Employee Volunteer Program

• City and County of Denver Career Service employees
• Full time employees only - part-time/limited/or on-call employees are ineligible to take part in the program
• Employees who have completed their six-month new hire probationary period

• One (1) eight-hour day; or
• Two (2) four-hour periods over two days
• Hours must be used within the calendar year and cannot be carried-over into following year

Our employees track their volunteer time using a special pay code on their timecards. The pay code is tied to a leave bank to ensure our employees stay within the parameters of the program.

The Team Captain has the following responsibilities prior to the project date:

• Coordinating with the Denver Good Deeds Program Administrator who will supply the Team Captain with the following materials:

• Denver Good Deeds T-Shirts
• 311 business cards
• Attendance sheet for the team
• Waivers and emergency contacts for each member of the team
• Day-of responsibilities checklist

• Coordinating with the team for transportation (e.g. if two employees are coming from the same agency, will they carpool?)\
• Sending motivating reminder emails to the team as the project date approaches
• Reminding your team of supplies they need to bring, if required.

Day-Of Responsibilities:

• Taking attendance and communicating absences to the OHR Program Administrator
• Leading a quick "ice-breaker" for the team to make introductions, if necessary
• Handing out 311 cards freely to any interested community members
• Reporting any injuries to the city's workers' compensation line and OHR Program Administrator immediately following an incident, and contacting emergency contact if necessary
• Overall being enthusiastic and encouraging to your team throughout the project!

No.

No. Employees work with their supervisors to ensure that their volunteer time will not result in overtime.

No.

Employees must notify their direct supervisor at least two weeks before the date of the volunteer project that they would like to participate in. Approval is at the discretion of their direct supervisor.

While we encourage our employees to volunteer at their favorite charity on the weekends or during non-working hours. The only projects approved for paid volunteer time during the work week are through the Denver Good Deeds program.

We encourage our employees to volunteer with DEVO or at your favorite charity on the weekends or during non-working hours. The only approved uses for paid volunteer time are through the Denver Good Deeds program.

Yes! The employee is placed with a team of other employees and notified of their team by the assigned Team Captain.

• Bring their lunch and/or snacks. They will have a break for lunch, and are also able to pick-up lunch near their project site. They can bring a cooler for water.
• Be sure to eat a good breakfast on the day-of the project
• Bring a filled water bottle to stay hydrated
• Bring any personal medications. Employees who have specific health or emergency needs such as allergic reactions to plants or insect bites should note them on their registration form. This will help determine what action to take.

The main priority at any volunteer project is the safety of all participants. To ensure that your group has a fun and safe experience, please review the safety tips below.

General Safety

• Make sure to take breaks throughout the day
• Report any injuries/fatigue immediately to the Team Captain
• Team Captain will be supplied with each volunteer’s waiver and emergency contact information in case of emergency
• Team Captain will contact the workers' compensation line if further assistance is needed

Site Safety

• Be aware of your surroundings, don’t work alone
• Watch for hazardous footing, uneven surfaces, slippery banks, tripping hazards
• Watch for hazardous vegetation weeds, tall grasses, poison ivy, etc
• Be aware of park users, especially bicyclists on trails
• Be aware of waste hazards, glass, needles, empty containers, etc., always sweep rake or shovel glass. Never pick up sharp objects with your hands.
• NEVER TOUCH NEEDLES! Notify the Team Captain immediately
• Do not reach into “blind” areas with bare hands
• Cross streets at signals or crosswalks
• When working in or around a gutter, work from the sidewalk
• Do not get near homeless camps. Do not dispose of their belongings

Tool Safety

• Always carry tools at your side with the most dangerous part turned down
• Keep a safe distance when carrying tools, an arm and tool length apart
• Never play with tools
• Never swing a tool higher than your shoulder
• Be aware of those around you, both tool users and non-users
• Store your tool properly, in a central location, not scattered around
• Use the proper tool for each task 

If an employee will drive to the volunteer site from a city work location, or to a city work location from the volunteer site, they need to be authorized to drive for city business.

Denver Goods Deeds Employee Volunteer Program is limited to current full-time, unlimited Career Service City and County of Denver employees who have successfully completed their probationary period are eligible to participate in this program in accordance with the parameters set forth in Career Service Rule 9-80(PDF, 433KB) .

Non-city employees are not welcome to participate in Denver Good Deeds projects alongside city employees. Residents/non-employees are encouraged to find other city volunteer opportunities online.