‘Volunteer’ program pads healthy perks

A much-hyped program that gives state workers up to a dozen paid days off per year to “volunteer” in a wide variety of community activities gives another perk to employees who already have one of the most generous benefit packages in the country.
Massachusetts is tied for sixth nationally in the number of paid holidays for state workers with 13, including the Suffolk County-only holidays Evacuation Day and Bunker Hill Day.
Former GOP Gov. Mitt Romney, now running for president, tried unsuccessfully to abolish those two holidays and a spokesman says the 12 paid volunteer days being trumpeted by Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick are yet another taxpayer-funded giveaway.

If it's properly monitored, it amounst a generous and unbiased grant to numerous nonprofit groups, and my guess is that many church charities will benefit. I don't think many people will abuse the benefit since to do so would amount to exploiting a nonprofit. When you "volunteer", you don't get paid.