Employee Support

You asked

In reference to the employment of civil servants in your department, please provide:

1. All documents referring to currently active policy concerning any form of support given to employees to undertake volunteering opportunities outside of their day to day responsibilities. If these documents are not applicable to all civil servants, please indicate to which group(s) of civil servants each document applies.

2. A breakdown of what support* and benefits** are currently given to employees to undertake volunteering opportunities outside of their day to day responsibilities. If these are not applicable to all civil servants, please indicate to which group(s) of civil servants each type of support and benefits applies.

*Support could be, for example, paid time off to volunteer, flexible work arrangements to volunteer, group volunteering facilitation, individual volunteer matching with community organisations, pool of volunteers for community organisations to draw from, skilled volunteer facilitation, professional development through a community service learning approach, international volunteering facilitation, information about volunteer opportunities in the community (through an Internet website, an Intranet website, information sessions, volunteer fairs, e-newsletter, volunteer-related messages to interested employees, etc.), volunteer recognition awards, articles showcasing employees' volunteering stories, etc.

**Benefits could be, for example, in reference to salary, remuneration, annual leave, promotion or other forms of benefit connected to employment.

1. The name, as well as the work telephone number, e-mail address and physical address, of the civil servant(s) coordinating your department's employer-supported volunteer scheme.

We said

1. Please find the Department's Policy and Procedure which applies to all ONS staff.

2. Details of the support and benefits given to staff is included in the procedure sections 1.0. Paid Special Leave, 2.0 Unpaid Special Leave and 4.0 Resources and Support.

3. We do not have a designated co-ordinator. Managers are empowered to make decisions on whether or not to grant applications for paid/unpaid special leave for reasons of volunteering.