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Personnel Administration C-33
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Personnel administration assures that behavior. The following items should • Employee benefits. Describe have a fair hearing in matters over
people who are employed by the be covered in the policy: vacation and holidays and sick, which there is disagreement.
church are able to make their most • Preamble. In the preamble, define family, maternity/paternity or other • Affirmative action. Indicate your
effective contribution while being the relationship to the constitution leave. Outline the church's firm commitment to equal
treated fairly by the church. and bylaws and the relationship to responsibility for annuity, opportunity and how you will seek
those employed by the church. retirement benefits, Social Security, diversity. If you choose to use the
• Administration. Define who unemployment and workers' term “Affirmative Action”,
Common Practices
administers the policy, who the compensation insurance and group describe whether or not this will be
People who receive salaries for the policy affects and how the policy health insurance. This section a program which meets federal
contribution they make to the life of can be amended. needs to be written carefully in guidelines. (In most cases, it will
the church are a valuable asset to the • Classification of employees. light of state and federal laws and be practical to specifically describe
work and life of the church. It is not Define all types of employees who recommendations of the United your program as distinct from
unusual for a church to have some work for your church. Those who Church of Christ. federal guidelines.)
board or committee that is work under the Fair Labor • Evaluation. State the policies
responsible for personnel Standards Act are known as regarding the frequency of
Stages of
administration, although in some nonexempt employees. Exempt evaluation, who does it and what
churches relatively little attention is employees are free from the wage the consequences are. Administration
paid until an issue arises or a crisis and hour provisions of the Fair • Position description. Draw up a
There are three stages of
occurs. Labor Standards Act. It is position description for each
administration of personnel:
Some people feel that the important to have these issues clear position. Include the title of the
development of a personnel policy for because the federal law affects the position, what is necessary and • Securing personnel. When you are
seeking an employee or staff
a church indicates that somehow we obligations of the church related to valued by the church, and describe
member, make certain there is an
can no longer count on verbal employment, such as overtime pay. activities and responsibilities,
adequate understanding of what the
agreements and trust. While it is true Also define full-time and part-time accountability, reporting
church expects of the person.
that verbal agreements are binding for employment and which category of relationships, wages guidelines and
Identify tasks, skills needed and
many people, there is a need for a employee is eligible for each benefits. Physical activities, which
time required. Also identify what
written policy. Regardless of the size benefit. are requirements of the position’s
the employee can expect from the
of the church or the number of people • Compensation. Define how essential duties (which can’t be
church: wages, benefits, etc. State
it employs, every staff member needs compensation and wages for each reasonably accommodated or
the hiring policy: who makes the
to be treated fairly and justly. Having employee will be determined. modified) should be named in
decision, and how the search will
a written policy to which they can Describe compensation review measurable terms.
be carried out. To reduce risk to
refer guarantees this. Likewise, it procedures and their frequency. • Separations. State the policy
the church, a background check
assures that all parties can review and • Training and development. regarding retirement, resignation
(according to the specifically
know what agreements have been Clarify how the church intends to and death. Describe criteria for
defined policies of the church)
made. help each person grow and develop separation for unsatisfactory
should be carried out.
in relation to the job. Describe performance, when severance pay
• Nurturing personnel. Nurturing
appraisal and review, continuing will be provided and what happens
Personnel Policies begins as people are being oriented
education and sabbatical if there is a reduction in the work
to their positions. Help them meet
It can be very helpful to have a provisions. Indicate which, if any, force.
the people with whom they work
written personnel policy that professional memberships will be • Complaint and grievance
and get background on "how things
describes your church's intended paid by the church. procedures. Outline procedures to
work around here," where supplies
follow to allow an employee to
Personnel Administration C-33
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are and how to deal with financial employment: "You can continue to policy. How does the way you
aspects of the job. Set aside fairly work as long as the following administer personnel relate to your

frequent and scheduled changes occur...." Work to enable church's mission?

conversations during the first few both parties to learn from the • Once you have established policies,
months. Test for insights. The situation. Your policies should it is important to be consistent.
orientation will be over when specify how terms of continued How will you deal with the desire

people are comfortable with what is employment will be documented some members may have to make

expected and with their ability to and under what circumstances. exceptions for a favored employee?
carry it out. Ongoing nurture Assure that these regard specific • What is the role of the church in
includes assessing the task and the work- related behaviors and not setting standards of treatment of

person's contribution. Be sensitive personality characteristics. staff?
to the possible need to redefine the A church has responsibility for the • Many organizations link
task. Assessing is more than actions of its volunteers and performance appraisal with
checking up on personnel. It is a employees and cannot allow abuse compensation review. This requires

time to help set goals that will of others to take place. If a well-stated expectations and a well-
increase the effectiveness of their violation of another person is developed concept of the
contribution, to determine suspected or alleged, immediate relationship between appraisal and
continuing education that would be action must be taken. Include compensation. What are the

helpful and to discover how their provisions for this action in policies practical and the logistical
work overlaps with others' work. that are set before abuse is alleged. implications for your church?
An annual review takes personnel Making Our Churches Safe for

seriously and honors them and their All is a guide for developing these

contribution to the church. Because policies. It is available on the web Questions

church personnel work in a public at www.ucc.org/ministries/safe or
• How is the church different from,
setting where varied expectations in print from the Insurance Board
or the same as, other institutions in
may be held, review procedures (as at 800 437-8830.
the administering of personnel?
well as common expectations) When people resign, try to learn
• What, if any, are the differences in
should be developed with broad anything about the task that will
the administration of personnel
input and shared widely. help others carry it out. Celebrate
Nurturing personnel may include the contribution the person has when dealing with clergy?
• Which parts of the personnel policy
performance counseling toward made, and if appropriate, their
described here are the most
improvement. Such counseling decision to pursue other activities
important for further development
should be conducted in a positive or employment.
way and documented to build a of your current policy?
• If you do not currently have a
common understanding of

Issues Facing the written personnel policy, how
improvement desired or required.
might one be developed?
• Terminating personnel. There are Church © 2005, Parish Life and Leadership Ministry
• How will you work with the church Team of Local Church Ministries, a
times when a person is unable or
unwilling to do the expected work. • Determining a personnel policy to develop common expectations CChorviesnt anted Ministry of the United Church of
Be prepared to use candor in these takes time and some people would and understandings?
situations. You may need to set rather get on with the church's
conditions for continued mission than work on personnel