Paid leave for Volunteering work

Simon11

Hi

I've got a one year contract with company operated by Virgin in head office.

I've used up my annual leave cause of 2 big holidays in the summer

Was wondering if I can get get any paid leave while volunteering as im a youth leader and got week summer camp in august.

Would a company like Virgin (Or other companys) allow a few days off or not?

Is it worth asking my employer? I'm not expect to get all the week off for the camp, but 1/2 days would mean i could spend 3-5 days helping(including the weekend)

Are companys happy to allow staff paid holiday for volunteering and or unpaid?

Any advice or experience is welcome!

dmg24

I know of one company that do. I know of several hundred that would not. There is no harm in asking!

jdturk

Simon11 wrote: »

Hi

I've got a one year contract with company operated by Virgin in head office.

I've used up my annual leave cause of 2 big holidays in the summer

Was wondering if I can get get any paid leave while volunteering as im a youth leader and got week summer camp in august.

Would a company like Virgin (Or other companys) allow a few days off or not?

Is it worth asking my employer? I'm not expect to get all the week off for the camp, but 1/2 days would mean i could spend 3-5 days helping(including the weekend)

Are companys happy to allow staff paid holiday for volunteering and or unpaid?

Any advice or experience is welcome!

No harm in asking but I very much doubt they would pay you for it, why would they? You are on a short term contract, you are not definately going to be there and its going to cost them money....unpaid they may do but again there is no guarantee

Simon11

Thanks for advice, I'm actually on placement year during university

Can't see anything about it in Contract. However no harm in asking- although I'll ask other staff first before asking boss:)

I just thought that well known companys would offer benefits for staff doing volunteering work-

jdturk

Simon11 wrote: »

Thanks for advice, I'm actually on placement year during university

Can't see anything about it in Contract. However no harm in asking- although I'll ask other staff first before asking boss:)

I just thought that well known companys would offer benefits for staff doing volunteering work-

Maybe but where is the benefit for the company in doing this in your situation?

Simon11

Companys are always keen on staff volunteering as well as helping the local community. We do alot of charity stuff and rasing money.

I thought major companies would jump at the chance to support employees volunteering.

jdturk

Simon11 wrote: »

Companys are always keen on staff volunteering as well as helping the local community. We do alot of charity stuff and rasing money.

I thought major companies would jump at the chance to support employees volunteering.

Still not told me how the company benefits from you having another week off paid.

chewmylegoff

Simon11 wrote: »

Companys are always keen on staff volunteering as well as helping the local community. We do alot of charity stuff and rasing money.

I thought major companies would jump at the chance to support employees volunteering.

companies do voluntary/charity stuff to improve their public image, it's just a form of advertising. generally speaking they're unlikely to just pay your salary whilst you go and do something like this - it is of no benefit to them unless they're getting the comany name publically connected with it.

if i asked my manager for paid leave to do voluntary work, she'd probably laugh in my face! they would probably let you take unpaid leave if your absence from work isn't going to cause them any problems.

donquine

Assuming it didn't fall within my busy season or interfere with the business need, my employer would allow me the time off to do what the OP is proposing. I would also get paid for it. No one would need to know for whom I work - letting me have the paid time off to volunteer would not be conditional on receiving publicity!

However, I think my employer is quite generous in this regard and many companies wouldn't support this to the same extent. OP, do you have a staff handbook or intranet site? Have a look for a corporate social responsibility policy. If you don't have one, your employer may allow you unpaid leave, but I think you'd have a hard time trying to get any more support than that!

I think all companies have to expect a certain level of staff absence at any given time, e.g. a % may be on agreed holiday, b % may be ill, c % may be on jury duty, d % may be on maternity leave, etc. If paid time off for staff volunteering hasn't been factored into this equation, I can see why a company would not be willing (or perhaps able) to support it. The benefit to the employer (staff morale, good publicity, etc) has to be weighed against the actual cost and any associated disadvantages (how much it costs to employ you, whether temporary cover will have to be arranged and paid for, how the other staff will react, etc).

It's a shame you didn't hold back any annual leave, but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Emmzi

I would have entrtained it if you'd asked before you'd used up all your holiday but now it'd look like you wanted me to pay because of your poor planning.

Why didn't you keep a week back?

jdturk

And to point the obvious out, you allow it for one person you have to allow it for all and it could put the company in a situation it needn't be in.

People are lucky if they work for employers that allow it but to me it seems a cost that isn't required