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FOREST SERVICE MANUAL
MT. HOOD NATIONAL FOREST HQ
SANDY, OREGON
FSM 1800 – HUMAN RESOURCE PROGRAMS
CHAPTER 30 – VOLUNTEERS PROGRAM
Mt. Hood Supplement No.1800-2003-1
Effective Date: May 9, 2003.
Duration: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
Approved: GARY L. LARSEN
Forest Supervisor
Date Approved: 5/02/2003
Posting Instructions: Supplements are numbered consecutively by title and calendar year.
Post by document; remove the entire document and replace it with this supplement. Retain this
transmittal as the first page(s) of this document. The last supplement to this Manual was Mt.
Hood Supplement No.1800-99-1 to FSM 1830.
New Document
1833.1 thru 1834.3
4 Pages
Superseded Document(s)
(Mt. Hood Supplement No.
1800-99-1 May 19, 1999)
1833.1 thru 1834.3
4 Pages
Digest: Updates forest direction for the volunteer program & related agreements.
Reissuing Supplement No. 1800-99-1 as 1800-2003-1.
MH SUPPLEMENT FSM-1800-2003-1
EFFECTIVE DATE:
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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1833.1 – VOLUNTEER AGREEMENTS.
1. Approving Volunteer Agreements. The Authority to approve and negotiate
individual and sponsored volunteer agreements on the Mt. Hood National Forest is delegated to
District Rangers, and further delegated to the Acting District Ranger, and at the Forest
Headquarters to the Acting Forest Supervisor.
.In cases where other than the Forest Supervisor, District Ranger or their acting sign the
volunteer agreement, the agreement needs to be routed through the Ranger or Forest Supervisor
or their acting at the earliest convenience to be initialed and dated.
Those positions with delegated authority to sign volunteer agreements need to be current on
limitations of the use of the volunteer authority as well as with the benefits and reimbursements
which may be provided through the volunteer agreement.
Gray areas needing careful line officer evaluation are the acceptance of voluntary services from
Forest Service employees and/or their families, the difference in the allowable reimbursement
for local and non-local volunteers as well as the fine line which sometimes exists between local
and non-local volunteers (particularly those who may be current or former Forest Service
employees).
The position (their acting or successor) who authorizes the volunteer agreement needs to be the
position that terminates it at the end of the volunteer service.
Guidelines are found in the PNW Region Field Guide, “Managing Volunteers, “ and the Master
Agreement between the Forest Service and NFFE. (Article 37)
2.. The Use of Volunteer Agreements
Volunteer agreements are generally the proper
instrument to use to accept the services (i.e. work that has a dollar value and/or can be measured)
of a willing participant who receives no wages or payment for their services. Volunteer
agreements cannot be used to “earn” or trade for goods or services.
Volunteer agreements are not to be used in situations where the intent is to authorize transportation
in a government vehicle or travel expenses when no measurable work or service was provided.
Not only would that be an improper use of the volunteer agreement, but it exposes the Forest
Service to liability and potential risk that may be unnecessary.
Travel in a government-owned, -leased or –rented vehicle for non-government persons who are
NOT accomplishing volunteer work, may be approved by the appropriate staff or line officer if the
following conditions are met:
-The travel is for official purposes
-It is advantageous to the government
-There is no conflict of interest or no appearance of conflict of interest
MH SUPPLEMENT FSM-1800-2003-1
EFFECTIVE DATE:
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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-The travel is approved in writing in advance (the AD-202, travel authorization form is one
method to document these conditions being met and the proper approval being obtained)
Additional levels of approval are required for travel of non-government groups of six or more, or
in situations where reimbursement for travel and/or per diem expenses are projected. More
information is found in the Washington Office supplements FSH 6509.33 92-4, pgs 12 and 13, and
FSH 6509.33, 301-2.6a.
1833.11 – Description of Volunteer Duties.
The description of duties on the volunteer agreement need to be clear enough for both the volunteer
and the approving official to understand when the volunteer is “on duty” and in volunteer status and
covered for on the job injuries and tort claims.
1834.2 – Orientation, Training, and Safety,
Volunteers must follow the same safety standards and practices as are required for Forest Service
employees. It is the Forest Service project manager’s responsibility to insure that safety as well as
technical training is not only provided but adhered to.
Each volunteer agreement will have an approved job hazard analysis (JHA) attached for each different
type of work the volunteer is participating in. Each JHA will be signed by the volunteer after thorough
review.
In general, items necessary for the volunteer to do their job should be provided. This includes
equipment that can be checked out as well as items such as a Trail Park Pass, if the volunteer is
required to park their personal vehicle at a trailhead requiring a Trail Park Pass.
1834.3 – Records.
The original copy of all volunteer agreements needs to be kept in a central file in an area on the unit
designated by the District Ranger or Forest Supervisor. Each unit, including Forest Headquarters, will
have a Volunteer Coordinator identified who insures the official records are maintained, including the
approved job hazard analysis (JHA).