IPS 3-10 EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM PILOT

Effective Date: May 28, 2010

Responsible Office: M/HRM
MS 635 Absence and Leave

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 Purpose
2.0 Employee Volunteer Program
3.0 Requesting and Approving EVP Administrative Leave
3.1 Amount of Administrative Leave
3.2 Requesting Administrative Leave
3.3 Approving Administrative Leave
4.0 Approved EVP Activities
4.1 Group Activities
4.2 Individual Activities
5.0 Conditions on EVP Activities
6.0 Use of Government Facilities and Equipment
7.0 Evaluation of the EVP
8.0 Effective Date

ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A Volunteer Activity Approval Form

1.0 PURPOSE
This Interim Policy Statement describes the Peace Corps’ Employee Volunteer Program (EVP), which is
being implemented on a pilot basis for the remainder of leave year 2010. At the end of the year, the EVP
will be reviewed as described in section 7.0 below.

2.0 EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

Peace Corps employees in the United States may be granted administrative leave for approved volunteer
activities in accordance with the provisions below. Participation in the EVP is completely voluntary.
Participation or non-participation by an employee in the EVP may not be taken into account in that
employee’s performance evaluation or used for any other purpose.

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3.0 REQUESTING AND APPROVING EVP ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE
3.1 Amount of Administrative Leave
(a) An employee may request up to 32 hours of administrative leave during the remainder of leave year
2010 to participate in the EVP. An employee’s EVP administrative leave hours become available for
use (subject to appropriate approval as described below) on the effective date of this IPS. Participation
in Peace Corps Days of Service as designated by the Peace Corps Director is not counted in the 32
hours.
(b) For an employee who begins employment in 2010 after the effective date of this IPS, the total amount
of EVP administrative leave hours for which that employee would be eligible is an amount equal to 2
hours for each remaining pay period in the year.
(c) For part-time staff, the number of EVP administrative leave hours is pro-rated based on the number
of hours an employee works.
(d) An employee who terminates Peace Corps employment before the end of the leave year will not be
required to repay EVP administrative leave hours used.

3.2 Requesting Administrative Leave

To request administrative leave to participate in the EVP, an employee must submit both a Request for
Leave or Approved Absence and Attachment A Employee Volunteer Program Approval form to the official
designated to approve the employee’s leave under MS 635.5.1.1.

3.3 Approving Administrative Leave

In deciding whether to approve a request by an employee for administrative leave under the EVP, the
approving official must:
(a) determine whether the activity is an approved EVP activity under section 4.0; and
(b) give due consideration to the effect of the employee’s absence or change in duty schedule on work
operations and productivity.

4.0 APPROVED EVP ACTIVITIES

An employee may request EVP administrative leave for volunteer activity of any of the following types:

4.1 Group activities

A group volunteer activity organized and sponsored by the employee’s office as a skill-building or team-
building exercise by the head of that office.

4.2 Individual activities

(a) Activities that promote the Peace Corps or that promote a better understanding of other peoples on
the part of Americans.
(b) Volunteer activities with established tax-exempt or government entities designed primarily to address
the needs of persons of limited means or other disadvantaged persons and involving one or more of
the sectors in which Peace Corps Volunteers are involved, namely:

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 (1) education;
(2) youth and community development;
(3) health and HIV/AIDS prevention;
(4) environment;
(5) agriculture;
(6) small business development; and
(7) information and communications technology.

5.0 CONDITIONS ON EVP ACTIVITIES

While on administrative leave under the EVP, an employee:
(a) must make it clear, when engaging in activities under 4.2(b), that the employee is acting in the
employee’s private rather than official capacity and does not represent the Peace Corps;
(b) may not participate in lobbying or partisan political activities;
(c) may not represent or advocate on behalf of anyone to the U.S. Government or any federal agency (but
may provide non-representational assistance, such as assistance in filling out forms for persons seeking
government benefits or in the preparation of tax returns without compensation - see 18 U.S.C. 205);
and
(d) is responsible for ensuring that the employee’s volunteer activities do not violate the Standards of
Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch (5 CFR Part 2635) or any other rules or statutes
(employees are encouraged to consult with ethics officials in the Office of the General Counsel).

6.0 USE OF GOVERNMENT FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT

Employees may make limited use of Peace Corps facilities and equipment for EVP purposes in accordance
with MS 643.

7.0 EVALUATION OF THE EVP

By January 31, 2011, an assessment of the EVP will be carried out to determine whether the EVP should be
made permanent and, if so, whether it should be modified in any way. The following issues and factors will
be considered in that assessment:
(a) the appropriate number of EVP administrative leave hours that should be made available to employees
on a yearly basis;
(b) whether participation in Peace Corps Days of Service as designated by the Director should be counted
in EVP administrative leave hours.
(c) whether all EVP administrative leave hours should be made available at the beginning of the leave year
or should accrue during the leave year;
(d) whether employees who leave the Peace Corps before the end of the leave year should be required to
repay any portion of the EVP administrative leave hours;
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(e) the level of participation by employees in EVP activities and in Peace Corps Days of Service during the
pilot program;
(f) the types of EVP activities employees engaged in during the pilot program;
(g) the costs and the benefits of the EVP program;
(h) whether the EVP program should be extended to staff overseas;
(i) whether the categories of approved EVP activities as set out in section 4.0 are appropriate; and
(j) any implementation issues that arose during the pilot program.

8.0 EFFECTIVE DATE

The effective date of this IPS is the date of issuance.