1. LEGAL FOUNDATIONS OF CHURCH HUMAN RESOURCES

2. REFLECTIONS ON THE PRESENT MOMENT
SOME OF THE CURRENT REALITIES WHICH FACE CHURCH INSTITUTIONS INCLUDE:
Living in a litigious society
Moving from self-contained community to employer
Facing the tension between the individual and the institution
Rethinking how workers are formed and trained
Recognizing the need for effective organization skills

3. BASIC DEFINITIONS Exempt Non-exempt At will employer
Just Cause employer

4. Exempt
Exempt employees are those who supervise two or more people, and have the authority to hire, fire, discipline, make salary increase recommendations, etc. OR

5. Exempt
Those whose positions require a specialized course of study generally obtained through a 4-year college degree program.

6. SALARY BASIS TEST FOR EXEMPT
Labor Dep’t. to change rules that will guarantee overtime pay to workers who are currently classified as exempt
Salary threshold will be nearly doubled from $23,660 annually or $455 per week to $47,476 per year or $970 per week
Teachers will remain exempt

7. NON-EXEMPT
All those employees who do not meet the job description or minimum salary requirements to be considered exempt.

8. AT-WILL EMPLOYER
An employer who reserves the right under state statutes to terminate any employee for any reason, with or without notice and with or without cause, where such termination is not discriminatory.

9. JUST CAUSE EMPLOYER
Corrective action, including termination, must be for clear, compelling, and justifiable reasons.

10. FEDERAL LEGISLATION Civil Rights Legislation Internal Revenue Act
Social Security Act
Family and Medical Leave Act
Americans with Disabilities Act
Age Discrimination Act

11. EEO Legislation Protected classes of employees: Age
Gender (e.g. pregnancy) and sexual harrassment
Race, nationality, ethnic group, color
Religious preference
Disability
15 or more employees but better to comply no matter how many employees.

12. Sexual Harassement
Hostile Environment
Quid pro quo

13. POLLING QUESTIONS: Do you have written personnel policies?
Has each member of the staff been given a copy of these policies?

14. PERSONNEL POLICIES
Why?
What?

15. Just Policies
The implementation of a set of clear, written policies that are:
Consistent with civil law
Communicated to employees
Fairly and consistently applied
Will in most cases result in a just work environment.

16. The policies and practices should be in writing.
Unwritten policies and transitory and can be arbitrarily applied
Written policies help to ensure that policies are thorough, clear and fair.

17. The written policies and procedures should then be effectively communicated to staff.
Websites
Handbooks
Written acknowledgement of receipt

18. Once established and communicated, just policies must be followed consistently.
Failure to apply policies consistently leads to feelings of unfairness on the part of both supervisors and staff.

19. Essential Policies Work conditions Employee compensation and benefits
Succession planning
Grievance procedures
Harassment
Employee growth and development
Confidentiality of lay and clergy
Parishioner and organization records
Work conditions
Employee compensation
and benefits
Vacation and leaves
Employee evaluation
Supervision
Hiring and firing
Nondiscrimination
Copyright©2013 by Carol Fowler

20. MISCELLANEOUS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Diversity
Conflict of interest
Intellectual property
Other employment
Dress standards
Use of Parish Property
Transportation
Children in the workplace

21. MISCELLANEOUS POLICIES cont.
Children in the workplace
Worker’s compensation
Personal leaves

22. Policy Administration
Parish, school and agency administrators are responsible for communicating, administering and enforcing all personnel policies.
Employee handbooks

23. Questions/discussion
? ?