Past employee volunteering

HRgal

We are a non-profit agency operating Head Start Centers for children 3-5 years old. We have an ex-employee who was a teacher in a center. She resigned and said she was moving out of state. For whatever reason, she did not move. She now "drops in" the center and "volunteers" in her old classroom of children. This has been confusing the children and we have asked that she volunteer in another classroom or the kitchen. We don't want to turn away a volunteer!! She refuses to volunteer in other areas of the center. She is also saying negative comments to parents of the children. Is our only option to ask her not to volunteer at all?? She feels we do not want her in the center. We don't mind that she come in, just not in her old classroom. Do volunteers have any legal recourse or will it just be the negative comments in the small community.

Carol CA

She is only a volunteer, so no - I don't think she would have any legal recourse. You are not forced to accept a volunteer. I would say that you should counsel her about how confusing her presence is in the classroom to her children and to the parents. Tell her how you value her services and would love to continue to have her at the center, but just in another area. Lay on the guilt trip saying you know how much she loves the children from her own class, and so you know she would want to do what is best for them by not continuing to confuse them and helping in another area.

If she doesn't move after that, she might have to leave.

Paul in Cannon Beach

Sounds like you need to be a little more assertive in handling your volunteers. I know how difficult it can be to find good people but you probably will regret letting this ex-employee define the terms of her participation.

I think you have two options. One, create and offer her a volunteer opportunity that you define and works best for your organization. Two, gently inform her that her volunteer efforts are no longer needed.

Expect a little resistance either way. Volunteers often have the attitude that you should be extremely grateful to have their help. While that is true, it does not give them license to do whatever they want.

Good luck!

[email]paulknoch@hotmail.com[/email]

Rockie

Sounds like to me that she may be angling to get her old job back. Maybe her plans changed after she resigned and there was no opening available for her to teach.

She does not need to be in her old classroom and how she responds to this will tell you a lot about her motives.

If she is truly interested in volunteering at your agency, she will work wherever she is needed.

Don D

You mention that "She is now saying negative comments to the parents of the children." That would do it for me! I wonder if she did that as an employee also. You nor the institution can afford for an employee or volunteer to undermine the institution by making negative comments to your customers. If you don't discontinue the relationship with this person, you must at minimum strongly admonish her to never make such comments. Some responders will tell you she will even make more severe negative comments if you dismiss her. Perhaps she will. I wouldn't negotiate that with her. Keeping her around simply so she won't have more damaging remarks is not sound.