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Law on Volunteering

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REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA

LAW ON VOLUNTEERING

 

22 June 2011 – No XI-1500
Vilnius

 

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

Article 1. Purpose of the Law

This Law shall establish the peculiarities and principles of volunteering, the rights and duties of volunteers and volunteer organisers, the procedure for organising voluntary activities, insurance for volunteers and cases of reimbursement of expenses related to volunteering.

 

Article 2. Definitions

1. “Volunteering” means socially useful activities carried out by a volunteer free of charge, the conditions whereof are set by an agreement between the volunteer and volunteer organiser.

2. “International volunteer programme” means the programme implemented in compliance with the international obligations assumed by the Republic of Lithuania and specifying the conditions for volunteer participation, organising and financing of voluntary activities.

 

Article 3. Peculiarities of Volunteering

1. Volunteer organisers and volunteers shall be connected by a civil legal relationship. 

2. Activities which are in compliance with the principles of volunteering established in this Law and are organised in accordance with the procedure set forth by this Law shall not be considered illegal work.

 

Article 4. Principles of Volunteering

Voluntary activities shall be carried out in accordance with the following principles:

1) benefit to society and the individual – participation in voluntary activities offers persons a possibility to actively contribute to the creation of well-being of society and promotes self-expression and growth of volunteers;

2) cooperation – volunteering is based on cooperation between volunteers and volunteer organisers with a view to coordinating the needs and possibilities of the volunteers and volunteer organisers;

3) diversity and flexibility – voluntary activities may be carried out in various socially useful fields of activity. Volunteer organisers and volunteers may agree upon various forms and manner of volunteering and also change them.

 

CHAPTER TWO

VOLUNTEERS AND VOLUNTEER ORGANISERS

 

Article 5. Requirements for a Volunteer

1. Citizens of the Republic of Lithuania and aliens lawfully staying in the territory of the Republic of Lithuania who are over 14 years of age may be volunteers.

2. Persons who are under 18 years of age may engage in volunteering provided the child’s statutory representative has no objections thereto.

3. A volunteer shall not be required to possess qualifications, except for such types of volunteering where special qualifications are required under other legal acts or under the requirements of volunteer organisers.

4. Based on the activities carried out, a volunteer may be subject to other requirements laid down in legal acts regulating separate fields.

 

Article 6. Volunteer Organisers

The following entities registered in the Republic of Lithuania may be volunteer organisers:

1) charity and sponsorship funds;

2) budgetary institutions;

3) associations;

4) public establishments;

5) religious communities, associations and religious centres;

6) branches and representative offices of international public organisations;

7) political parties;

8) trade unions;

9) other legal persons whose activities are regulated by special laws and the purpose of whose activities is not seeking profit, while the profit received may not be allocated to their participants.

 

Article 7. Rights and Duties of a Volunteer

1. A volunteer shall have the right:

1) to be informed of the extent and scope of volunteering, the existing and possible health and safety risk factors which may arise in the course of volunteering and the use of protection measures against them;

2) to receive the means necessary for carrying out voluntary activities, information, training, consultancy and technical assistance;

3) to receive a document attesting to the voluntary activities carried out by the volunteer and the competence acquired;

4) to discontinue volunteering.

2. A volunteer shall have the duties:

1) to keep to the procedure for carrying out voluntary activities as discussed with the volunteer organiser;

2) to attend volunteer preparation courses, where these are provided for by the volunteer organiser;

3) not to violate the legitimate interests of the volunteer organiser and persons for the benefit whereof voluntary activities are carried out;

4) to carry out voluntary activities in good faith.

 

Article 8. Rights and Duties of a Volunteer Organiser

1. The rights of a volunteer organiser shall be as follows:

1) to engage volunteers;

2) to establish the objectives of and procedure for carrying out voluntary activities;

3) to reimburse volunteers for expenses related to volunteering;

4) to request that a volunteer attend volunteer preparation courses;

5) to dismiss a volunteer specifying the reasons for dismissal.

2. The duties of a volunteer organiser shall be as follows:

1) to inform a volunteer of the extent and scope of volunteering, its procedure, the existing and possible health and safety risk factors which may arise in the course of volunteering and the use of protection measures against them;

2) to provide to a volunteer the information necessary for carrying out voluntary activities, arrange training, provide consultancy and technical assistance and, at the request of the volunteer, provide him with the means necessary for carrying out voluntary activities;

3) to conclude a volunteering agreement with a volunteer in the cases specified in paragraph 1 of Article 9 of this Law;

4) at the request of a volunteer, to issue a document attesting to the voluntary activities carried out by the volunteer and the competence acquired.

 

CHAPTER THREE

ORGANISATION OF VOLUNTARY ACTIVITIES,

INSURANCE FOR A VOLUNTEER AND REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES

 

Article 9. Organisation of Voluntary Activities

1. A volunteer organiser shall conclude with a volunteer a written volunteering agreement, if:

1) volunteering-related expenses are subject to reimbursement;

2) one of the parties requests so.

2. The agreement may stipulate the duration and time of volunteering, reimbursement of the expenses specified in paragraph 1 of Article 11 of this Law, and other terms and conditions.

3. Taking into consideration the character of volunteering and requirements set out by legal acts, a volunteer organiser may require from individuals wishing to carry out voluntary activities to submit documents necessary to carry out such activities (a medical certificate, a criminal record certificate, etc.).

4. A volunteer may carry out voluntary activities within the locality where the volunteer organiser’s registered office is situated or he may be assigned by the volunteer organiser to another locality for a specific period of time to fulfil a specific task.

 

Article 10. Insurance for a Volunteer

1. Taking into consideration the duration and character of volunteering, a volunteer organiser may insure a volunteer at insurance companies or reimburse to the volunteer the insurance premiums in accordance with the procedure laid down by legal acts.

2. Conditions of insuring volunteers of an international volunteer programme, reimbursement of insurance premiums shall be set out by the international volunteer programme. 

 

Article 11. Reimbursement of Expenses Related to Volunteering

1. A volunteer organiser may reimburse to a volunteer for the following expenses related to volunteering:

1) travel expenses;

2) the cost of accommodation;

3) the cost of meals;

4) postal, telephone charges;

5) expenses related to training of a volunteer for carrying out the planned activities;

6) expenses related to means, special clothing necessary for carrying out voluntary activities;

7) insurance expenses falling within the period of the validity of a volunteering agreement;

8) other expenses fixed in international volunteer programmes.

2. The conditions and procedure of the reimbursement of expenses related to volunteering shall be laid down by the Minister of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania.

3. Expenses related to volunteering which are reimbursed to a volunteer shall not be his income. 

 

CHAPTER FOUR

RECOGNITION OF VOLUNTEERING

 

Article 12. Recognition of Volunteering

1. Taking into consideration the purpose and type of and participation in volunteering may be recognised as practical work and/or learning experience of a volunteer. 

2. The completed voluntary activities may be credited as social activities under general teaching plans.

 

CHAPTER FIVE

FINAL PROVISIONS

 

Article 13. Entry into Force and Implementation of the Law

1. This Law, except for paragraph 2 of this Article, shall enter into force on 1 August 2011.

2. The Minister of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania shall adopt legal acts implementing this Law prior to the entry into force of this Law.

 

I promulgate this Law passed by the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania.

 

 

 

PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC                DALIA GRYBAUSKAITĖ