Are laypersons who are employed by the local church receiving any new benefits?
General Conference 2004 passed legislation that requires the pastor-parish (staff-parish) relations committee to recommend to the church council that a pension benefit of at least 3% of compensation be provided for lay employees who: • are at least 21 years of age, • have at least one year of permanent service, and • work at least 1,040 hours per year (20 hours a week). Though not strictly mandatory, the recommendation of lay pension benefits is now a part of the official duties of the pastor-parish Committee as listed in The Book of Discipline. Church councils responding to pastor-parish recommendations are to begin providing benefits by January 1, 2006. Based on this legislation, a local church employee earning $20,000 per year would receive from the church an annual contribution of $600 ($50 a month) into his or her retirement account. An employee earning $12,000 per year would receive an annual contribution of $360 ($30 a month). This legislation also applies to lay employees of th
