Does volunteering count as length of service?
It is the most frequently asked question about volunteering in Romania, and the answer changes with the word you use. Length of service and professional experience are two different things in law.
Short answer
- No, volunteering does not count as length of service.
- Volunteering counts as professional and/or specialist experience, under art. 10 para. (2) of Law no. 78/2014.
- The recognition applies only if the activity is performed in the field of the studies completed.
- The volunteering period is not a contribution period and creates no pension rights.
- Proof is provided with the volunteering certificate and the attached activity report.
What the law says
- Art. 10 para. (2) of Law no. 78/2014: volunteering counts as professional and/or specialist experience, depending on the type of activity, if it is performed in the field of the studies completed.
- The law contains no provision turning volunteering into length of service.
- Volunteering is unpaid under art. 10 para. (1), so no social contributions are paid for it.
- Art. 10 para. (3): the volunteering certificate is issued at the request of the volunteer, with an activity report attached.
- Art. 23: in competitions with equal scores, volunteering certificates may bring additional points.
- A bill under consultation in the Senate in 2026 would recognise length of service for at least one year of volunteering, but it is only a proposal: not adopted and not promulgated.
Practical examples
- A social-work graduate with 14 months of volunteering at a day centre can claim specialist experience when applying for a job, but her service record shows no length of service.
- A law student who packs humanitarian aid for 200 hours does not tick specialist experience, because the activity is outside the field of study.
- For a post requiring 6 months of specialist experience, a 9-month volunteering certificate in the same field meets the requirement.
Common mistakes
- The organisation promises volunteers "length of service", although the law recognises only professional experience.
- The volunteer believes the period counts towards the pension contribution record.
- The 2026 bill is quoted as law in force in volunteer recruitment adverts.
- The certificate does not state the type of activity, so the employer cannot tell whether it is specialist experience.
How 4ong helps
- Describes each volunteering activity by field, so the certificate clearly shows whether it is specialist experience.
- Keeps the full history of hours and periods per volunteer, even across several projects.
- Issues the certificate and the activity report with the duties taken on and the skills acquired.
- Shows how many volunteers passed a given hour threshold, useful for funder reports.