Family Leave Policies for Clergy

Family Leave Policies for Clergy

FAMILY LEAVE POLICIES FOR CLERGY

OF THE MORAVIAN CHURCH NORTHERN PROVINCE

The Family Leave Policies for Clergy of the Moravian Church Northern Province encompass time off due to Compassion, Maternity, Adoption, and Parental Leaves. Time off can be paid, unpaid, or partially paid depending on the circumstances as outlined below in the different types of Family Leaves.

  • Clergy – your health care and pension benefits may be affected by the type of leave you request. Please read the final page of this policy carefully to learn more. YOU are responsible for understanding the impact of any leave you take. Check with the Benefits Office for questions or clarification.
  • Congregational Leaders – take note of the possible impact on pension payments for the various leaves described below. Check with the Benefits Office for questions or clarification.
  1. COMPASSION LEAVE is granted to apastorwithout pay to care for recovering or sick parent(s), child(ren), spouse, or sibling(s).
  1. Benefits: A pastor may request from the Joint Board* up to 12 weeks of job-protected unpaid leave under Compassion Leave.
  2. After the first Compassion Leave a pastor takes, the availability of time for the next Compassion Leave will be determined using the following “rolling” 12-month period.
  3. A "rolling" 12-month period measured backward from the date an employee uses any Compassion Leave. Under this method, each time an employee takes Compassion Leave the remaining eligible leave would be any balance of the 12 workweeks that has not been used during the immediately preceding 12 months.
  4. For example, if an employee has taken 8 workweeks of leave during the past 12 months, an additional 4 workweeks of leave could be taken. If the employee used 4 weeks beginning February 1, 4 weeks beginning June 1 and 4 weeks beginning December 1 in the same year, the employee would not be eligible for any additional leave until February 1 of the following year. However, beginning on February 1 of that following year, the employee would be eligible for up to 4 workweeks of leave; on June 1, the employee would be eligible for an additional 4 workweeks, etc. Under this method, an employee's available eligibility could change each day. Employers using the rolling 12-month period may need to calculate whether the employee is eligible to take Compassion Leave each time that leave is requested.

C. Pulpit Supply: Pulpit supply during Compassion Leave is the responsibility of the congregation.

D. Extenuating Circumstances: Exceptions to this leave are to be handled on a case-by-case basis by the Joint Board and may involve the District Board and PEC if requested by any party.

