This policy is being reviewed and revised by the Personnel Committee for approval at an upcoming Session meeting.
PART I – THERE IS A VACANCY IN THE CHURCH STAFF
(Special rules apply to pastors – contact Presbytery for details)
1. The individual should inform the pastor/head of staff.
2. The staff member is asked to write a letter of resignation.
3. The staff member and pastor clarify the date of the public announcement and the final day of actual work.
4. The staff member meets with the Church Administrator to determine the amount of unused vacation leave for which the staff member will be compensated, and to review issues related to the benefits program.
5. For questions about benefits, it is in the staff person’s best interest to contact the Board of Pensions directly.
6. The pastor notifies the chair of Personnel Committee. During the time between the pastor being informed and the public announcement, no one other than the pastor, the administrator, the chair of Personnel Committee (and either the rest of Personnel Committee or a special search team for a replacement) will be informed.
7. With the Church Administrator, the out-going staff person will, at the appropriate time, turn in keys, access codes, credit cards, and church property. After the staff person’s last day of actual work, the Church Administrator will notify the alarm company to inactivate the alarm code for the out-going person, and will delete the individual’s access codes for ACS, the church’s database system.
In those cases in which a staff person’s employment is terminated by the church’s decision, that decision will be initiated by either the pastor or the Personnel Committee, with the one informing the other before action is taken. The Session will not normally be informed so as to protect the staff person’s privacy.
PART II – THE SEARCH FOR A NEW STAFF PERSON
1. The pastor will organize a special search team for the new staff person. This should be a committee of 1, 2 or 3 people to work with the pastor. These individuals should have expertise in the area of work that the actual Personnel Committee may not have – for example, musicians should search for a Music Director, parents search for a youth director, building and grounds volunteers search for a custodian or maintenance director.
2. The pastor advertises in an appropriate venue (care will be taken not to advertise openly and locally until after the congregation has been informed).
3. The pastor reviews all applications and reviews references.
4. The pastor conducts initial interviews as deemed appropriate from among the applicants.
5. The pastor selects a finalist for interview with the special search team.
6. The special search team interviews the individual candidate and decides on a whether to offer the job or to continue the search.
7. A background check is conducted.
8. The job is offered, with a full description of salary or wages, the date at which the first salary review would take place, the job description, and a review of policies regarding vacation leave, etc. Benefits programs are reviewed in detail, with the specific notation that no pension dues are paid until the third year of employment. The candidate is told when the Session will meet to confirm the hiring.
9. Once the candidate accepts the job offer, the Session is informed (but the Session will not be informed prior to the out-going staff member’s public announcement of the resignation).
10. The Session meets and votes on the candidate.
11. An announcement is made as soon as possible to the congregation.
12. The pastor turns in all documents (applications, etc) to the church administrator for adding to the personnel files.
PART III – PRIOR TO THE NEW STAFF PERSON’S START DATE
1. Continue introduction of new staff person, using email, newsletter, bulletin, etc.
2. Set up email and passwords.
3. Set up alarm access
4. Prepare appropriate keys.
5. Business Cards prepared, in cooperation of the new staff person (who might choose to use cell phone number, nick name, etc)
6. Set up access to ACS (the church database)
7. Clean and prepare office area
PART IV – ORIENTATION OF NEW STAFF
ORIENTATION CHECK LIST
1. Introduction to computer, with password for Windows.
2. Introduction to email, and how to retrieve from off-site.
3. Personnel Handbook.
4. Reimbursement procedures
5. Office Access – Security pad, code and instructions, and what to do with a false alarm.
6. Explain rules about office security, including what to do when alone in the office, how to view security cameras.
7. Personal use of computers – there is no privacy expectation.
8. Office privacy – there is very little, as staff and volunteers will need access. Personal items and funds should be secured appropriately.
9. Office furniture and personal items. Inventory needed, or label.
10. Telephone procedures
11. Safe place program explanation
12. God’s Table – no personal handouts to pan handlers
13. The Church Administrator will handle W 2 form, I 9 form, ACS access and other documents related to benefits.
14. Office equipment instructions
15. Personal mail box in the office area.
None of these procedures apply to the after school program. Different procedures are in place for the hiring of the after school director, assistants, and other workers.
