Employee Policies and Procedures Handbook

Table of Contents

Introduction

Introductory Statement

Mission and Purpose Statement

Statements of Faith

Our Core Values

Required Policies

Right to Revise

At-Will Employment Status

Alternative Dispute and Resolution Policy

Equal Employment Opportunity

Unlawful Harassment

Hiring

New Hires

Employment Classifications

Inactive Status

Job Duties

Benefits

Paid Time Off

Sick Leave

Kin Care

Vacation

Holidays

Personal Days

Sundays and the Role of a Pastor

Insurance Benefits

Workers’ Compensation

Employee Education

Weekly Dinner

Personal Spiritual Retreat

Bridging of Time/Benefits

Retirement Benefits

Mission Trips

Off-Duty Use of Facilities Benefit

Leaves of Absence

Personal Leave

Bereavement Leave

Family Care and Extended Leave

School Activities

Jury Duty and Witness Leave

Military Leave

Time Off for Voting

Victims of Crime Leave

Volunteer Civil Service Personnel

Management

Personnel Records

Performance Evaluations

Employee Property

Employment of Relatives

Open-Door

Church Property

Housekeeping

Parking

Non-Smoking Environment

No Solicitation

Use of Electronic Media

Employee Conduct

Punctuality and Attendance

Business Conduct and Ethics

Confidentiality

Conflicts of Interest

Dress Code and Other Personal Standards

Drug and Alcohol Abuse

Prohibited Conduct

Off-Duty Conduct

Conducting Personal Business

Wages

Work Schedules

Compliance

Timekeeping Requirements

Payment of Wages

Overtime for Non-Exempt Employees

Pay for Mandatory Meetings/Training

Make-up Time

Expense Reimbursement

Advances

Safety and Health

Security/Workplace Violence

Health and Safety

Ergonomics

Inclement Weather/Natural Disasters

Recreational Activities and Programs

Employees Who Are Required to Drive

Termination

Voluntary Termination

Involuntary Termination and Progressive Discipline

Reductions in Force

Employee References

Exit Interviews

Our Mission is to Lift Up Christ

Introduction

Introductory Statement

Welcome! You are an important member of a team effort. As an employee of San DiegoFirstChurch of the Nazarene (hereafter referred to as “SDFC” or the “Church”), we hope that you will find your position with the Church both challenging and rewarding.

Because our success depends upon the dedication of our employees, we are highly selective in choosing new members of our team. We look to you and the other employees to contribute to the work of the Church.

We are admonished in Scripture to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and love our neighbor as our self. As employees we strive to reflect these two commandments in all we do. Very simply, we want to treat others as we wish to be treated.

This employee handbook is intended to explain the terms and conditions of employment of all full- and part-time employees and supervisors.

Mission and Purpose Statement

To lift up Christ through preaching, teaching and healing.

(We define preaching, teaching and healing in the broadest sense;

…preaching by the way we live our lives,

…teaching as a way to describe discipleship, and

…healing in terms of being equipped as healing agents in the world in which we live.)

Our Guiding Principles:

• Motivated by love.
• Guided by prayer.

Our Mission Field:

1. The people who attend our fellowship for worship services or activities.
2. The neighborhood where our church is located:
3. The PointLomaPeninsula
4. PLNU campus
5. The places where the people of our church live and work.
6. Global locations where God gives us an opportunity to reach.

We Preach by the Way We Live

Statements of Faith

We ask that all pastoral and support staff be supportive of our statements of faith and our relationship within the Church of the Nazarene.

These are the beliefs Nazarenes hold to be true and are shared by other Christians' world-wide:

We believe in one God: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We believe that the Old and New Testament Scriptures, given by plenary inspiration, contain all truth necessary to faith and Christian living.

We believe that man is born with a fallen nature, and is, therefore, inclined to evil.

We believe that the finally impenitent are hopelessly and eternally lost.

We believe that the atonement through Jesus Christ is for the whole human race; and that whosoever repents and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ is justified and regenerated and saved from the dominion of sin.

We believe that believers are to be sanctified wholly, subsequent to regeneration, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

We believe that the Holy Spirit bears witness to the new birth, and also to the entire sanctification of believers.

We believe that our Lord will return, the dead will be raised, and the final judgment will take place.

Our Core Values

We Are a Christian People

As members of the Church Universal, we join with all true believers in proclaiming the Lordship of Jesus Christ and in embracing the historic Trinitarian creedal statements of Christian faith. We value our Wesleyan-Holiness heritage and believe it to be a way of understanding the faith that is true to Scripture, reason, tradition, and experience.