  1. MATERNITY LEAVE is granted to the female pastor who is giving birth. A pastor shall notify her Joint Board as soon as possible after confirmation that she is pregnant, but no later than 3 months before the scheduled due date.
  1. Non-surgical delivery: The pastor will be entitled to 8 weeks of full salary, benefits, housing and pension based on her employment status, i.e., full-time or part-time.
  2. Surgical delivery: The pastor will be entitled to 12 weeks of full salary, benefits, housing and pension based on her employment status, i.e., full-time or part-time.
  3. Length of the leave based on either delivery method: The length of leave shall be based on thedoctor’s certification for the pastor to return to work and anyarrangements agreed to between the pastor and the Joint Board. The exceptions to this are as follows:
  4. If the doctor determines that the pastor needs additional time off beyond the 8 weeks for a nonsurgical delivery due to a medical condition with the pastor, this time will fall under the provincial short-term disability program.
  5. If the doctor determines that the pastor needs additional time off beyond the 12 weeks for a surgical delivery due to a medical condition with the pastor, this time will fall under the provincial short-term disability program.
  6. Additional Time Off: The pastor who has given birth may take additional time off after the initial 8 or 12 weeks maternity leave with full salary, benefits, housing and pension provided she has unused vacation time remaining, up to 4 weeks. The pastor must notify the Board of Elders no later than 4 weeks before the end of the maternity leave that she will be requesting approval to take unused vacation. Approval of additional time off is at the discretion of the Board of Elders.
  7. Pulpit Supply: This portion of the policy will apply to female clergy serving in a solo pastor situation.
  8. Non-Surgical Delivery – MCNP will reimburse the congregation’s cost up to $2,000 for pulpit supply, i.e., preaching, funerals, hospital visits, etc., for the 8 weeks of maternity leave.
  9. Surgical Delivery – MCNP will reimburse the congregation’s cost up to $3,000 for supply pastor, i.e., preaching, funerals, hospital visits, etc., for the 12 weeks of maternity leave.
  10. If the pastor requests and receives approval to use unused vacation, the congregation will be responsible for pulpit supply.
  11. If the doctor determines that the pastor needs to be out longer than 8 or 12 weeks due to a medical situation with the pastor, the additional time off will be covered under MCNP’s short-term disability plan and pulpit supply is the responsibility of the congregation.
  12. Extenuating Circumstances: Exceptions to this leave are to be handled on a case-by-case basis by the Joint Board and may involve the District Board and the PEC if requested by any party.
  1. ADOPTION LEAVE is granted to a pastor who is single or to a pastor who is determined to be the primary care giver when married. In the case of a pastor who plans to adopt a child, the pastor shall notify the Joint Board as soon as the pastor is cleared for adoption. In the waiting period leading up to the adoption, the pastor shall keep the board apprised of the process and will notify the board as soon as the adoption/arrival home date of the child is determined.
  1. Benefits: The pastor will be entitled to 8 weeks of full salary, benefits, housing and pension based on the pastor’s employment status, i.e., full-time or part-time, when the child is placed in the home.
  2. Additional Time Off: The pastor adopting the child or the pastor determined to be the primary care giver may take additional time off with full salary, benefits, housing and pension provided the pastor has unused vacation time remaining, up to 4 weeks. The pastor must notify the Board of Elders no later than 4 weeks before the end of the adoption leave that he/she will be requesting approval to take unused vacation. Approval of additional time off is at the discretion of the Board of Elders.
  3. Pulpit Supply: This portion of the policy will apply to clergy serving in a solo pastorsituation.
  4. MCNP will reimburse the congregation’s cost up to $2,000 for pulpit supply, i.e., preaching, funerals, hospital visits, etc., during the 8 weeks of adoption leave.
  5. If the pastor who is the primary care giver of the adopted child wishes to take additional time off using unused vacation time, the congregation will be responsible for pulpit supply.
  6. Extenuating Circumstances: Exceptions to this leave are to be handled on a case-by-case basis by the Joint Board and may involve the District Board and the PEC if requested by any party.
  1. PARENTAL LEAVEis granted to a pastor who is determined to be the non-primary care giving parent after the birth of a child(ren) or the adoption of a child(ren).
  1. Benefits: The non-primary care giving pastor will be entitled to 2 weeks of full salary, benefits, housing and pension based on the pastor’s employment status, i.e., full-time or part time. Parental leave may be taken 1 week at a time but it must be taken within 6 months after the child has entered the home.
  2. If pastors are parents serving the same congregation: In the case of both parents serving the same congregation, it is up to the Joint Board to determine whether both parents may be on a leave at the same time, i.e., maternity leave and parental leave or adoption leave and parental leave.
  3. Additional Time Off: The pastor taking parental leave may take additional time off with full salary and benefits, housing and pension provided the pastor has unused vacation time remaining, up to 4 weeks. The pastor taking parental leave must notify the Boardof Elders no later than 1 week before the end of their parental leavethat he/she will be requesting approval to take unused vacation. Approval of additional time is at the discretion of the Board of Elders.
  4. Pulpit Supply: This portion of the policy will apply to clergy serving in a solo pastor situation.
  5. MCNP will reimburse the congregation’s cost up to $500 for the 2-week period or $250 per week for pulpit supply, i.e., preaching, funerals, hospital visits, etc.
  6. If the pastor taking parental leave requests additional time off using unused vacation time, the congregation will be responsible for pulpit supply.
  7. Extenuating Circumstances: Exceptions to this leave are to be handled on a case-by-case basis by the Joint Board and may involve the District Board and PEC if requested by any party.

BENEFITS WHILE ON LEAVE

Pension

Paid Leave:

  1. Months of Service - During a paid leave, months of service will continue to accrue.
  2. Pension Assessment - During a paid leave, the congregation is still responsible for paying the pension assessment for the pastor(s).

Unpaid Leave:

  1. No months of service will accrue on an unpaid leave.
  2. No pension assessment will be due from the congregation during an unpaid leave.
  3. The monthly pension benefit rate will not be frozen for unpaid leaves under these Family Leave policies.

Healthcare Benefits

Healthcare benefits will continue under these Family Leave policies, and the congregation will still be charged the assessment, whether or not the Leave is paid or unpaid.

Life/ADD/STD/LTD

  1. Unum (US) (From the Unum Contract)
  2. Paid Family Leaves
  3. Coverage during paid Family Leaves will continue provided the premiums are paid.
  4. Unpaid Family Leaves

i. During an unpaid leave, there is no Life/ADD/STD/LTD provided. This benefit is directly tied to salary, per UNUM contract.

  1. RBC (Canada) (From the RBC Contract)
  2. Paid and Unpaid Leaves that fall under pregnancy, parental, compassionate or similar circumstances:
  3. “If you are absent from work due to pregnancy leave of absence or parental leave of absence, compassionate care leave of absence or similar leave of absence as provincially or federally allowed, you will be considered in active employment.” Therefore Life/LTD is provided.
  4. “Coverage continues no longer than is provincially or federally required.”

Leaves of Absence that require PEC approval that are unrelated to these Family Leaves are guided by separate policies (see PEC policy guidelines).

*In each case the terms Joint Board or Board of Elders shall refer to the Unified Board, where applicable

MCNP FAMILY LEAVE POLICIES1July 2,2015

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