---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 558e"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "558e"
heading: "Consideration as Federal employee"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/558e"
units:
  - "Chapter 3 — Forests; Forest Service; Reforestation; Management"
  - "Subchapter I — General Provisions"
---

# §558e. Consideration as Federal employee

- (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a volunteer shall not be deemed a Federal employee and shall not be subject to the provisions of law relating to Federal employment, including those relating to hours of work, rates of compensation, leave, unemployment compensation, and Federal employee benefits.
- (b) For the purpose of the tort claim provisions of [title 28](/usc/28.md), a volunteer under this Act shall be considered a Federal employee.
- (c) For the purposes of subchapter I of [chapter 81](/usc/5/chptIII/sptG/ch81.md) of title 5, relating to compensation to Federal employees for work injuries, volunteers under this Act shall be deemed civil employees of the United States within the meaning of the term “employee” as defined in [section 8101 of title 5](/usc/5/8101.md), and the provisions of that subchapter shall apply.
- (d) For the purposes of claims relating to damage to, or loss of, personal property of a volunteer incident to volunteer service, a volunteer under this Act shall be considered a Federal employee, and the provisions of [section 3721 of title 31](/usc/31/3721.md) shall apply.
- (e) For the purposes of subsections [(b)](#b), [(c)](#c), and [(d)](#d), the term “volunteer” includes a [person](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) providing volunteer services to either of the [Secretaries](/usc/16/580p.md?p=3) who—
  - (1) is recruited, trained, and supported by a cooperator under a mutual benefit agreement or cooperative agreement with either of the [Secretaries](/usc/16/580p.md?p=3); and
  - (2) performs such volunteer services under the supervision of the cooperator as directed by either of the [Secretaries](/usc/16/580p.md?p=3) in the mutual benefit agreement or cooperative agreement in the mutual benefit agreement, including direction that specifies—
    - (A) the volunteer services, including the geographic boundaries of the work to be performed by the volunteers, and the supervision to be provided by the cooperator;
    - (B) the applicable [project](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) safety standards and protocols to be adhered to by the volunteers and enforced by the cooperator;
    - (C) the on-site visits to be made by either of the [Secretaries](/usc/16/580p.md?p=3), if feasible and only if necessary to verify that volunteers are performing the volunteer services and the cooperator is providing the supervision agreed upon;
    - (D) the equipment the volunteers are authorized to use;
    - (E) the training the volunteers are required to complete;
    - (F) the actions the volunteers are authorized to [take](/usc/16/3102.md?p=18); and
    - (G) any other terms and conditions that are determined to be necessary by the applicable [Secretary](/usc/16/580p.md?p=3).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 92–300, § 6, as added Pub. L. 118–234, title III, § 341, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2913.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This Act, referred to in subsecs. (b) to (d), is Pub. L. 92–300, May 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 147, as amended generally by Pub. L. 118–234, title III, § 341, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2913, known as the Volunteers in the National Forests and Public Lands Act, which enacted sections 558a to 558g of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 558a of this title and Tables.