AmeriCorps VISTA

1 Member Handbook AmeriCorps VISTA 1 | P a g e Member Handbook en Espa ol Table of Contents Chapter 1: Background & Purpose ..9 BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE .. 9 OVERVIEW OF ROLES .. 11 ROLE OF SPONSORING 12 ROLE OF COMMUNITY .. 12 ROLE OF AmeriCorps VISTA MEMBER .. 13 SUPERVISION .. 14 ROLE OF AmeriCorps VISTA LEADER .. 14 ROLE OF THE VISTA MEMBER SUPPORT UNIT .. 15 ROLE OF THE AmeriCorps FIELD OFFICE .. 15 ROLE OF AmeriCorps VISTA HEADQUARTERS OFFICE .. 16 Chapter 2: Overview of Your Year in AmeriCorps VISTA .. 16 OVERVIEW OF YOUR YEAR IN AmeriCorps 16 BEFORE YOU BEGIN SERVICE .. 17 CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK .. 17 DRUG SCREENING .. 18 AmeriCorps VISTA ADMINISTRATIVE FORMS AND TASKS .. 18 MANDATORY ONLINE COURSEWORK .. 19 YOUR SERVICE YEAR.

2 19 FIRST WEEK ON YOUR PROJECT .. 20 ONGOING MEMBER TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT .. 20 CHANGING YOUR END-OF-SERVICE BENEFIT SELECTION .. 21 TENTH MONTH .. 21 LAST THREE WEEKS .. 22 AFTER YOU COMPLETE YOUR YEAR OF SERVICE .. 22 Chapter 3: Serving at Your Project .. 23 SERVING AT YOUR PROJECT .. 23 PROJECT APPLICATION .. 23 SUPERVISING MEMBERS .. 23 Chapter 4: Training for Members .. 24 TRAINING FOR MEMBERS .. 24 2 | P a g e VISTA MEMBER 25 ON-SITE ORIENTATION AND TRAINING .. 26 ONGOING MEMBER TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT .. 27 ONLINE RESOURCES .. 28 Chapter 5: Financial Support .. 29 FINANCIAL SUPPORT .. 29 LIVING ALLOWANCE .. 29 END-OF-SERVICE BENEFIT .. 30 END-OF-SERVICE STIPEND .. 30 PRORATED END-OF-SERVICE STIPEND .. 31 SEGAL AmeriCorps EDUCATION 32 PRORATED SEGAL AmeriCorps EDUCATION AWARD.

3 32 CHANGING YOUR END-OF-SERVICE BENEFIT SELECTION .. 32 SETTLING-IN ALLOWANCE .. 33 EMERGENCY EXPENSE ALLOWANCE .. 33 HOW DO MEMBERS GET PAID? .. 34 DIRECT DEPOSIT .. 34 PAPER CHECK PAYMENT (EXCEPTION ONLY) .. 34 LOST CHECK .. 35 TAXES: OBLIGATIONS, WITHHOLDINGS, AND CREDITS .. 36 FEDERAL TAXES .. 36 STATE, COUNTY, AND MUNICIPAL TAXES .. 36 SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE .. 36 W-2 FORM-STATEMENT OF EARNINGS AND TAXES WITHHELD .. 37 EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT .. 37 DEDUCTIONS FROM ALLOWANCES .. 38 RECOVERY OF OVERPAYMENT .. 38 CHILD CARE .. 39 STATE BENEFIT LIMITS .. 39 HOUSING ASSISTANCE .. 40 MEMBER ALLOWANCES AT A GLANCE .. 40 Chapter 6: Benefits Toward Education .. 42 EDUCATION BENEFITS .. 42 3 | P a g e IF YOU ELECT THE END-OF-SERVICE STIPEND.

