According to the Code of Federal Regulations 8 CFR 274 (a) (f) an employee is an individual who performs services or labor in exchange for wages or other forms of compensation. Therefore, employment is work performed or services provided with the expectation that there will be compensation, either financial or other remuneration. In contrast, “volunteer work” refers to philanthropic activities undertaken without the expectation of financial gain. Volunteering involves offering free labor to support community service initiatives or nonprofit organizations. Examples of volunteer opportunities include:<\/p>\n
Students should not accept a volunteer opportunity without first checking with OGE.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n The most crucial employment consideration to keep in mind is the distinction between legal (“authorized”) and illegal (“unauthorized”) employment. It is essential to ensure that any work you undertake is legally permitted. Engaging in unauthorized employment\u2014even for a single day, and even if you were unaware it was illegal\u2014can significantly jeopardize your ability to stay in or return to the United States. You must always obtain the necessary employment authorization before beginning work. Starting a job without prior authorization, even if approval is granted later, is still considered illegal employment.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Regarding standard post-completion OPT<\/strong>, SEVP OPT Policy Guidance 1004-03<\/a> (2010) states that to constitute \u201cemployment\u201d for purposes of avoiding the count of unemployment, \u201cStudents may work as volunteers or unpaid interns, where this practice does not violate any labor laws.<\/em> The work should be at least 20 hours per week for students on post-completion OPT. A student should be able to provide evidence, acquired from the student\u2019s employer, to verify that he or she worked at least 20 hours per week during the period of employment.\u201d<\/p>\n Volunteering at ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ University is not permitted as the University does not have any positions that fit this category. Students may be able to work as unpaid interns on campus, see the criteria below.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n