University Baptist Church
Policies, Procedures and Guidelines Manual
No. 22 Personnel Policies & Procedures
Personnel Policies & Procedures
University Baptist Church
2009
Personnel Policies and Procedures serve to encompass the rules by which the Church employs, compensates, provides benefits, defines job responsibility (position descriptions), sets performance standards, encourages professional development, defines codes of conduct and terminates employment.
The Personnel Committee has the primary responsibility to assist the Church in matters related to Personnel administration and management.
This manual defines the responsibility of the church in its role as employer.
Selection of Ministers
In keeping with Article VII of UBC By-Laws, the Personnel Committee will organize and promote the work of ministerial search Committees (ad hoc), when necessary. Each search Committee will consist of eight members: the chair of the Personnel Committee and one other nominated from and by the Personnel Committee; two nominated from and by the Deacons; two nominated from the Church membership-at-large by the Nominating Committee; two nominated from and by the Committee or organization closest to the work for which the minister is being sought. All the members of the Ministerial Search Committee will be presented by the Personnel Committee for election by the Church in conference. The staff ministers will serve as ex-officio members of such Committees. The Committee will elect its chair, vice-chair, and secretary.
The ministerial search Committee will identify the needs and seek the advice of the congregation regarding the qualifications for the minister sought; recruit and interview prospective ministers for the position; and recommend to the Church the minister to be called and the conditions under which the call will be extended. The recommendations that a call be extended will be submitted by the Search Committee to the Personnel Committee, the Finance Committee, the Church Council, and the Deacons for review and comment before being presented to the Church for final action in conference.
The call of a minister will come before the Church at a regular or called Church conference, written notice of which and its purpose will be provided in the Word no less than two weeks in advance. Only one candidate at a time will be presented to the Church. Ministers will be called for an indefinite period of time, unless otherwise specified in the employment agreement.
The ministerial search committee’s recommendation should include the terms of the call as well as the mutual expectations of the Minister and Church.
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An affirmative vote of three-fourths of the members and associate members present at the Church conference will be necessary to extend a call. The Committee will maintain close communication with the new minister in order to appropriately coordinate the minister’s move. The ministerial search Committee will be dissolved when the new minister has assumed the position.
Other Positions:
The Personnel Committee in conjunction with the senior minister will recruit and fill other staff positions as needed. This is done with the review and comment of the Church Council and the Finance Committee.
“At Will” Employment
Employment by the Church is “at will” meaning either employees or the Church as employer may terminate employment at any time, for any or no reason, with or without cause or prior notice.
Probationary Period
All non-ministerial employees will serve a probationary period of six months from the date of employment. During this time performance and conduct will be closely monitored and discussed with the employee by the immediate supervisor. At the end of the probationary period, the supervisor will conduct a written review of the employee’s performance and conduct. A report of this will be made to the Personnel Committee.
Resignation
Non-ministerial staff are requested to give a two-week written notice when resigning. Ministers are asked to give a month’s notice. A resignation should first be presented to the senior minister and then to the Personnel Committee. A resignation by the senior minister should be given to the personnel committee first.
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Termination of Ministers:
Ministers will serve until they or the Church elect to terminate the relationship.
In order to consider the forced termination of a minister’s services, a regular or called Church conference will be held, written notice of which and its purpose will be provided no less than two weeks in advance in the Word. An affirmative vote of three-fourths of the members and associate members present will be necessary to terminate the services of a minister.
Exit Interview
Each employee who leaves the employment of the Church voluntarily is requested to complete an exit interview with the Personnel Committee.
Hours of Work
All ministers need flexibility in their office schedule. When away from the Church during regular office hours, all ministerial staff should inform the office of how they can be reached.
All full time staff that are exempt from wage hour laws are expected to work a minimum of 40 hours per week.
Working hours are established at the time of employment for temporary and part time staff.
Compensation:
The Church seeks to provide compensation and benefits to its employees that are equal to or exceed those in comparable positions within the community.
Starting salaries and salary increases are proposed by the Personnel Committee with input from the senior minister. These are approved by the Finance Committee and ultimately ratified by the Church.
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Hourly employees are paid time and half when it is deemed necessary that they should work more than forty hours per week. In pay periods that include holidays, overtime will be paid if actual work time exceeds forty (40) hours.
Issuance of Pay Checks
Pay checks are issued on the 15th and last day of each month.
Benefits:
Holidays-12 paid
Vacation
Anniversary Recognition
Sick Leave
Paid Leave for Jury Duty, Military, Funeral of family member, Hazardous weather
Leave Without Pay
Health Insurance
Workers Compensation Insurance
Retirement
Holidays:
The following paid holidays will be observed by the Church:
New Years Eve and New Years Day
President’s Day
Easter Monday
Memorial Day
4th of July
Labor Day
Columbus Day
Thanksgiving and the Friday after
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
Salaried staff will be given compensatory time off for holidays that are worked.
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Vacation
Vacations are to be scheduled so as to permit the proper execution of the Church’s responsibilities at all times. It may be taken in half-day increments. The senior minister receives four weeks of paid vacation, other full time ministers receive three weeks paid vacation and other employees receive two weeks vacation. If any employee has worked twenty or more years with the Church, an additional week of vacation is added. Temporary and part time employees do not receive paid vacations. Vacation time does not carry over from one year to the next.
