Employment - Volunteering

The University of Memphis encourages volunteer support to assist in carrying out its mission of education, research and public service. It is the policy of the University to allow uncompensated individuals to provide volunteer services directly related to the business of the University. The University does not intend for volunteers to do work that is currently being performed by University employees. If a volunteer is already employed at the University, the volunteer services cannot be the same type of services that the individual is employed to perform at the University. Volunteer arrangements may not be used to avoid the established processes that govern standard University-authorized hires. Volunteers are expected to abide by all University Policies and Procedures and all external relations or laws that govern their actions.

University volunteers are not considered employees, agents or independent contractors at the University for any purpose, are not covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act and are not entitled to any type of salary or benefits of employment, including insurance, retirement benefits, worker's compensation, travel expenses or any other form of compensation.

Persons designated and properly registered by the University as a participant in a volunteer program are given certain protections under the Tennessee Claims Commission Act. This act protects actions taken in the course of performing volunteer services for the University, which are not willful, malicious, criminal or done for personal gain.

Non-U.S. citizens who are in the U.S. on a non-immigrant visa may volunteer if the activity is part of a defined volunteer program, or the primary benefit of the activity accrues to the volunteer and the University does not normally compensate individuals for performing that activity.

Individuals in the U.S. in B-1, B-2 WB or WT status are prohibited from volunteering in any capacity at the University.

Any department intending to keep a volunteer or any individual intending to provide volunteer services to the University, in any capacity, must first register with the University by completing the forms found by going to https://www.memphis.edu/legal/docs/volunteerform2010a.pdf. These forms should be completed and sent to the Office of Legal Counsel, Administration Building, Room 201.