Here's How to Stop Volunteers from Suing: Keep Your Church Safe from Volunteer Liability

The Legal Risk of Volunteer Lawsuits That No One Talks About

Every church needs volunteers, who give their time and skills to help your ministry's mission. Still, not many churches fully understand the legal hazards that volunteers might pose if they don't have the right precautions in place. Lawsuits against volunteers, whether they are for injury, discrimination, or negligence, can cost your church a lot of money, hurt its reputation, and put it in a lot of legal trouble.

Church Law and Strategy has been assisting churches all throughout the country understand, manage, and reduce the risks of volunteer liability for decades. Our proven methods, legal knowledge, and customized rules give ministries the tools they need to securely and confidently work with volunteers.

This resource explains why volunteers sue, what dangers your church faces, and how to best safeguard your ministry with the greatest legal protections.

Why Volunteers Sue: Common Reasons and Situations

• Injuries that happen on church property or during church activities: People often file personal injury claims after slipping and falling, getting hurt in a car accident on a church trip, or getting hurt because they weren't being watched closely enough.
• Claims of Misclassification and Discrimination in the Workplace: Some volunteers say they should be treated like workers and file salary claims or that they were discriminated against or harassed at work.
• Not taking care of volunteers: If volunteers hurt someone and you didn't do background checks or give them the right training, you might be sued.
• Breaking privacy or confidentiality: If you don't handle volunteer personal information or sensitive ministry topics correctly, you could be sued.

Every Church Needs These Legal Protections

• Full Liability Waivers and Release Agreements: Churches are protected by clear, legally binding waivers that show that volunteers understand the risks and give up their right to sue.
• Full Background Checks: Screening keeps volunteers with histories of abuse or bad behavior from being put in sensitive positions.
• Strong policies and training programs for volunteers: Policies make it clear what people's duties, responsibilities, and conduct should be, and training lowers risk.
• Agreements for Volunteers That Are Clear: Contracts spell out what volunteers are expected to do and what the church expects of them.

How to Manage Volunteer Risks the Right Way

• Set up formal onboarding procedures: Structured onboarding makes things less confusing and sets up legal protections early on.
• Keep Detailed Records: Keep records of volunteer agreements, training attendance, and incident reports.
• Check and change your policies on a regular basis: Keep up with changing laws and the demands of the ministry.

How Church Law and Strategy Help Reduce Volunteer Risk

• Drafting a Volunteer Protection Policy Just for You: Our church volunteer protection policies legal service makes policies that are unique to each church and can stand up to legal scrutiny.
• Creating and reviewing liability waivers: We write and check waivers that really minimize exposure.
• Training and audits for compliance: Our church's HR and employment law compliance staff checks to make sure that churches are following best practices and gives them training to do so.

Questions That Are Often Asked

• Q: Are liability waivers always valid? Waivers are powerful legal instruments when they are written and presented correctly, but they must follow state rules.
• Q: How often should the rules for volunteers be changed? At least once a year or when there are big changes in the law.
• Q: Can volunteers sue for benefits at work? There is a danger of misclassification, but unambiguous agreements and following HR rules lower that risk.

In the end, keep your ministry and your volunteers safe.

Volunteers make your ministry much better, but they also carry legal dangers that need to be managed ahead of time. Work with Church Law and Strategy, the trusted source that helps churches protect their volunteers, ministries, and missions via experienced legal risk management.

Links Inside

• Church Volunteer Protection Policies Legal
• Church Risk Management and Liability Waivers
• Church HR and Employment Law Compliance

Links to Other Sites

• Volunteer Liability Overview: https://www.nonprofitrisk.org/resources/articles/volunteer-risk-management/
• Background Check Best Practices: https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/background-checks-nonprofits-32206.html
• Volunteer Waiver Guidelines: https://www.charitylawyerblog.com/2019/01/volunteer-waivers-must-meet-legal-standards.html