Appendix A: Paper Check Payment (Exception Only)
PAPER CHECK
If you believe that receiving the member allowance payments electronically will cause unusual hardship, please submit a written explanation to your Corporation State Office, and your payments may be made by paper check.
If you, for hardship reasons, receive a paper check, it will generally arrive at your sponsoring organization every other Tuesday or later if the check is delayed in the mail. The earnings statement is mailed separately by the Corporation; it may arrive a few days after the check.
The Corporation mails the members' checks to the sponsoring organization. Checks mistakenly sent to the sponsoring organization for members who have terminated early or who are no longer on the project must be returned immediately to the U.S. Treasury, and the Corporation State Office should be notified right away. The Corporation regards the sponsoring organization as the responsible agent for distributing members' checks. Members' check envelopes must not be opened by any sponsoring organization personnel.
Allowances not subject to federal income or Social Security taxes are paid directly by the Corporation and are not reflected in the earning statement. The member receives an explanation of any payment, however, along with the check. Such checks usually cover travel and per diem expenses.
LOST CHECK
If an AmeriCorps*VISTA member does not receive a check, the member should confer with the supervisor and wait at least five days to make sure the check has not been misplaced or is a few days late. If the supervisor determines the check is lost or stolen after a five-day wait, the member should immediately notify the Corporation State Office by telephone or e-mail. The member also must report the loss in writing, indicating the pay period covered by the missing check, by mail, e-mail, or fax to the Corporation State Office. Due to the mail delivery schedules, one week will elapse before the Corporation Headquarters Payroll Office will be able to begin tracing lost checks. The use of electronic funds transfer (direct deposit) eliminates this problem.
Your Corporation State Office will notify the appropriate U.S. Treasury Office of the loss and arrange for another check to be sent. This process can take up to six weeks. If you eventually receive the lost check, do not cash it. You must immediately return the check to the U.S. Treasury. Failure to return a lost check results in an overpayment. See "Recovery of Overpayment" in Chapter 5 for the procedure used to collect these funds.
Appendix B: Administrative Forms
Travel Forms
Use of Vehicles or Public Transportation
AmeriCorps*VISTA Statement of Mileage
Motor Vehicle Accident Report (SF-91)
Motor Vehicle Accident Statement of Witness (SF-94)
Claim for Damage Injury or Death (SF-95)
Member Service Forms
Future Plans Form or Early Termination Request
AmeriCorps*VISTA Member Benefit Election Form
AmeriCorps VISTA Payment Voucher
AmeriCorps*VISTA Second Choice Member Benefits Election form