.D

., A

RM

, CP

CU

crei

ss@

riski

nstit

ute.

org

28

Citi

zen

Cor

ps C

onta

ct In

fo.

Emai

l: ci

tizen

corp

s@dh

s.go

v

Web

site

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itize

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ov

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zen

Cor

ps V

olun

teer

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: w

ww

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zenc

orps

.gov

/cou

ncils

/vol

unte

er_m

gmt.s

htm

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