Department of the Interior Volunteer Recruitment Act of 2005
Latest Action
Became Public Law No: 109-125.
Official Summary
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the House passed version is repeated here.) Department of the Interior Volunteer Recruitment Act of 2005 - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to recruit, train, and accept, without regard to the civil service classification laws, rules, or regulations, the services of individuals, contributed without compensation as volunteers, for aiding in or facilitating the activities administered by the Secretary through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Office of the Secretary. Prohibits: (1) the Secretary, in accepting such services of individuals as volunteers, from permitting the use of such volunteers in law enforcement work, in regulatory and enforcement work, in policy-making processes, or to displace any employee; and (2) volunteer services authorized by this Act from being conducted on private property unless the officer or employee charged with supervising the volunteer obtains appropriate consent to enter the property from the property owner. Authorizes the Secretary to accept the services of individuals in hazardous duty only upon a determination by the Secretary that such individuals are skilled in performing hazardous activities. Directs the Secretary to ensure that an appropriate US officer or employee provides adequate and appropriate supervision of each volunteer whose services the Secretary accepts. Authorizes the Secretary to provide for services and costs incidental to the utilization of volunteers. Provides that a volunteer shall neither be deemed a federal employee nor subject to federal employment law, including those provisions relating to hours of work, rates of compensation, leave, unemployment compensation, and federal employee benefits. Subjects volunteers to criminal law provisions concerning bribery, graft, and conflicts of interest, except under certain conditions.
GovScope Watchdog™
AI Government Intelligence™The Department of the Interior Volunteer Recruitment Act of 2005 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to recruit, train, and accept volunteer services without regard to civil service classification laws. Volunteers may assist in activities administered by the Secretary through agencies such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Geological Survey, Bureau of Reclamation, and the Office of the Secretary. The Act prohibits volunteers from engaging in law enforcement, regulatory, enforcement, or policy-making roles, and from displacing paid employees. It also restricts volunteer activities on private property without owner consent and requires supervision by federal officers or employees. Volunteers are not considered federal employees and are excluded from federal employment laws but remain subject to criminal laws related to bribery, graft, and conflicts of interest. The Secretary may accept volunteers for hazardous duties only if they are deemed skilled for such tasks and may provide for incidental services and costs related to volunteer utilization.
This law enables the Department of the Interior to use volunteers in various non-enforcement roles to support its activities, with safeguards on supervision and limitations on volunteer duties.
- Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to recruit and accept volunteers without regard to civil service laws.
- Prohibits volunteers from performing law enforcement, regulatory, enforcement, or policy-making functions, and from displacing paid employees.
- Requires appropriate supervision of volunteers and restricts volunteer activities on private property without owner consent.
- Volunteers are not federal employees and are excluded from federal employment benefits and protections.
- Allows volunteers to perform hazardous duties only if they are skilled and authorized by the Secretary.
['Department of the Interior and its agencies (Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Geological Survey, Bureau of Reclamation, Office of the Secretary)', 'Individuals willing to volunteer their services', 'Federal programs benefiting from additional volunteer support']
['Ensuring adequate supervision and safety for volunteers, especially in hazardous duties', 'Managing liability and legal protections given volunteers are not federal employees', 'Potential challenges in balancing volunteer roles without displacing paid staff', 'Costs related to incidental services and support for volunteers']
The bill was introduced and passed by the House during the 109th Congress and was signed into law on December 7, 2005. It reflects a legislative effort to formalize and expand the use of volunteers within the Department of the Interior while setting clear boundaries on their roles and legal status.
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['Increased volunteer involvement may enhance capacity for Department of the Interior programs without increasing federal employment costs.', 'Clear role restrictions may reduce risk of volunteer-related conflicts with paid staff or regulatory functions.', 'Volunteer engagement in hazardous duties with skill verification may require additional training or certification processes.']
The bill establishes clear legal distinctions between volunteers and federal employees, which affects liability, benefits, and protections. Oversight mechanisms for volunteer supervision and restrictions on roles are critical for implementation. Transparency on volunteer utilization, training, and safety protocols will be important for public accountability.
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