We Are a Holiness People

God, who is holy, calls us to a life of holiness. We believe that the Holy Spirit seeks to do in us a second work of grace, called by various terms including "entire sanctification" and "baptism with the Holy Spirit" thus cleansing us from all sin; renewing us in the image of God: empowering us to love God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbors as ourselves; and producing in us the character of Christ. Holiness in the life of believers is most clearly understood as Christ-likeness.

We Are a Missional People

We are a sent people, responding to the call of Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit to go into all the world, witnessing to the Lordship of Christ and participating with God in the building of the Church and the extension of His kingdom (2 Corinthians 6:1).

We Are Disciples of Jesus Christ

Required Policies

Right to Revise

This employee handbook contains the employment policies and practices of SDFC in effect at the time of publication. All previously issued handbooks and any inconsistent policy statements or memoranda are superseded.

SDFC reserves the right to revise, modify, delete, or add to any and all policies, procedures, work rules, or benefits stated in this handbook or in any other document. However, any such changes must be in writing and must be signed by the Senior or Administrative Pastor of SDFC.

Any written changes to this handbook will be distributed to all employees so that employees will be aware of the new policies or procedures. No oral statements or representations can in any way alter the provisions of this handbook.

This handbook sets forth an agreement between you and SDFC regarding the conditions of your employment. Furthermore, nothing in this employee handbook or in any other personnel document, including benefit plan descriptions, creates or is intended to create a promise or representation of continued employment for any employee.

At-Will Employment Status

SDFC personnel are employed on an at-will basis. Under the “at-will” policy, neither you nor SDFC is committed to continuing the employment relationship for any specific term. Rather, the employment relationship will continue at will. Either side may terminate the relationship at anytime, with or without cause and with or without notice. Also SDFC retains the right to demote, transfer, change job duties, and change compensation at anytime with or without notice and with or without cause in its sole discretion. Nothing in this handbook shall limit the right to terminate at-will employment. No pastor, supervisor, or employee of the Church has any authority to enter into an agreement for employment for any specified period of time or to make an agreement for employment on other than at-will terms.

Alternative Dispute and Resolution Policy

If you feel you have been wrongfully terminated or believe an employment issue has been handled incorrectly, you have the option of making an appeal through an arbitration process. This is done through direct discussion followed by mediation and then arbitration. This is an employee’s remedy for resolving any and all claims relating to termination. If an employee chooses to appeal, the following steps must be followed:

We Are Healing Agents

_____ Request a discussion with the supervisor or the senior pastor within thirty (30) days of the date of termination or disputed issue in an attempt to resolve the dispute informally.

_____ If still unresolved, place the matter before a mediation committee, formed and led by the senior pastor (or by the church board secretary if the dispute is with the senior pastor.) The request to mediate must be made within six months of the disputed event.

_____ If the issue is still not resolved, the dispute will be submitted to binding arbitration. Either party may request arbitration. The request to arbitrate must be made within six months of the date of mediation. The arbitration committee will be comprised of three current church board members selected by mutual agreement of all parties.

Employment at SDFC constitutes an agreement to seek resolution of such disputes or claims in any other forum unless otherwise provided by law. Direct discussion or mediation, followed by arbitration shall be the exclusive means of resolving all termination related claims. This includes, but is not limited to, alleged violations of federal, state, and/or local statutes, claims based upon any purported breach of duty arising in contract or tort, including breach of contract. It also includes breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, violation of public policy or any other alleged violation of your statutory, contractual, or common law rights. This does exclude workers’ compensation claims, unemployment insurance matters, and any matter within the jurisdiction of the State Labor Commissioner.

Arbitration Procedures apply to SDFC staff members whether paid hourly or salaried, exempt or non-exempt.

The fact that SDFC voluntarily agrees to arbitrate employment related claims shall not be deemed to in any way undermine the at-will relationship between SDFC and the employee. The arbitrator shall have no authority to alter or otherwise modify the at-will relationship.

Equal Employment Opportunity

SDFC is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of a candidate’s philosophy of ministry, quality of character, competency and team fit or chemistry. Candidates are scored on their ability to fit within the vision of the church, their experience performing the tasks and goals of the position and their ability to work with others. SDFC policy prohibits unlawful discrimination in accordance with national, state, county, and city laws.

The Church is committed to compliance with all applicable laws providing equal employment opportunities. This commitment applies to all persons involved in Church operations and prohibits unlawful discrimination by any employee of the Church, including supervisors and coworkers.

To comply with applicable laws ensuring equal employment opportunities to qualified individuals with a disability, the Church will make reasonable accommodations for the known

We Strive to be Motivated by Love

physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified individual with a disability who is an applicant or an employee unless undue hardship would result.

