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
: ww
w.c
itize
ncor
ps.g
ov
Citi
zen
Cor
ps V
olun
teer
Lia
bilit
y G
uide
: w
ww
.citi
zenc
orps
.gov
/cou
ncils
/vol
unte
er_m
gmt.s
htm
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