Volunteers and the Law in BC (Recorded Webinar)

Whether you’re a volunteer or an organization that relies on the help of volunteers, you may have questions about your rights and responsibilities, and risks to watch out for. Lawyer Mary Childs answers common questions about volunteers and the law in British Columbia. Current to April 2024. Show notes at www.peopleslawschool.ca/webin...
Volunteer’s perspective
4:05 How the law defines volunteering, and why it matters.
10:25 Factors a person should consider before volunteering, and what questions a volunteer should ask an organization before they volunteer.
15:30 If you volunteer for a local charity’s fundraiser and some money goes missing, whether you can be held responsible.
18:30 If you volunteer to drive on a field trip at your child's school, what risks you would be taking on.
21:10 How you can protect yourself as a volunteer.
24:10 If you are thinking of volunteering as a director of a non-profit organization, what kinds of responsibilities you can expect and what things you should look out for before taking on the role.
31:10 If you’re elected to your strata council and it becomes too much, whether you can quit before your term is up.
Organization’s perspective
32:30 If an organizing committee at a school has parent volunteers help run a fair, what responsibilities the committee has to the volunteers.
34:20 If a non-profit organization is sued because a person is injured due to the actions of a volunteer, whether the organization is responsible.
37:35 Whether a small non-profit that relies on volunteers on a regular basis needs to have policies in place for their volunteers, and tips for what should be covered in those policies.
42:20 Whether a non-profit that offers recreational activities run by volunteers should look into waivers and insurance.
45:15 If your non-profit is sued by a volunteer who got injured while volunteering, what steps you should take first.
Live questions
47:40 If a volunteer's role involves them using their own vehicle, whether their own vehicle insurance would cover them.
48:35 Whether a person who is 70+ and volunteers to help a strata with gardening and landscaping would be covered if they are injured.
49:40 When volunteering as a strata council member, whether the strata council is considered a non-profit.
50:50 Whether you can be sued personally for serving on a volunteer board for a non-profit.
52:35 Whether the number of years a volunteer has been involved with an organization affects whether they're considered a worker.
53:45 How stipends, honorariums and other types of “compensation” (such as passes and tickets) affect whether someone is considered a worker.
55:00 What should be in a waiver for volunteers.