10 Essentials for Managing Congregational Human Resources

10 Essentials for Managing Congregational Human Resources Rob MollaDirector of Human Resources, UUA

Agenda

1. Personnel Files

2. Job Descriptions

3. The I-94. Title VII5. Policy Manual6. Employee or

Consultant?

7. Fair Compensation and Benefits

8. Exempt or non-exempt?

9. Communicating around a Termination

10.Resources

1. The Personnel File

Application and hire letter Pay rate changes Job description and updates Benefits election forms Performance reviews Keep separate:

•Background checks• I-9•Medical

Locked and secured!

Who has access?

2. Job Descriptions

• Title, hours per week, schedule, salary range, exemption

• Purpose• Essential functions and time spent (%)• Reporting relationships and supervisory

responsibilities• Minimum requirements including education,

experience, skills, certifications, etc.• Working conditions and physical/mental

requirements• “Performs additional duties as assigned.”

3. Form I-9

•Required by US Homeland Security

•Proves identity and work eligibility

•www.uscis.gov/I-9Central•Photocopy IDs•Secured and separate•Board discussion?

4. Title VII and Employee Selection

Ask• Skills• Work style

preferences• Availability• Open-ended ?s• Behavioral ?s

Avoid• Age and DOB• Marital or family

status• Disabilities• National origin or

citizenship• Race or ethnicity• Affiliations

Can we specify that we want to hire a UU?

5. Policy Manual

• Can we hire from within the congregation?• Do we allow outside employment?• What happens if I need a leave of absence?• What happens to my vacation/sick time if I quit?• How do we handle allegations of harassment?• Can that be sent through e-mail?• When do we conduct performance evaluations?

UUA.org/hr > §Policy > “Personnel Policy Manual for Religious Organizations”

6. Employee or Consultant?

•Misclassification suits on the rise

•The game of 20 questions (IRS) Who determines hours, workplace? Advertised business? Can the work be outsourced? Can the person quit or is there legal obligation to

complete project? Steady pay or “upon delivery”? Duration

Employee or Contractor?

Employee• Benefits• Fills out W-4• Receives W-2• State reporting

required

Contractor• No benefits• Fills out W-9• Receives 1099• State reporting

required

7. Fair Compensation Model

• Salary (plus housing)• FICA• Uniform benefits for all eligibles

– Health (80% EE and 50% dependents)– Life– Disability (with imputed income)

• Retirement (10% contribution)• Vacation• Professional expenses (10%)• Written personnel policies

Sample Annual Budget

• Congregational administrator

• Mid-sized II (249-350)

• Geo Index 5• Mid point of

range• 50 years old• Family

Salary 41,300.00FICA 3,159.45Retirement 4,130.00Health 15,933.98Dental 1,082.40Life 317.18Disability 413.00Worker's Comp 135.79Professional 2,065.00TOTAL 68,536.81$

Severance 6,883.33$

Benefits

• UUA’s Office of Church Staff Finances

• UUA Health Plan = 750 hours/year• UUA Retirement Plan = 1000 hours• Life, AD&D, Disability = 750 hours• Avoid rankism• Require election/rejection forms• 60 day signup from date of hire

UUA Compensation Survey

•What congregations are paying•Geo indexed•Based on congregation size

8. Salaried or Hourly?

•Hourly = pay rate per hour worked

•Salary = pay rate per week worked

Just because you pay an employee a salary does not mean that they are exempt from overtime pay!

Exempt or Non-exempt?

Under the FLSA, all employees are “non-exempt” unless they meet certain requirements and you “exempt” them from overtime pay.

Non-exempt = must be paid 1.5 times hourly rate for time worked beyond 40 hours per week*

Exempt = no overtime required

FLSA “White Collar” Exemptions

•Salary test of $455 per week andExecutiveAdministrativeProfessionalOutside SalesComputer Professional

9. Communication of a Termination

• Particularly problematic in congregational settings “We have a right to know.” “It’s part of our democratic process.” “For the sake of transparency.” “It’s OK because the former employee is talking

about it.”

• Keep it on a need-to-know basis• Protect the employee’s confidentiality to

avoid defamation lawsuits “Employee is no longer with us.” Refer questions to….

10. Resources

• A good employment attorney!• Your District staff• Office of Church Staff Finances

(ocsf@uua.org) for compensation and benefits

• Books– Berry, The Alban Personnel Handbook for

Congregations– Bloss, Church Guide to Employment Law– Hammer, Church & Clergy Tax Guide– Rendle and Beaumont, When Moses Meets Aaron– Westing, Church Staff Handbook

Rob Mollarmolla@uua.org(617) 948-4606

UUA.org/hr

Contact Information