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From the National Bonner AmeriCorps Enrollment Workbook.

The Member may be released by the Program from their term of service in the following two ways:

1. Suspension, as described in paragraph (f) of this section; or
2. Termination.

The Member understands that he or she may be released for the following two reasons:

1. For cause, as explained in paragraph (c) of this section; or,
2. For compelling personal circumstances as defined in paragraph (f) of this section. 

The Program will release the Member for cause for the following reasons:

• The Member has dropped out of the Program without obtaining a release for compelling personal circumstances from the appropriate Program official;
• During the term of service the Member has been convicted of a violent felony or the sale or distribution of a controlled substance;
• The Member has committed a fourth offense in accordance with paragraph (e) of section VI of this Agreement; or
• Any other serious breach that in the judgment of the Campus Administrator and Program Director would undermine the effectiveness of the Program.

The Program may release the Member from the term of service due to compelling personal circumstances if the Member demonstrates that:

• The Member has a serious injury or illness that makes completing the term impossible;  
• There is a serious injury, illness or death of an immediate family member which makes completing the term unreasonably difficult or impossible for the Member;
• The Member is required to fulfill Military Service obligations; 
• The Member has accepted an opportunity to make the transition from welfare to work; or 
• Some other unforeseeable circumstance beyond the Member’s control makes it impossible or unreasonably difficult for the Member to complete the term of service, such as a natural disaster, a strike, relocation of a spouse, or the non-renewal or premature closing of a project or the Program, and the Program deems the circumstance to be compelling.

Compelling circumstances do not include leaving the Program:

• To enroll in school;
• To obtain employment, other than in moving from welfare to work; or,
• Because of dissatisfaction with the Program.

The Program may suspend the Member’s term of service for the following reasons:

• During the term the Member requests a suspension based on compelling personal circumstances, as described in paragraph (d) of this section. During the suspension from service, the Member will not receive credit for service hours or benefits. The Member may resume his or her term of service once the circumstances supporting the suspension have been resolved. However, a suspension may last not more than two years from the date of suspension. If the Member does not resume their term within the two-year period, the Member may request that the Program exit the Member, and the Member may be eligible for a partial Education Award based on the number of hours served in the term.
• During the term of service the Member has been charged with a violent felony or the sale or distribution of a controlled substance. (If the Member is found not guilty or the charge is dismissed, the Member may resume his or her term of service. The Member, however, will not receive credit for any service hours missed.)
• During the term of service the Member has been convicted of a first offense of possession of a controlled substance. (If, however, the Member demonstrates that he/she has enrolled in an approved drug rehabilitation program, the Member may resume his/her term of service. The Member will not receive credit for any service hours performed during the period of  suspension.)

The Program may suspend the Member’s term of service for violating the Rules of Conduct set forth in paragraph (c) of section VI of this Agreement.

If the Program releases the Member for cause or for compelling personal circumstance, the Member will cease to receive the benefits described in paragraphs (a) and (c) of section V.

If the Program releases the Member for cause, the Member will receive no portion of the Education Award or interest payments.

If, however, the Program releases the Member for compelling personal circumstances, the Member will receive a pro-rated Education Award, provided the Member has completed at least 15% of the hours needed to complete the term of service.

1. A term that ends early, either for cause, or for compelling personal circumstances, is still considered a term and the Education Award that the Member receives, or would have been eligible to receive, will count towards the total of two Education Awards an individual may receive through service with AmeriCorps. 
2. An individual cannot serve more than four terms of service in an AmeriCorps State and National Program, regardless of whether those terms were served on a full-, part-, or minimum-time basis.