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How safe are your Clergy, Employee & Volunteers?
Clergy, employee, and volunteer strategies are very important for your organization. Where would the organization be if it were not for those who assist the ministry continually in all the many aspects it may be involved with? Are proper safeguards in place to protect them and the organization, as each is challenged in today's culture? Having things in proper perspective could yield a great return in attitudes, loyalty, retention, and work quality and efficiency. Employment Forms, where to find information on employment rules and regulations, best practices . If referrals for legal or accounting persons are needed, please contact us or note our Business Net Connections page on this site.
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Self Audit Employees & Volunteers
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To assist each employer in reviewing your risks, we have included a self- audit form that is not considered all inclusive, but this will give you a general review. Please add other items that you feel are risks your organization is faced with today. This material must be used only as suggestions, with the understanding that we are not engaged in rendering legal or accounting services. If legal or accounting services are required, you should engage a competent professional for your consulting and review of materials.
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Pastor & Staff Owned Personal Property Used In Their Work
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Today ministers and staff have items they own and use in their work, that appreciate in value, are unique, or are items that are moved from place to place. These items do not fit the coverage benefits of the normal home insurance policy, leaving them covered improperly or not at all. Many of these items are excluded from the normal policy specifically. Examples are antiques, collectibles, fine art, religious items, tools, portable computers, outside equipment, cell phones, etc. It is therefore critical to have an inventory to establish proper values and to provide schedule of item for coverage.
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Provided Housing, the risk protection plan
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If your minister or other employee lives in a provided residence and should die, where and when will you move their spouse and family to make room for the new minister or employee? This important need can be met in a very affordable way with this unique plan.
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How To Intelligently Provide Financially For Your Pastor & Staff
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Today's culture and ministries can develop a serious hostile but often overlooked and misunderstood work environment for the average pastor. According to "The Barna Group" the average pastor is burned out at a ministry location in just five years. Their daily duties can require them to balance over 16 different responsibilities two to three times what the average person deals with that they minister to. Most ministries can assist their pastor's stress and tasks with effective benefits. Also note the employee benefits section of our site.
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Sexual Misconduct Litigation/Accusations,Critical Cause Neglect
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There are six main causes of sexual misconduct litigation and accusations today. All elements that a ministry could control the neglect for. Are your written procedures and defined terms in place? Specific state required reporting link provided with this page. For ministry risk management to be done effectively, it requires professional objectivity which you can receive from us.
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Sexual Misconduct Safeguards For Employees & Volunteers
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The management of this type of risk demands safeguards which are written and consistently followed. Included are suggestions for your review. Specific state required reporting link provided with this page as well. For ministry risk management to be done effectively, it requires professional objectivity which you can receive from us.
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Background Checks Using Screen Now
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We know how important background checks of potential employees and volunteers can be to the safety of your organization. ChoicePoint makes that process easier for you by offering public record and identification information. With Screen Now, an online service offered by ChoicePoint, you can register new accounts, order products, conduct background checks, and receive reports in minutes. For our clients to receive their free organizational setup and discount code, please conduct us. Link with www.screenNow.com Please contact us if you experience any difficult.
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Online Training With Certificates Sexual Misconduct, Etc.
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An important new training tool in reducting the risk of child sexual abuse in your mnistry - ideal for both paid and volunteer workers. Affordable Certificate progams are available for as low as $5 To reveiw click here You will find this an easy way to help your staff both paid and volunteer to understand the necessary safeguards for todays's cultural to properly safeguard themselves today and provide a safe ministry program.
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Background Consent Form
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A background consent form must be completed before you do a background check for a person. The form must be kept confidentially and indefinitely, a digital copy is fine.
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Health & Physical Considerations
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According to the insurance industry and the medical establishment, persons who work in a religious organizational environment are more prone to depression and related illness than most. It is important today that employers encourage their employees and volunteers to get proper exercise, rest, nutrition, relaxation, and to give them variety in their work. It is just as important to review the work environment and their work space for health considerations. Healthy employees and volunteers will yield a generous return of higher productivity, with greater efficency and better attitudes.
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Foreign Travel Risks Strategies
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We offer foreign travel medical insurance that provides coverage for emergency medical flights and other medical care that may be necessary when traveling abroad. Over-looking this could cost you your assests since most U.S. medical plans do not cover this important area. We also cover visitors from other countries to the U.S. for business or pleasure. For link, click here http://www.phelpsfinancial.com/summary/p/269
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Work Space Considerations
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Work space and conditions can affect your employee's attitude, health and physical condition. You should make sure that work areas meet government standards for safety measures, and that they are clean, pleasant places, environmentally healthy, and have enough room for the required work activities. Review your training programs to see if proper training has been provided to the employees and volunteers having to work with your equipment and facilities. Is the equipment well maintained and service kept up to date and on file? Suggestions follow on the next page.
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Applications, Handbooks, Other Forms For Employees & Volunteers
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It is critical today that employers understand the importance of proper application forms and handbooks. There should be a provided signature and date space on forms and handbooks, stating that the employee and volunteer have read and understand them. Timely updates and sign-offs should be done as changes are made, or yearly for reminding each of their expectations and responsibilities. Each should be reviewed by your legal counsel before use. Sample forms follow.
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Binding Arbitration Procedures For Resolving Disputes
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It is critical that your organization has written binding arbitration procedures noted in your handbook and applicastions that have been reviewed by your legal counsel. This can provide a great vehicle for assisting your organization through the litigation minefields of today's culture. To often today, litigation has been thought of as the first option, and for some, the only option for resolving issues when there are others that are less expensive and less harmful to the organization, employee, and/or volunteer.
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Benefit Practices & Offering Strategies
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Group life, disability, health, dental, vision, retirement plans, consumer/personal products, and reimbursed education expenses, etc. Benefits can yield a great return for employee retention, attitudes, work quality and efficiency. A review of your benefit practices and offerings is best reviewed with your legal and accounting professionals. Suggestions follow along with the products we can offer your organization.for review click here
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Training & Orientation Practices
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In today's culture, with all its changes and ligations, it is important that employers take the proper time for employees and volunteers to be given proper training and orientation for the position and expectations they are applying for. A good match is vital today for an on-going and successful organization. Just as important is the on-going training and orientation, which should include required annual continuing education, including workshops and seminars, with noted certificates and notes and/or sign-offs in the employee or volunteer file. A review by your legal counsel is recommended. Suggestions follow.
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Payroll Forms & Procedures
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Proper understanding and procedures with your payroll forms is critical today; many Entities are reviewing your forms and practices. We suggest that you review your practices with your legal counsel and accountant. If a referral is needed for those professional persons, please contact us. Some suggestions and forms follow.
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Termination & Discipline Procedures
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It is critical that you have written termination and discipline procedures for both employees and volunteers in place, which treat all equally, and which have been reviewed and approved by your legal counsel. These should be included in your employee and volunteer handbook and must be signed off as being read and understood. Any action taken must be noted and signed off by the employee or volunteer and employer, and kept in the confidential personal file of the person.
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Employee And Volunteer Dishonesty & Crime Issues
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Employee and volunteer crime is a growing problem for churches and their related ministries today following close behind sexual misconduct issues. Screening employees and volunteers is critical today to avoid possible issues of litigation from neglect. We suggest protection for employee and volunteer dishonesty based at a miminium of two months gross receipts.
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