Where can I get a "Volunteer Contract"?

Question

We've got a volunteer working for our company and want to make sure everything is legal. Where can I find an online volunteer legal contract. Or can I do my own?

Answer 1

You can write your own agreement if this is a simple arrangement. Write out what duties you expect and any conditions you want in place (confidentiality, hours to be worked, etc). Then make sure you include some language on what the volunteer is getting out of this deal. "Consideration" is the legal term for what valuable thing is being exchanged in a contract, and if you're not paying this person, you'll have to couch it in terms of experience gained, training in a certain area, or something else non-pecuniary. Consideration can take many forms, not always monetary, and if present, courts will not inquire as to whether there was a "fair" exchange. Even if you can't come up with some form of consideration, writing down what you expect of this person and making them sign it will put them on notice of what you expect and hleps you avoid any future problems if the person claims they were ignorant of a condition of their volunteering.