Can a church have different PTO policies for job categories? Employers can generally offer different PTO benefits to different employees as long as there is a valid and non-discriminatory business reason for doing so. We would recommend mentioning your policy variations in your employee handbook to be clear on the subject. With that said, it…

Can a part-time employee be exempt? Yes, a part-time employee may be classified as exempt. The minimum salary and duties requirements must still be met, of course. And the minimum salary cannot be prorated when an exempt employee works part-time. In other words, the federal requirement to pay $684 per week (or the higher state minimum salary) will…

Do office managers need to be classified as exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act? No, it’s fine to classify office managers as nonexempt. You are under no obligation to classify any employees as exempt, even if they meet the criteria under the Fair Labor Standards Act. You could have an entire workforce of nonexempt…

What is an exit interview? An exit interview is a conversation with a departing employee about their time at the church and the reason for their departure. It’s completely optional, but some employers conduct them to learn about workplace issues they may want to address. Exit interviews can be a good opportunity to get the…

When does Form I-9 need to be completed? All new employees must complete Section 1 of Form I-9 on (or before) their first day of employment. Then, within three business days following their start date, they must submit acceptable proof of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. As for your end,…

Is it Vacation or Paid Time Off? Traditionally, churches offered separate paid time off benefits to employees, such as paid vacation, sick leave, and personal days.  However, in the past decade, many churches have moved to a more flexible Paid Time Off or “PTO” benefit that incorporates all policies into one all-inclusive PTO plan. The…

Exempt and non-exempt are classifications under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). That’s the federal law requiring that most employees receive at least minimum wage for each hour worked and overtime pay for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. Usually, employees who are entitled to both minimum wage and overtime are called non-exempt. Those…

Generally, non-exempt employees are paid hourly. We recommend instructing non-exempt employees to track all their time worked and prohibit working off the clock. Employers may use any timekeeping method they choose as long as it’s accurate and capturing all the required information (see below). For example, you may use a time clock, have a timekeeper keep…