Bonner County to draft volunteer and intern guidance after officials flag insurance and onboarding gaps

Director Holmgren told the board Bonner County has many volunteers and no consistent written guidance governing their duties, insurance coverage, or onboarding.

"We currently do not have a policy providing guidance on the topic of volunteers or interns," Holmgren said, and noted she found a draft volunteer document created by county staff and auxiliary input from neighboring jurisdictions.

Commissioners raised multiple risks: uncertainty whether volunteers are covered by workers’ compensation or the county’s insurance for specific activities, a lack of sign-in/activation records that would complicate claims, and occasional practices that could inadvertently treat volunteers like employees — creating exposure for both the volunteer and the county.

Several commissioners recommended onboarding for volunteers that includes role definitions, signed acknowledgments about coverage and expectations, and an annual update of volunteer lists submitted to insurance where appropriate. One commissioner suggested a simple sign-in process and written contracts to ensure discoverable records if a claim arises.

Holmgren said HR will coordinate with risk management and with department leads (including the sheriff’s office and emergency services) to craft clear onboarding and role definitions and to decide when volunteers are formally recognized by the county.

Next steps: HR will review the draft volunteer document, consult with risk/insurance and the prosecutor, and return with recommended volunteer/intern policy language and onboarding procedures.