Sign the waiver and wave goodbye to cover?
Some organisations that have been making use of the hours and efforts of volunteer workers have found they are faced with a dilemma; take out expensive
public liability insurance for their volunteers, or get them to sign a liability
waiver form. Whether the choice to employ the latter option is to do with budget cuts or simply a way to ensure that the ‘show goes on’ is not clear at this time.
Waiver forms rescue events
It is important to note that were it not for the introduction of such waiver forms, low or non profit events would have to grind to a halt. It was only last summer that local authorities were preparing to hang up their hats on providing their locals with fairs, bazaars and fetes. If they too were to employ waiver forms for those that were participating then next summer could potentially be filled with the usual fun and laughter that is associated with small community events.
For the Eastern Iowa volunteers that have been contributing their efforts and hours in exchange for the simple satisfaction that they have helped their fellow man. There are some agencies that are incredibly grateful for the hours their volunteers put in, and in exchange are willing to cover any medical costs incurred as a result of their volunteer efforts. One such organisation is AmeriCorps VISTA program who aid volunteers who each year gear up to assist flood afflicted families.
Flood victims
The families that have been negatively impacted by the flooding that occurred in ‘the corridor’ have been heavily reliant on 4,383 strong volunteer force that have been working tirelessly in any which way they can; sandbagging, using power tools and house gutting are but a few of the tasks these volunteers are doing, tasks that in the UK alone are the cause of hundreds of thousands of visits to the accident and emergency station.
Members of the volunteer teams that have signed waiver forms are not adverse to the idea, perhaps because volunteer co-ordinators such as Sue Driscoll of United Way are saying that “it’s a fairly typical policy when working with volunteers”. That said when spoken to some volunteers had nothing but good things to say; “lots of people were hurt by the floods, so this is the least we can do”, Thomas a frequent relief volunteer said. He went on to add that “injury hasn’t been a big issue”, but that may be because others shared his charitable standards and moral grounding.
Others that may have volunteered from a similar seat of honourable may no longer hold the same view if in their volunteering generosity they had incurred thousands if not hundreds of thousands worth of medical bills they may not be quite so supportive of the waiver forms. Bruce Vander Sanden said that medical costs for workers that are volunteering should come as standard and that AmeriCorps VISTA workers are considered to be valuable assets and thus receive the medical benefits that are akin to federal government employees. In a similar fashion, local Red Cross chapters cover injuries that have been sustained by their flood workers.
Updated on 12/12/2008