Can an unpaid volunteer sue for harassment?

I am an unpaid volunteer editor of a nonprofit organization’s newsletter. I am being harassed and retaliated against. Life has been made hell by the president and her friend the treasurer. They are out to get me. Can I file a lawsuit or an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint? Do I have a voice? —From the website.

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Do you have a rockstar board?

Or does it limp along listlessly performing the minimum necessary to keep the organization going? Pushed by the CEO because no one on the board wants to be responsible for leadership.

Most boards are somewhere in between. Functional perhaps, but not fully functional. More like what you would call semi-functional.

This webinar will help you get beyond a semi-functional board. By acting intentionally at every step of the governance process, you can improve your organization’s capacity, resilience and effectiveness.

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Most nonprofits don't spend a lot of time looking at their Bylaws until there is a question or a dispute. That's when you need bylaws that are clear and unambiguous, so your questions on how to proceed are already answered. That's when bad bylaws can lead to unnecessary controversies or even costly litigation. Nonprofit Issues editor Don Kramer will review your current or proposed Bylaws to see if they work for you.

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SAY THAT AGAIN?

April 24, 2025

As one of the 420,000 worldwide alumni of Harvard University’s various schools and colleges, I was invited to an upcoming “Conversation with President [Alan M.] Garber.” The virtual event is scheduled for only half an hour, but we were all invited to submit questions. The notice says the conversation will be “off the record.”

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “off the record” means “given or made in confidence and not for publication.”

With a program open to 420,000 people, does Harvard seriously think that what is said will be held in confidence and not published?

See our "Say That Again" collection

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This report provides a rare inside view on barriers women face to selection and success that are particular to nonprofit organizations and makes specific recommendations on how to improve the gender ratio.
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Can an unpaid volunteer sue for harassment?

Can an unpaid volunteer sue for harassment?