Whereabouts Reporting
When are volunteers required to submit a whereabouts report?
Anytime they are away from site overnight and again when they return called a "back in site" text.
What is an excursion request form?
A form that must be submitted before certain risky outdoor activities like rafting, mountain climbing, or hiking in national parks.
True or False: For in-country annual leave, Ecuadorian holidays do not count towards leave time
True, because they are already official host-country non-working days for counterparts and communities.
True or False: Time away from site is time given to volunteers to take care of personal business outside of their site.
True! While Peace Corps strongly encourages spending as much time at your site as possible, there is a recognized need for some personal time away.
What is the frequency at which Annual Leave accrues?
2 days of Annual Leave per month.
Why is whereabouts reporting important, even if a volunteer has a cell phone?
Communication networks can fail, phones can lose signal, battery, or be damaged during emergencies.
How long before an excursion should the form be submitted
2 weeks in advance
True or False: Annual leave cannot be taken during the first or last 4 months at site.
False (leave cannot be taken during the first or last 3 months at site)
Volunteer A is taking a brief, overnight international trip and is classifying it as personal time away from their community. Is this allowed?
No, this volunteer would be in violation of policy. Only in-country travel can be considered personal time away from site.
What is the monthly limit for personal time away from site?
2 nights, no accumulation/accrual. Any additional time away from site past 2 night per month requires taking Annual Leave.
True or False: A leave request counts as a whereabouts report.
False — they are separate requirements.
What is the limit on the number of volunteers per guide on mountain summits?
2 volunteers per guide
What two things need to be completed and sent to your program team to request annual leave?
1. Completed leave request form
2. Completed counterpart email/document stating approval through them and the school
How much is covered per day by Peace Corps for costs such as transportation and food during time away from site?
0$! Peace Corps does not provide any allowance for personal time away from site.
True or False: Personal time away from site can be taken in conjunction with official PC/Ecua business as well as with Annual Leave.
False: While personal time away from site can be used in conjunction with official PC/Ecua business, it cannot be used in conjunction with Annual Leave.
Name two situations when Peace Corps might urgently need to know a volunteer’s whereabouts.
Natural disasters, political unrest, family emergency, helping nearby volunteers, or if a volunteer is reported missing.
Give 2 examples of activities that require approval of an excursion request form.
Hiking in national parks, rock climbing, rafting, SCUBA diving, visiting parks in the Amazon, any mountain summits.
What is the difference between annual leave and time away from the community?
Annual leave is requested for vacation days for extended trips, while time away from the community is short, infrequent local trips to take care of personal business, such as shopping or visiting friends out of town.
Who should volunteers contact before taking time away from site?
Volunteers should inform host families and/or counterparts before leaving site, especially if time away interferes with work- or family-related activities.
What is the maximum amount of annual leave that can be taken at one time?
Volunteers may not be out of their sites for more than 21 days, with the exception of special leave.
What five pieces of information must be included in a whereabouts message?
Full name, departure date, return date, destination (city and province), and who they are visiting/contact information.
Give 3 examples of banned activities according to the Peace Corps' excursion policy.
Possible answers: Skydiving, Hang gliding, Parachute jumping, Bungee-jumping, Paragliding
How far in advance should in-country and out-of-country annual leave be requested?
In-country 2 weeks in advance, out-of-country 3 weeks in advance.
What are the 3 different types of work-related out-of-site situations?
1.) PC/Ecua activities requiring volunteer attendance
2.) Work-related activities coordinated with counterpart(s)
3.) Work-related activities that are coordinated with other volunteers.
How many advance days of annual leave can be accrued?
A 2-year Volunteer can advance up to 6 annual leave days beyond what they have already accrued.