In order for your ministry to stay active and available to those who need it most, it needs to be freed up from the negative consequences that come from ignoring the administrative and organizational components listed here. This about much more than keeping your overseers satisfied; it's about ensuring the safety, protection and peace of mind of those who work for you and with you. Our churches will either spend some time on these items regularly, or all of their time on them eventually.
Background Checks are an important part of our safety protocols in Genesis. They are required for all local church and Conference staff, all candidates for ordination, and any volunteer who will be working with children.
The process begins with your church or the Conference submitting a request on your behalf. Once the check is requested, you'll receive an email with the instructions that are linked below. The organization who requested the background check will pay for the cost of the inquiry and report.
New York State requires all employers, including churches and religious non-profits, to provide annnual sexual harassment prevention training to all employees. Even if your church operates out of with only one paid staff member and relies heavily on volunteers, you are still expeted to stay up to date on the current standards by complying with these state regulations.
When a staff member of a church becomes unemployed through no fault of their own, they may wish to seek unemployment compensation through the state. However, churches in New York State and Pennsylvania are not required to carry unemployment insurance for their ministry staff, rendering those not covered ineligible to file a claim or receive benefits.
Types of employees excluded from mandatory unemployment insurance, unless the employer has chosen voluntary coverage for them:
Types of employees excluded from mandatory unemployment insurance when they work for non-profit organizations:
New York State Unemployment Exclusions
Pennsylvania Unemployment Exclusions
If an employee is fired for misconduct or a criminal act, they may not use any wages paid to them from that employment to establish a claim. This denial of benefits includes if a person was fired due to violating a company policy, rule or procedure, such as absenteeism or insubordination.
If an employee voluntarily leaves their employment without what the state believes to be "good cause," any claim for unemployment assistance is likely to be denied. It is up to the employee to provide proof that their reasoning for both leaving the job and applying for unemployment is legitimate.
Severance pay may be granted to employees upon termination of employment, and is most commonly provided during layoffs, organizational restructuring, or mutual separation agreements. There is no requirement in the Fair Labor Standards Act for severance pay. Severance pay is a matter of agreement between an employer and an employee (or the employee's representative). Payments are usually based on length of employment and can be offered as a lump sum or a temporary payroll continuation after the employee's work has ceased. - From the US Department of Labor
If your church is planning to offer a severance package to a staff member please review this document from Church Law & Tax during the process: Severance Agreements. We also have a template available from an attorney if you're looking for a legal document to communicate your severance agreement; contact us for information.