“Volunteering is the ultimate experience in democracy.” – Author Unknown.
This unknown author went on to explain, “… because when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in.”
In giving of your time and talents, you help make your world a better place. Volunteering provides opportunities for new experiences and allows you to learn new skills or hone existing ones, contribute to your community, and put your experience and skills to productive use.
There are about 1.4 million volunteers in New Jersey, according to the Governor’s Office on Volunteerism. Those interested can be matched to the volunteer opportunity most suitable to their interests and skills by visiting
www.state.nj.us/state/programs/dos_program_volunteerism_form.html.While gratifying, volunteerism is not without risk. Your actions, or inactions, in the course of your volunteer work could result in damages or injuries and, if a court determines that you were negligent, you could be liable for damages. Fortunately, there is some protection at both the federal and state levels including, but not limited to:
The Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 (VPA) – This federal law protects uncompensated volunteers working with nonprofit or governmental organizations, provided they were acting within the scope of their responsibilities. This Act does not cover the operation of any motorized vehicles, nor any reckless, willful or criminal actions.
General State Volunteer Protection Statutes – The VPA preempts any state law that offers lesser protections. In New Jersey, however, the protection statutes that were in effect prior to the passage of the VPA exceed those protections offered under the federal act.
Good Samaritan Laws – All states have a version of a Good Samaritan Law which, generally speaking, protects volunteers who act spontaneously to offer aid in an emergency situation. The laws offer limited immunity from civil liability but do not provide payment for judgements, settlements or court costs. These laws generally don’t apply to on-duty emergency services personnel or people with a pre-existing duty to offer care.
Volunteerism is good for the soul; just make sure your actions fall within the boundaries of your scope of responsibility for optimum protection.
I was very proud to be represented by Tony and felt secure at a time I needed a compass to head out of a difficult bind. Confidence in your counsel and a sense of security in understanding how best to proceed are important reasons to consider Anthony Kearns and his team of outstanding lawyers.
Tony was excellent! He was knowledgeable, responsive and on-time. His experience as a County Prosecutor definitely helped our case as he knows how the legal system works and how to navigate. I highly recommend Tony and his office.
Thankfully I found Kearns Rotolo Law and I had a wonderful experience working with Charles Rifici on a difficult divorce/child custody issue. I am so grateful for all the work and guidance he provided. He always took his time and diligently went through all my options with me so I could make the decisions that benefitted my family and I. I will be forever thankful for the top notch services he provided.
In March of 2022 I contacted Kearns Rotolo Law Firm with an urgent problem, Mr. Kearns and Mr. Rotolo contacted me immediately to give me hope as to rectify my problem. The end result was Mr Kearns was able to solve my issue through extreme professionalism, I am very grateful I found Kearns Rotolo Law firm and I would recommend their law firm to anyone that has a less extreme problem or a more complex problem, I am very grateful for their services.
I met with Mr. Kearns yesterday about a devastating situation affecting our family. Mr. Kearns and his entire staff made us feel extremely comfortable and showed our family a compassionate side that gave us comfort in the most uncomfortable of situations. Thank you very much. God Bless.