4 42 POST-SERVICE CANCELLATION OF FEDERAL PERKINS LOANS .. 43 IF YOU ELECT THE SEGAL AmeriCorps EDUCATION AWARD .. 44 OVERVIEW OF SEGAL AmeriCorps EDUCATION 44 NATIONAL SERVICE TRUST .. 45 EDUCATION AWARD AMOUNT .. 45 HOW TO QUALIFY .. 46 RESTRICTIONS AND LIMITATIONS .. 46 PRORATED SEGAL AmeriCorps EDUCATION AWARD .. 47 QUALIFIED LOANS .. 48 INSTITUTIONS MATCHING THE EDUCATION AWARD .. 49 ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS .. 49 QUALIFIED EXPENSES TO ATTEND SCHOOL .. 51 BOOKSTORES AND THE EDUCATION AWARD .. 52 LOAN POSTPONEMENT AND INTEREST PAYMENT .. 52 FORBEARANCE OR DEFERMENT? .. 52 LOAN FORBEARANCE .. 53 PAYMENT OF ACCRUED INTEREST .. 55 TAX IMPLICATIONS .. 56 FEDERAL TAX .. 56 TAX CREDITS .. 56 CONTACTING THE NATIONAL SERVICE TRUST .. 57 GRADUATE RECORD EXAMINATION FEE REDUCTION PROGRAM.

5 57 EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS AT A GLANCE .. 57 Chapter 7: Travel & Transportation Support .. 59 TRAVEL & TRANSPORTATION SUPPORT .. 59 RELOCATION TRAVEL .. 59 RELOCATION TRAVEL ALLOWANCE .. 60 REQUESTING APPROVAL FOR RELOCATION TRAVEL .. 60 MODES OF TRAVEL FOR RELOCATION .. 60 REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR TRAVEL .. 61 TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT AT END OF SERVICE .. 61 SERVICE-RELATED 62 4 | P a g e PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FOR SERVICE-RELATED TRAVEL .. 62 VEHICLES OWNED OR LEASED BY SPONSORING ORGANIZATIONS FOR SERVICE-RELATED TRAVEL .. 62 PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLES FOR SERVICE-RELATED TRAVEL .. 63 LICENSING AND INSURANCE .. 63 ACCIDENTS WHILE DRIVING A VEHICLE .. 63 TRAVEL FORMS AT A GLANCE* .. 65 Chapter 8: Healthcare Benefit Support .. 66 HEALTHCARE BENEFIT OVERVIEW.

6 66 ENROLLMENT .. 67 HEALTHCARE BENEFIT ADMINISTRATION .. 67 HEALTHCARE BENEFIT COVERAGE .. 68 FEDERAL EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION ACT .. 70 BENEFITS .. 70 CLAIMS PROCEDURES .. 70 APPEAL PROCEDURE .. 71 DEATH BENEFITS .. 71 Chapter 9: Leave Benefits .. 72 LEAVE BENEFITS AT A GLANCE .. 72 NATIONAL HOLIDAYS .. 73 PERSONAL LEAVE .. 74 MEDICAL LEAVE .. 74 PARENTAL LEAVE .. 75 EMERGENCY LEAVE .. 75 JURY DUTY .. 76 MILITARY RESERVE LEAVE .. 76 FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT .. 77 ALTERNATIVE SERVICE SITE .. 78 Chapter 10: AmeriCorps VISTA Leaders .. 78 AmeriCorps VISTA LEADERS .. 78 ROLE OF AmeriCorps VISTA LEADERS .. 78 LEADER ORIENTATION .. 79 ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES FOR LEADERS .. 80 BECOMING A VISTA LEADER .. 80 5 | P a g e TRANSITION FROM VISTA MEMBER TO LEADER.

7 81 LEADER'S RELATIONSHIP WITH SPONSORING ORGANIZATIONS, SUPERVISORS, AND MEMBERS .. 81 REGIONAL AND PROJECT-BASED LEADERS .. 81 LEADER BENEFITS .. 82 LIVING ALLOWANCE .. 82 HEALTH CARE .. 82 EDUCATION AWARD .. 82 END-OF-SERVICE STIPEND .. 82 Chapter 11: Summer Associates .. 83 SUMMER ASSOCIATES .. 83 ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES FOR SUMMER ASSOCIATES .. 83 BENEFITS AND SUPPORT .. 84 LEAVE .. 84 WORKER S COMPENSATION .. 86 INCOME DISREGARD .. 86 COMPLETION OF FUTURE PLANS FORM .. 86 Chapter 12: End of Service .. 86 END OF SERVICE .. 86 END-OF-SERVICE CHECKLIST .. 86 PREPARING FOR END-OF-SERVICE .. 89 FUTURE PLANS FORM .. 89 EVALUATION OF YOUR 90 CLOSE OF SERVICE TRAVEL ASSISTANCE .. 90 HOME OF RECORD .. 91 BREAKS IN SERVICE .. 92 END-OF-SERVICE STIPEND.

