Can You Fire a Volunteer?

Parting is sweet sorrow… or is it?

There’s a big misunderstanding in our culture when it comes to volunteers. It goes kind of like this… “They’re volunteers. You can’t fire them.”

Well, no. You can. And a lot of times, you should fire a volunteer.

Because someone offers their time or provides a service free-of-charge to your organization doesn’t mean you have to put up with disruptive work habits, inefficient work, or just plain bad behavior. Worse yet, don’t be held hostage by the idea that nobody else will replace them, you’ll look bad, make them look bad or that you feel bad about it. It’s life. Not everyone is suited to everything, whether they get paid or not.

Consider, however, that while the volunteer position may not mean much to you since you are not paying them, it could mean a lot to them. You’re breaking their social connections, sending a message that “you can’t even do a volunteer job,” or maybe putting an end to the dream of a possible paid career in your area or work. So, try to have empathy.

How do you do it?

The same HR rules apply as when ending a paycheck employee’s work.

Prepare for the dismissal. End their access to any facilities, computer systems, or equipment that they have access to either before or soon after. Outline your reasons for termination and record them in a file or computer system in case they want to return. Recruit a third person to join you at a meeting with them. (That helps prevent any “he said she said” situation in case there are any questions.) Decide ahead of time whether you will give them a good recommendation for future volunteer assignments at your own or other organizations.

Hold a meeting with the person. Try to make this a growing experience for them, and your organization. Ask the volunteer whether they’re happy with what they’re doing for you. Maybe they have some suggestion for improving things, or tell you that whatever it is they’re doing doesn’t fit them. Did you not understand their reasons for volunteering well enough for them to be successful? Do they feel that you did not support them in their assigned tasks? Were there conflicts with other volunteers or staff?

If there was a specific instance causing you to consider dismissing them, ask for their point-of-view. Try to be objective. Discuss what could have avoided the situation. What do they see as the issue? Wherever the conversation takes you, try  not to let it become a blame session.

Before the meeting ends, ask yourself whether the situation is salvageable. Is retraining or some other remediation better than asking the person to leave?

After the meeting. Write up and record some notes on the discussion with the aid of the third person in the meeting. Inform the appropriate people that the person will no longer be volunteering with you, such as a program head, receptionist or other volunteers. Reassign their tasks to someone else.

Whether you dismiss them or not, it’s important to ask yourself how you prevent the circumstances that led you from even considering asking them to leave. It’s the same way you would with a paycheck employee or contractor.

• Recruit them right. Ask them one-to-one, not in a group, asking for a “show of hands.”
• Screen them. Not just the legal screenings. Get references. Seek qualifications.
• Understand their motivations for volunteering. Everyone volunteers for a reason. What’s theirs? Can you meet their needs?
• Train them. Do you feel incompetent because nobody showed you how to do something, or what success looks like? They do too!
• Start them small. Few people want to jump right in with a major project or responsibility right from the start. Besides, you need to get to know them.
• Support them. What can you do to help make them successful? What do they need? Check in on them to find out.
• Get their feedback. Was the job what they were expecting? Is there something more they needed, or something less?
• Give them feedback. People want to know that they did  right, or if not, how. Don’t be shy. Let them know.

Churning volunteers is just like churning staff. It costs you time and money. It damages your reputation and stymies your future recruiting efforts.

Let me leave you with this: I heard this bit of wisdom that while intended for regular employees, should be put in action for any volunteer: hire slowly, fire quickly.

The more time we take recruiting, onboarding and connecting with volunteers after they’re working, the less you’ll be put into a position to let them go. But if you are in that position, then above all, don’t be afraid to fire.

Matt Hugg is president of Nonprofit.Courses, and mentor at the John S. Watson School of Public Service at Thomas Edison State University. 

(Can You Fire a Volunteer? first appeared in the July 21, 2025, edition of the American Society for Public Admiration’s PA Times. Reprinted with permission.)

Want more? Read:

• Where do you find volunteers?
• Are volunteers worth it?
• Have Volunteers? Day One Sets the Tone
• Volunteers as your greatest marketing asset.
• When working with volunteers, think, what’s in it for them?