Anniversaries:
The Church wishes to recognize the employment anniversary date of its staff and will provide a check for $100+$10 for each year worked for each full time employee. For significant anniversaries, the senior minister may choose additional forms of recognition.
Sick/Personal Leave:
The Church provides up to ten days per year for sick/personal leave. This is at the discretion of the senior minister. Untaken leave does not carry over from one year to the next.
Jury Duty Leave:
Full-time employees will be granted jury duty leave with pay.
Military Leave
Leave for purposed active duty, military training, instruction, or field exercise is granted and is without pay.
Leave Without Pay
Leave without pay may be granted to full time employees under some circumstances. The Senior Minister and the Personnel Committee must approve Leave of Absence that lasts longer than five (5) days.
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Inclement Weather:
The senior minister may close the Church office due to inclement weather. In this instance, all staff are paid their regular salary. If the office is open and the employee chooses not to work, the time is charged to sick/personal leave.
Health Insurance:
All employees must carry health insurance. For non-ministerial staff, the Church provides health care for the employee only. For ministers, 27% of their base pay is allotted for benefits including health care and retirement. This is a target percentage that will be phased in over a three year period beginning January, 2010.
Workers Compensation:
The Church provides Workers Compensation insurance for coverage in the event an employee is injured on the job.
Retirement:
The Church shall contribute 10% of base pay for retirement. This is a portion of the total allotment of 27% for benefits.
Termination of Benefits:
Benefits terminate at the end of the month when termination of employment occurs. Accrued vacation may be prorated and paid for the year.
Staff Evaluations:
Performance reviews are completed during the summer of each year and should reflect performance for the entire year and include specifics. These are designed to foster personal growth through balanced feedback of both positive remarks and growth opportunities.
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Ministers are reviewed by lay members of the Church as well as the senior minister. The senior minister or administrative head of the Church staff will review non-ministerial staff members. This requires a written performance appraisal and discussion with each employee. The employee and minister or Administrative Head of the Church Staff will sign the appraisal, and it is placed in the Personnel file. A copy is given to the employee.
Position descriptions are used as the criteria for measurement in evaluations.
The Personnel Committee chooses who will evaluate each minister, and five evaluations are completed for each. Completed evaluations are mailed to the Chair of the Personnel Committee and may be completed anonymously. The Personnel Chair summarizes the evaluations for each minister and gives the summaries, without names of the persons completing the evaluations, to the senior minister. The senior minister ensures that a conversation takes place with each minister and summaries are placed in each minister’s Personnel file.
Position Description:
All full-time paid staff and permanent part-time staff will be provided with a position description that describes their duties and responsibilities.
Position descriptions change periodically to reflect changes in the Church’s organization, procedures or policy. They should be reviewed annually by the employee, the senior minister and the Personnel Committee.
Employee Expectations and Administration of Discipline:
All Church employees are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and to faithfully perform the duties and responsibilities of the position for which they were hired. In the rare instance in which this does not happen, disciplinary action will be taken, up to and including dismissal.
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It is the policy of the Church to adhere to a philosophy of progressive discipline, i.e. to identify problems in performance and conduct as early as possible and to administer discipline beginning with the least severe penalty. If verbal warnings are not successful, written reprimands and dismissal may follow. The supervisor and the Personnel Committee will work together to administer disciplinary actions if needed, up to and including dismissal.
Personnel Records:
A personnel file will be maintained on all paid staff of the Church and is to include:
Initial date of employment and all related employment documents, i.e. application, references etc.
Current position description
All performance evaluations
Emergency medical information
Salary History
Leave history
Copy of any written agreement or covenant
Tax withholding forms (state and federal)
Completed I-9 form for immigration
All documentation of performance including disciplinary action
Documentation of health insurance, short term disability or salary continuation and contributions to a retirement plan.
Ministers’ housing allotment per year
These should be maintained in the strictest confidence.
All personnel records will be kept in a locked file cabinet. The senior minister, Administrative Assistant, and Chair of Personnel with have access to these files.
Continuing Education:
Ministers are provided a budget for continuing education and are encouraged to use it. This is considered time worked.
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Sabbatical for Ministers
After eight years of service, ministers may apply for a sabbatical lasting up to three months. A request must be submitted to the personnel committee and should include how the time will be spent for personal and spiritual enrichment and how the duties of this minister will be handled during the time away. This is paid time off and all benefits continue.
Smoke Free Workplace:
UBC is a smoke-free working environment to promote health and safety among staff. Smoking is not permitted in the building.
Mileage reimbursement:
Mileage reimbursement is paid according to the current IRS allowable amount.
Personnel Policies & Procedures Maintenance:
This document should be reviewed annually by the Personnel Committee and updated as appropriate. Changes will be reviewed by Church Council. An audit should also be conducted by the Personnel Committee to ensure that personnel records and position descriptions are current and complete every two years or sooner if significant changes are needed.
Approved by: Church Council
Date: September 6, 2009
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