8 92 SEGAL AmeriCorps EDUCATION AWARD .. 93 PROCESS FOR ACCESSING EDUCATION AWARD .. 93 ADDITIONAL AmeriCorps VISTA SERVICE .. 93 RESTRICTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS .. 94 LIFE AFTER AmeriCorps VISTA .. 94 CERTIFICATION OF SERVICE .. 94 STAYING INVOLVED .. 94 6 | P a g e SERVICE AND YOUR CAREER .. 94 VISTA CAMPUS JOB BOARD .. 95 NON-COMPETITIVE ELIGIBILITY FOR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT JOBS .. 95 EMPLOYERS OF NATIONAL SERVICE INITIATIVE .. 96 APPLYING AmeriCorps VISTA SERVICE TOWARDS FEDERAL BENEFITS/RETIREMENT .. 96 Chapter 13: Administrative Policies .. 97 ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES .. 97 BREAK IN SERVICE .. 97 ADMINISTRATIVE HOLD STATUS .. 97 STATUS OF SERVICE AND ELIGIBILITY FOR BENEFITS .. 98 CHANGE IN SERVICE .. 99 TRANSFER TO ANOTHER AmeriCorps VISTA PROJECT.

9 99 EARLY DEPARTURE FOR ANOTHER AmeriCorps PROGRAM .. 99 DEFERRAL OF SERVICE .. 100 SEPARATION FROM 101 DESELECTION .. 101 EARLY TERMINATION FOR CAUSE .. 101 MEDICAL TERMINATION .. 102 REMOVAL FROM PROJECT .. 102 TERMINATION FOR LACK OF SUITABLE ASSIGNMENT .. 104 RESIGNATION .. 105 EARLY TERMINATION OF A VISTA MEMBER FOR A COMPELLING PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCE .. 105 Chapter 14: Terms & Conditions of Service .. 107 TERMS & CONDITIONS OF SERVICE .. 107 TELESERVICE .. 108 RULES AND RESTRICTIONS .. 109 ADDITIONAL TERMS OF SERVICE .. 110 EDUCATIONAL COURSES .. 110 FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS .. 111 WORK STUDY, FELLOWSHIP, AND INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS .. 111 MEMBER HOUSING .. 111 EXPRESSING YOUR VIEWS AND CONCERNS REGARDING SERVICE .. 112 INFORMAL PROCEDURE.

10 112 7 | P a g e AmeriCorps VISTA GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE .. 112 PROPERTY LOSS .. 113 OTHER MATTERS WHILE IN SERVICE .. 114 RESPONSIBILITY FOR FINANCIAL DEBTS .. 114 KEEPING IN TOUCH .. 114 SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT .. 115 DONATED AND OTHER GIFTS TO BENEFIT THE PROJECT .. 115 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CREATED DURING SERVICE .. 115 EVACUATION POLICY FOR AmeriCorps VISTA MEMBERS .. 116 Chapter 15: Basic Laws & Federal Regulations .. 117 BASIC LAWS & FEDERAL REGULATIONS .. 117 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: AGE & CITIZENSHIP .. 117 OATH OF 118 CIVIL RIGHTS AND NON-DISCRIMINATION .. 118 GOVERNING FEDERAL LAWS AND ORDERS .. 118 PROHIBITION AGAINST HARASSMENT .. 121 DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINT PROCEDURES .. 122 LIMITATION ON MEMBER ACTIVITIES AND DUTIES.