Guidance: Basics on AmeriCorps Members
Statutory
- U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident Alien – (An I-9 Form is not sufficient documentation).
- At least 17 years old (16 if “out of school” with proof of drop out status from school or school district).
- Have a High School diploma or GED or agree to obtain one prior to using the award.
Managing Members
- Ensure there is a signed member contract. Parent or guardian must also sign this Member Service Agreement if member is under 18.
- Conduct appropriate Criminal History Checks (NSOPW, State of Service/Residence, and FBI).
- Provide documentation that member has received an orientation through timesheets, sign-in sheets or TCN provided form. Should also be noted on required Member Checklist in their file.
- All members must have an End of Term Evaluation noting the number of hours served and if they have satisfactorily completed all other requirements. Full Time, Three-Quarter Time, Half Time and Reduced Half Time members must also have a Mid-Term Evaluation. (Samples of both in Manual).
AmeriCorps Members as Team Leaders
Programs may create positions where AmeriCorps members provide an additional layer of leadership and support for members under certain conditions. All the activities and prohibitions that apply to AmeriCorps members also apply to Team Leaders. Team Leaders are not permitted to act in a staff capacity, including supervising members. Team Leaders must not be responsible for program development and coordination; however, they may assist by providing information and resources on best practices or by helping to develop portions of the program such as the training curriculum. Under no circumstances should an AmeriCorps member serving as a Team Leader be the individual legally responsible for the program or other members.
The Team Leader position description should emphasize activities that involve the member(s) in performing direct service or providing support to members engaged in direct service. Unallowable Team Leader activities include: signing member timesheets; evaluating member performance; disciplining AmeriCorps members; enrolling/dismissing AmeriCorps members; writing and/or signing program reports; managing the program’s payroll and budget.
Living Allowance
Members must be paid an even distribution living allowance (the same amount per pay period), not an hourly wage. While AmeriCorps does not require EAP sites to provide a wage/stipend/living allowance to members, if doing so, all EAP sites MUST comply with the same rules as the fully funded/fixed price grants.
Any change to member’s length of term, position and/or living allowance must be documented on the Member Service Agreement Amendment (VI. 13a in Manual).
Documenting & Certifying Member Hours
- All Subgrantees must have a written policy for member counting/logging hours.
- All member hours logged should be properly documented on clear, legible, timesheets that are completed in pen and without the use of white out.
- Electronic timekeeping is allowed.
- Service and Training hours must be logged separately on timesheets.
- Lunch (½ hour) must be logged separately on timesheets – this DOES NOT count toward the member’s total term of service hours.
- Other hours that do not count towards the AmeriCorps term are certain activities for residential programs, camping trips, spikes, etc. these include food shopping, meal prep, bunk/tent clean up, evening activities, etc. Subgrantees must have written policies on allowable hours/activities.
- Timesheets must be signed/dated by the member then reviewed for accuracy and signed/dated by the supervisor at the end of each pay period. (all signatures/dates in ink, not computer generated)
- If a member is unable to sign the final timesheet due to early exit, staff may use the “Member Hours Validation” form (see section IX in this Manual). Staff are responsible for ensuring all timesheets are submitted and signed by all individuals prior to exiting the member.
- If members enroll but don’t show up for orientation or the first day of service, (don’t actually serve any hours), then they should be exited immediately with 0 hours and no award. A reason for logging 0 hours served should be noted on the End of Term Evaluation.
- If members only serve one or a few hours, then drop out, they should be exited immediately and ALL hours actually served, no matter how few, should be logged on the timesheet and noted on the End of Term Evaluation.
- Prior to certification of award, program staff must ensure that members have completed and documented their required hours. This is noted on their End of Term Evaluation Form.
Member Benefits
Health Care(notrequiredfor EAP)
- Must be provided to all Full-time members in TCN’s funded grant(s) who do not have coverage or lose it due to joining AmeriCorps. Less-than-full time members who are serving in a FT capacity for a sustained period of time (e.g. a FT summer project) are eligible for healthcare benefits) but you are not required to provide it for less than FT members. A member is serving in a full-time capacity when his/her regular term of service will involve performing service on a normal FT schedule for a period of six weeks or more. See Section IV for more info and AmeriCorps Terms & Conditions for full guidance.
