Volunteer Hiring Process
Volunteering must be for altruistic reasons and not for training, to avoid hiring someone, or as a trial period for hiring. Volunteers are expected to receive a greater level of supervision than an employee would, and are prohibited from doing work for the employer’s benefit (ie. filing, typing, clerical work). All duties should fulfill the altruistic purpose of the volunteering and, if applicable, must be renewed annually by completing a questionnaire and submitting to HR for review.
- Department reaches out to HR Business Partner and completes the volunteer questionnaire
- Department sends the questionnaire to their Human Resources Business Partner for review at least 5 days prior to the volunteer starting
- HRBP reviews the questionnaire and notifies the department whether the volunteer is approved (ie. duties meets all current legal requirements)
- HRBP prepares the volunteer agreement and sends to the volunteer for signature
Unpaid Internships
Unpaid Internships are education or training programs that are designed to provide students with professional experience in furtherance of their education and training and are academically oriented for their benefit, similar to the training that one would receive in an educational environment. All duties assigned to the intern must be for the intern’s educational benefit, and the intern must work under close supervision of staff for the duration of the internship. Routine work that is structured around the employer’s operations and is for the employer’s benefit (e.g., clerical work such as filing or typing) is generally not permitted.
INTERN APPROVAL PROCESS
- Department completes the intern questionnaire and sends it to their Human Resources Business Partner for review at least 5 days prior to the start of the internship
- HRBP reviews the questionnaire and notifies department whether the internship is approved (i.e., meets all current legal requirements)
- The department prepares the intern agreement, sends to their HRBP for approval and following the approval, the department submits the agreement to the intern for their signature. If you need the agreement template, please reach out to your HRBP.
- Once the agreement is approved and signed, the department submits a Harvard Sponsored Role Request.
CLINICAL INTERN APPROVAL PROCESS (SUMMER ONLY)
- Department completes an intern questionnaire and sends it to their Human Resources Business Partner as soon as possible, but no later than May 1. Departments may include the names of all summer interns on one questionnaire if they are all performing the same duties.
- HRBP reviews the questionnaire and notifies the department whether the internship is approved (i.e., meets all current legal requirements)
- The department prepares the intern agreement, sends to their HRBP for approval and following the approval, the department submits the agreement to the intern for their signature. If you need the agreement template, please reach out to your HRBP
- Department sends a copy of the signed intern agreement to HR on or before the first day of the internship
Note: HLS students working for clinical or pro bono credit during the school year do not need to have a questionnaire competed. Questionnaires must be completed for all summer interns.