Any applicant or employee who requires an accommodation in order to perform the essential functions of the job should contact a Church representative with day-to-day personnel responsibilities and request such an accommodation. The individual with the disability should specify what accommodation he or she needs to perform the job. The Church then will conduct an investigation to identify the barriers that interfere with the equal opportunity of the applicant or employee to perform his or her job. The Church will identify possible accommodations, if any, that will help eliminate the limitation. If the accommodation is reasonable and will not impose an undue hardship, the Church will make the accommodation.

If you believe you have been subjected to any form of unlawful discrimination, submit a written complaint to your supervisor or the individual with day-to-day personnel responsibilities. Your complaint should be specific and should include the names of the individuals involved and the names of any witnesses. If you need assistance with your complaint, or if you prefer to make a complaint in person, contact the Senior or Administrative Pastor. The Church will immediately undertake an effective, thorough, and objective investigation and attempt to resolve the situation.

If the Church determines that unlawful discrimination has occurred, effective remedial action will be taken in accordance with the severity of the offense. Appropriate action also will be taken to deter any future discrimination. The Church will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint and will not knowingly permit retaliation by management employees or your coworkers.

Unlawful Harassment

SDFC is committed to providing a work environment free of unlawful harassment. Church policy prohibits sexual harassment and harassment based on pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, religious creed, color, gender, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, age, sexual orientation or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law or ordinance or regulation. All such harassment is unlawful. The Church’s anti-harassment policy applies to all persons involved in the operation of the Church and prohibits unlawful harassment by any employee of the Church, including supervisors and pastors, as well as vendors, congregants, and any other persons. It also prohibits unlawful harassment based on the perception that anyone has any of those characteristics, or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics.

Prohibited unlawful harassment includes, but is not limited to, the following behavior:

• Verbal conduct such as epithets, derogatory jokes or comments, slurs or unwanted sexual advances, invitations or comments;

We Strive to be Guided by Prayer

• Visual displays such as derogatory and/or sexually-oriented posters, photography, cartoons, drawings or gestures;
• Physical conduct including assault, unwanted touching, intentionally blocking normal movement or interfering with work because of sex, race or any other protected basis;
• Threats and demands to submit to sexual requests as a condition of continued employment, or to avoid some other loss and offers of employment benefits in return for sexual favors; and
• Retaliation for reporting or threatening to report harassment.

If you believe that you have been unlawfully harassed, submit a written complaint to your own or any other Church supervisor, the Senior or Administrative Pastor of the Church as soon as possible after the incident. You will be asked to provide details of the incident or incidents, names of individuals involved and names of any witnesses. Supervisors will refer all harassment complaints to the Senior and/or Administrative Pastors of the Church. The Church will immediately undertake an effective, thorough and objective investigation of the harassment allegations.

If the Church determines that unlawful harassment has occurred, effective remedial action will be taken in accordance with the circumstances involved. Any employee determined by the Church to be responsible for unlawful harassment will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to, and including termination. A Church representative will advise all parties concerned of the results of the investigation. The Church will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint and will not tolerate or permit retaliation by management, employees or co-workers.

The Church encourages all employees to report any incidents of harassment forbidden by this policy immediately so that complaints can be quickly and fairly resolved. You also should be aware that the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing investigate and prosecute complaints of prohibited harassment in employment. If you think you have been harassed or that you have been retaliated against for resisting or complaining, you may file a complaint with the appropriate agency. The nearest office is listed in the telephone book.

Hiring

New Hires

The first 90 days of continuous employment at SDFC is considered an introductory period. During this time you will learn your responsibilities, get acquainted with fellow employees,

We Want to Treat Others as We Wish to be Treated

and determine whether or not you are happy with your job. Your supervisor will closely monitor your performance.

Upon completion of the introductory period, SDFC will review your performance. If the Church finds your performance satisfactory and decides to continue your employment, it will advise you of any improvements expected from you. At that time, you may express suggestions to improve the Church’s efficiency and operations. Completion of the introductory period does not entitle you to remain employed by SDFC for any definite period of time, but rather allows both you and the Church to evaluate whether or not you are right for the position.

Employment Classifications

Regular vs. Contract (or Temporary)

Regular employees are those who are hired to work on a regular schedule. Regular employees may be classified as full-time or part-time. Contract or Temporary employees are hired for a specific task, or a specific period of time. Regular employees are eligible for benefits, while temporary employees and contract workers are not.

Regular Full-Time

Regular full-time employees are those who are scheduled for and do work at least 40 hours per week. Following the completion of the introductory period, regular full-time employees are eligible for most employee benefits described in this handbook.

Regular Part-Time

Part-time employees are those who are scheduled for and do work fewer than 40 hours per week. Following the completion of the introductory period, regular part-time employees are eligible, on a pro-rata basis, for most employee benefits described in this handbook. In other words, the amount of benefit would be in proportion to the number of hours worked (i.e. a person working half time would be eligible for one half of what a full-time employee would receive).