Why keep records of people who are not staff?
Volunteers and casual workers do real work. They carry stock, run sessions, count households or support events. They also carry risk: to themselves, to the people you serve and to you. If something goes wrong, you need to show who they were, what they were asked to do, and who supervised them.
Records also help in good times. They show donors the real effort behind a project, help you thank people, and let you offer a reference later.
Who is a volunteer, a casual worker or a staff member?
Be clear on the categories before you start. A simple guide:
| Type | Typical features | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Volunteer | Gives time freely; no wage; expenses may be repaid | Do not treat regular, wage-like payments as expenses |
| Casual worker | Paid for short or irregular work, by day or task | Local law may set minimum pay and protection |
| Employee | Ongoing contract, set hours and pay | Full contract, leave and employment rights |
Some people move between these over time. A volunteer who works fixed hours and receives regular pay may be an employee in the eyes of the law. Laws differ by country, so ask a local adviser before you decide.
This article gives general advice. EMPOBase has no separate volunteer module.
What should you record?
Keep the record short. For each person:
- Identity. Full name, contact number and an emergency contact.
- Role. What they will do and where.
- Dates. Start date, end date and any breaks.
- Time. Days or hours worked, signed by the supervisor.
- Supervisor. The named person responsible for them.
- Agreements. Signed code of conduct, safeguarding briefing, confidentiality and any task agreement.
- Money. Payment or expense repaid, with date and amount, and who approved it.
- Checks. Any background check or reference you required for the role.
For work with children or at-risk adults, apply your safeguarding checks before the person starts, not after.
How do you keep them safe and fair?
Short-term people are easy to overlook. Give each one:
- a short induction on safety, conduct and how to raise a concern,
- a named supervisor and a clear task list,
- the same code of conduct and safeguarding rules as staff, signed,
- an emergency contact on file, in line with your staff emergency planning,
- fair treatment on pay or expenses, recorded in the same way for everyone.
See also safeguarding and PSEA basics.
How do you handle payment and donor evidence?
If you pay casual workers, keep a simple payment sheet: name, dates worked, rate, amount and signature or proof of payment. Keep it with the approval. A donor auditing a grant may ask to see who was paid from the project and for what. Do not pay volunteers wages under the name of “expenses”. It confuses the record and may break the law.
How do you protect the data?
You are holding personal data, sometimes about vulnerable people. Collect only what you need. Store files where only a few people can open them. Set a deletion date in your retention policy and follow it. Tell volunteers what you hold and why.
What does a simple register look like?
A small organization can run this in a locked spreadsheet or a controlled paper file. Use one row per person per engagement.
| Field | Example entry |
|---|---|
| Name and contact | Full name, phone number |
| Emergency contact | Name and number |
| Category | Volunteer, casual worker or intern |
| Role and place | Distribution helper, field site A |
| Start and end date | 3 March to 12 March |
| Days worked | Signed by supervisor each week |
| Supervisor | Name of the responsible staff member |
| Agreements | Code of conduct signed, briefing done |
| Payment or expense | Amount, date, approved by |
Review the register at the end of each activity. Close each row with an end date, make sure every payment is recorded, and remove access for anyone who no longer works with you. Where a volunteer returns often, keep one file and add each new engagement to it.
Where EMPOBase fits
EMPOBase has no volunteer module. Its People & HR area is built for staff records: the staff directory, contracts, leave, timesheets and declarations. Some organizations record casual workers who are on a contract in the same way as staff, but you should decide this against local law and your own policy. For volunteers, use a simple controlled register with the fields above, kept private, and ask us if you want to talk through your case on the contact page.