Community Service Leave (CSL)

What is Community Service Leave?

The University recognizes the importance of community service and supports the commitment of UNC-Chapel Hill employees to engage in volunteer service for civic, charitable, or humanitarian reasons. The Community Service Leave (CSL) program is a paid time off program that gives employees leave with pay to perform volunteer service with schools, certain community service organizations, or human service organizations.

Community Service Leave Policy

Who can use CSL?

SHRA permanent employees, EHRA permanent non-faculty, and 12-month EHRA faculty who are regularly scheduled to work 20 or more hours per week are all eligible to use CSL.

 

What can I use CSL for?

There are three types of leave, or options, in the CSL leave program:

• Option A: To engage in volunteer service with schools, certain community service organizations, or human service organizations – or for parental involvement with your child in school — such as parent-teacher conferences or classroom volunteering.
• Option B: Tutoring and mentoring in public or private schools
• Option C: Volunteering in a formal literacy program in a public school

 

How much leave can I use?

The chart below shows the amount of leave that employees receive for each CSL option.

Type of Appointment	Option A: Community Service &  Parental Involvement	Option B: Mentoring & Tutoring	Option C: Literacy Program
Full-time- permanent, probationary, trainee, or time-limited	24 hours per calendar year, credited on January 1 of each year	One hour per week, not to exceed 36 hours per calendar year	Up to 5 hours per month, not to exceed 45 hours per calendar year
Part-time (half time or more) – permanent, probationary, trainee, or time-limited	Prorated – equal to percentage of full-time amount	Prorated – equal to percentage of full-time amount	Prorated – equal to percentage of full-time amount

 

Notes

• Leave under Option B may be used exclusively for tutoring or mentoring an “at-risk” student in a public school or non-public school in accordance with established standards rules and guidelines for such arrangements as determined and documented by joint agreement with the employee’s university and the public/non-public school.
• The amount of community service leave for tutoring/mentoring is one (1) hour of leave for each week, up to a maximum of 36 hours, that schools are in session as documented by the elected board of the local education agency or the governing authority of any charter school or non-public school.
• Time spent in commuting to and from the school and time spent in orientation or volunteer training must be accounted for using other leave policies such as compensatory time or vacation leave.
• Leave under Option C may be used exclusively for assisting students in reading and/or writing skills in accordance with established standards rules and guidelines for such arrangements as determined and documented by joint agreement with the employee’s agency and the public school.
• The amount of community service leave for the literacy program is up to five hours of leave each month while schools are in session (not to exceed 45 hours a calendar year) as documented by the elected board of the local education agency.
• The five hours of leave each month shall be used for assisting a student in reading and/or writing. Time spent in commuting to and from the school and time spent in orientation or volunteer training must be accounted for using other leave policies such as compensatory time or vacation leave.

 

 How do I take CSL?

• Submit a leave request to your supervisor in advance
• Enter and track CSL in Time Information Management (TIM)
• Contact your departmental TIM Administrator for questions about entering CSL or leave balances

 

How can I find volunteer opportunities?

The links below offer a variety of service and volunteer opportunities that may qualify for CSL:

• Carolina Center for Public Service
• VolunteerMatch.org