ChurchSafety

Employment law issues are the number one area of litigation for churches today.  You can take an active role in reducing the risk of a lawsuit with a little preparation and these simple tips.

• Create or update job descriptions.  An accurate written job description is a must before you begin to look for a ministry worker.  A good description provides clear expectations of the position responsibilities and can help both you and the candidate gauge whether they are qualified for the position.
  
  
• Show me the money.  Collect salary data for jobs with similar responsibilities.  Be sure to factor in your local cost of living and what benefits are offered when determining the salary range for the position.
  
  
• Prepare interview questions.  It's perfectly acceptable to let the interview develop naturally to some extent. However, without a standard list of questions as a guide you could easily fall back on questions that you cannot legally ask a candidate.
  
  
• Involve more people.  Regardless of whether one person makes the ultimate decision, it's always a good idea to involve more people.  The interview is a great place to bring in a second opinion—either in one session or in separate interviews.
  
  

• Check it out.  Background checks are an obvious part of the hiring process.  Be aware that services can range from simple database checks to detailed local research.  A good rule of thumb is that you get what you pay for when it comes to the depth of the background search.
  
  
• Consider the alternatives.  Compensation for church employees—particularly for pastors—often goes well beyond salary and insurance benefits.  Consider salary reduction agreements, housing and equity allowances, and an "accountable" business expense reimbursement policy as options in your compensation package. 
  
  
• Research tax implications.  Additional tax implications come with a more complicated compensation package.  While these compensation methods can offer huge tax advantages to individuals, both you and the employee need to understand the tax consequences of each component.
  
  

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