- Programs choose their own plan, but it must meet AmeriCorps minimum requirements (The Corps Network offers a comprehensive AmeriCorps Health Plan through Willis-Towers Watson)
- All eligible members may waive the health care option only with proof of their own insurance and a signed waiver (created by the Corps) which are kept in the member’s file.
- Proof of AmeriCorps health insurance must also be in the member’s file.
Worker’s Compensation
- Programs must provide if required by state law.
- If not required, programs must obtain occupational, accident, death and dismemberment coverage for their members.
- Programs should also review liability coverage to determine if additional coverage is needed based on operation of an AmeriCorps program.
- Programs must provide TCN with proof of insurance (liability and worker’s comp) at the beginning of each program year.
Child Care (for All FT members including EAP)
- Provided to Full-time members who meet income eligibility criteria.
- Programs that choose to provide childcare and will claim the costs of childcare as matching costs, as approved in their budget, may contact the childcare contractor for technical assistance. The criteria for member eligibility are contained in 45 CFR § 2522.250. Also, see the AmeriCorps Childcare Benefits Program website (https://americorpschildcare.com/) for more detailed information on childcare benefits.
- See the Health and Child Care Policy in this section of the Manual for details and AmeriCorps Terms & Conditions for full guidance.
Education Award
- Members must successfully complete their total term hours and program requirements to earn the full award.
- Partial (pro-rated) awards are only allowed under compelling personal circumstances (CPC) — returning to school or dissatisfaction with the program are not CPC for this grant.*
- TCN’s Partial Award Form and back up documentation must be kept in the member’s file.
- If a member exited with a partial award is deemed non-compliant by AmeriCorps or OIG, the Subgrantee (Corps) is responsible for repayment of the award to the National Service Trust.
- Subgrantees may not transfer currently enrolled members to a lower slot simply to provide the member a full award for that lower slot.
*see COVID-19 FAQs for guidance on partial awards for COVID exits
Other Member Benefits
- FICA – must be paid unless exempted by the IRS with specific written authorization.
- Unemployment Insurance – should not be paid unless required by state law.
- Liability Insurance – not really a member benefit but it is required for the organization and usually included in indirect cost rates. Corps should determine risk level with an AmeriCorps program to self-identify coverage amounts.
Common Problems to Avoid
- Member eligibility is not documented in Member File
- No proof of citizenship or permanent resident alien status.**
- No proof of age.
- No Social Security Card provided.**
- No government issued ID
- If under 17, no parental consent forms submitted to participate.
- NSOPW, state(s) and FBI checks are not completed at least 1 day before the member’s start date.
- AmeriCorps approved vendors not used for CHCs (only AmeriCorps identified state repositories, Truescreen and Fieldprint allowed).
**only required to be kept in the member’s file if these cannot be verified upon enrollment and must be sent through a secure link to the Hotline for verification, however program staff must see these documents prior to enrolling the member.
AmeriCorps Living Allowance is not paid correctly/not allowed
- Members receive lump sums if they start after the term begins or complete their hours before the term ends.
- Members receive balance of living allowance if they complete their hours prior to the term end date on their Member Service Agreement.
- The living allowance is paid for hours served before the member signs the Member Service Agreement or is enrolled in the Portal (start date shown in Portal).
- AmeriCorps living allowance is paid before budget period starts.
- AmeriCorps living allowance paid hourly (contact TCN for EAP waiver).
- AmeriCorps living allowance is paid based on days worked during pay period and not the required even distribution method.
The education award is not supported by the timesheets
- The hours on the Exit Form and/or End of Term Evaluation Form don’t match the total term hours on the timesheets.
- Service and Education/Training hours are not separated.
- Timesheet hours do not total the minimum required to earn the education award.
- Timesheets are missing.
- Timesheets are not signed by the member and/or supervisor and no validation form is in file.
- Leave hours or holidays (if members are off) are counted towards total term hours.
- ½ hour lunch or other non-allowable activity is counted towards the total term hours.
Compelling personal circumstance is not documented
- Partial Award form is not in the member’s file.
- End of Term Evaluation form or member file does not fully explain the compelling personal circumstance that led to a pro-rated education award.
- The program has allowed the member to exit with a pro-rated award to go back to school or other circumstances not allowed per guidance.