# Employee Volunteering Policy ## Purpose Supports employees to undertake volunteering activity during working hours, reflecting the SU's values and its role as a student-led organisation that champions civic participation. ## Entitlement - **5 paid working days** per year for volunteering activity - Days can be taken as full days or half days - Days do not carry over to the next year ## Eligibility - All employees who have **completed their probationary period** - Part-time employees receive a pro-rata allowance - Fixed-term employees are eligible for the duration of their contract (post-probation) ## What Counts as Volunteering - Formal volunteering with a registered charity, community organisation, or social enterprise - School governors, magistrates, or similar civic roles - Trustee or board member of an external not-for-profit - Community or environmental projects *Does not include*: activity that primarily benefits the employee personally (e.g. training for a personal qualification), or volunteering for a commercial organisation. ## Process 1. Employee identifies a volunteering opportunity 2. Submits a request to line manager in advance (as early as possible, especially for planned days) 3. Line manager approves, subject to operational needs — **not to be unreasonably refused** 4. Days recorded in HR system as volunteering leave 5. Employee provides brief feedback on the activity on return (informal — supports reporting) ## Finding Opportunities The **Student Opportunities Team** can help employees identify volunteering opportunities, particularly those aligned with the SU's student-facing work. ## Notes - Volunteering leave is separate from annual leave and cannot be exchanged for pay - The SU may promote employee volunteering activity in communications (with consent)