Employment claims against churches are on the rise. Preparing for the unpleasant possibility in advance can prevent some employment conflicts and better equip your church to deal with those that arise.
New minimum salary levels announced by the U.S. Department of Labor could make millions of salaried workers—including ministry workers—eligible for overtime pay. The new rule goes into effect July 1, 2024, with an additional increase set for January 1, 2025.
With careful planning, your church or school can develop a robust volunteer program. Learn these key steps to protecting people and furthering the work of your ministry.
Use the FLSA Risk Assessment Chart to help manage the risk of wrongly classifying employees within your ministry.
Whether your church employs 50 people across several campuses or 3 people in a single location, injuries on the job can happen to anyone. When these accidents happen, you will want to have a system in place to care for an employee’s needs and cover the cost of unexpected medical bills. That's where workers' compensation coverage comes in.
Social media can be an excellent source of information for churches to seeking to hire employees. However, be aware of the legal and ethical issues involved in using social media to screen your staff.
Legal Aid Activity Incidental Liability Coverage can help ministries withstand the potential financial brunt of claims resulting from legal aid errors.
On April 23, 2023, the United States Department of Labor announced its new standard for determining who qualifies as an exempt employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The new rule raised the minimum salary floor to $43,888 per year or $844 per week for employees classified as exempt.
Good employment practices are vital for Christian organizations because they protect against employee lawsuits.
Volunteers are often the heartbeat of your ministry. Just as it is with employees, it’s important for your ministry to know what coverages apply to an injured volunteer and how your ministry is financially protected from claims of injury.
Be aware of the legal risk your church or ministry faces as an employer.
Virtual platforms have transformed how we meet with colleagues around the world. They also have made us vulnerable to new risks. Here are seven steps you can take to improve the privacy of your next online meeting.
The Affordable Care Act is a complex set of laws affecting nearly all church and ministry employers. Knowing about the basics can be helpful in determining how it affects your ministry.
The U.S. Constitution affords ministries certain protection for decisions that ministry leaders make based on their religious beliefs.
Recording a conversation may be beneficial to ministries for a variety or scenarios, but the laws related to doing so are complicated and vary from state to state.
For tax purposes, all U.S. employers are required to categorize their workers as employees or independent contractors. Learn how to correctly categorize workers in accordance with the IRS and tax laws.
This rule for employers with 100+ employees has generated many questions from ministries since it was first announced on September 9, 2021. Most of these will have to wait for answers until the actual requirement is published. Ministry leaders should actively monitor the development of this “vaccine mandate” and consider how they may need to respond.
You know those official-looking posters in your ministry office or kitchen that no one reads...Did you know your ministry is required to post them? Find out if you're missing any.
Charitable immunity laws are typically intended to protect only volunteer workers from lawsuits.
Overseas missionaries may not be covered by stateside workers' comp. Without coverage, your ministry could be legally liable to pay claims of negligence or fraud if a court determines you failed to provide a standard of care.
Ministries and mission organizations often have difficulty deciding if a missionary is an employee or an independent contractor. A few key questions about the organization’s relationship with a missionary worker may help to reach a proper classification.
If you’re looking to employ someone under 18, be aware that employment rules that apply to most businesses generally apply to your ministry as well.
Employee termination should be viewed as a process, not a point-in-time event.
Do you follow a published set of guidelines and policies that govern texting and messaging practices for your ministry’s employees and volunteers who work with youth? Use this checklist to uncover areas that might expose your ministry to risk.
As an employer, ministries are required to properly pay employees for all time spent performing their job functions, so distinguishing between volunteer hours and employee hours is important.
Assembling an effective disaster relief team, and giving it the tools to succeed, is as important as the work the team will do.
Those who accept positions on the governing board of a church are held to a higher standard of accountability than people in the congregation.
In today's increasingly litigious society, you need to know how to protect your organization and staff against allegations of misconduct.
Whether you serve adults through hospital visitation, visiting shut-ins, or a sponsored adult day care facility, careful planning and forethought are two of the most important elements of a successful adult care ministry.
Harassment policies should clearly outline your organization’s goals for promoting a safe and welcoming workplace. Effective written policies are a baseline from which a culture of transparency and accountability flourishes.
Two cases were decided by the Supreme Court of the United States with rulings that could have negatively affected a religious organization’s ability to make employment decisions autonomously and in accordance with its sincerely held beliefs: Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, and Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru – July 8, 2020.
In some cities and states, it's illegal to ask job candidates about their past salary or pay history. As private employers, Christian churches, schools, and nonprofit ministries are affected by these restrictions. Even if your ministry isn’t affected today, it could be in the future. It’s a good idea to keep an eye on employment trends and examine your hiring practices regularly.
When it comes to employees taking certain prescription medications—like opioids—employers may feel unsure about what they're allowed to say or do about it. Here's some information about three common issues that can arise in a ministry workplace.
Favoring some employees over others can induce stress and lessen productivity. The practice also can lead to legal issues. These six tips help create a happier work environment.
Boards of smaller ministries may need to provide additional support to help their pastor stay spiritually strong.
This checklist will help you clearly communicate expectations, boundaries, and regulations to help reduce the risk of disputes between employees and employers.
The legal trends discussed in this article shed light on risks that churches and ministries have faced in recent years.
Good employment practices are vital for ministries because they protect against employee lawsuits. Use this checklist to help your church, school, or ministry develop safe employment practices.
Anytime a ministry is involved in a lawsuit, it may find itself on the receiving end of a subpoena. Learn what is expected and how best to respond.
Keep a would-be thief out the collection plate and away from church funds. It's time for a fresh look at offering safety procedures.
Insisting on safety controls for your offering plate is critical to maintaining the trust and confidence of your membership.
When disaster strikes, your team needs to be ready to move. Before you're needed, see where your disaster relief team is strong ... and where it needs improvement.
If your ministry rents vehicles or parents transport children for field trips, this checklist helps you ask the right questions to protect your drivers and passengers.
Ministry-owned vehicles give your mission flexibility, but they also increase your ministry's risk. Use this checklist to evaluate the safety of your fleet.
Download this Acknowledgement and Release Form for your short-term mission travel participants.
Conducting thorough background checks on potential employees and volunteers is an important part of protecting your ministry.
Thank you for your interest in Brotherhood Mutual. We appreciate the opportunity to provide your church or other ministry with an insurance quote and will reply to your request as soon as possible.
2024 Brotherhood Mutual
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2024 Brotherhood Mutual