Compensation and Staffing News
August 2022 |
UUA Office of Church Staff Finances Mission
Guided by the values of our faith,
we equip congregations for excellence as employers
and their staff for financial competence and well-being. |
Editor's Note: We're aware of formatting quirks, including font issues, in certain browsers. Thanks for your forebearance! |
Rethinking UUA Salary Recommendations
Salary Recommendations Rethink for Lay Leaders
Join Jan Gartner and Sean Griffin to learn more about how UUA Salary Recommendations are evolving. We're offering 75-minute sessions specifically for lay leaders involved in developing pay policies and making compensation-related decisions. (We're reaching out separately to congregational staff through the professional organizations and other channels.) Register for any one of the following:
Can't make it in real-time? We plan to post a recording of one of the presentations.
Transition Period
The shifts we're making to the UUA Salary Recommendations this fall may represent the most significant reshaping of the program since it was introduced in 1995. While we don't have an explicit goal of increasing or decreasing recommended salaries for particular positions, inevitably the revised methodology will result in some differences that are greater than our typical annual changes. Please don't let this throw you!
We're grateful for the value that congregational leaders and staff place on our recommendations. We believe the new system will be more practical and equitable – and yet there will be an adjustment period. We expect that congregations and their staff will live into the new recommendations over the next couple of years. In fact, we plan to keep the current salary tables posted as an additional reference. If your congregation has policies in place stating that you meet UUA Salary Recommendations for your staff, please give yourselves some time and some grace.
Above all else, keep in mind that process is at the heart of our new approach. In the end, we can't tell you exactly what the right salary is for each member of your staff team. We can, however, guide you in ensuring that your compensation decisions are grounded in the values of equity and transparency. |
Compensation and Staffing Survey Update
Thank you to everyone who shared your compensation and staffing information in our May survey. We collected information from 350 congregations who reported 2150 individual jobs! We are comparing 1682 of those submissions to (current) UUA Salary Recommendations. (The remaining 468 are a mix of blended positions and jobs for which we do not supply recommendations.) This is an exciting data set as we are able to see how UUA Salary Recommendations are considered among member congregations.
And we're beginning to learn some things! For instance, of all jobs reported, 70% are part-time. In our smallest congregations, that figure is 82% and gradually decreases as congregations get larger, ending with the Large 2 congregations reporting 45% of workers as part-time. We’re excitedly reviewing the data and look forward to sharing more insights with you soon! |
Are You Imputing Disability Premiums?
Did you know that the way you handle your employees' Long-Term Disability premiums can make a difference of thousands of dollars for a staff member who goes out on disability? Here's why:
- If LTD premiums are paid from pre-tax earnings, any benefit later received will be taxed, but...
- If the premium is paid from after-tax earnings, the benefit received will be exempt from federal income tax. That results in huge savings for someone who is adjusting to a reduction in income, loss of work, and the impact of the disability itself.
Most congregations cover their employees' Long-Term Disability premiums, which means they are pre-tax to the employee. How then can the congregation ensure that a disability benefit later received by the employee is tax-free?
There's a simple workaround – treating amount of the premium as "imputed" income so that it becomes taxable. This can be done by the paycheck or just once on the employee's W-2 at the end of each year. If an employee later has a disability claim approved, Guardian will check to see whether their premium was taxed or not. If it was, again, their benefit will not be taxed. The button below links to further information; contact comp@uua.org with questions.
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Housing Allowance Amendments
Your minister may discover that their housing-related costs have changed since their housing allowance was originally designated. It can be amended at any time. Keep in mind that:
- The amended housing allowance should be authorized by the same entity as the original. (This is usually the board.)
- The amended amount needs to be recorded in the minutes of the approving group, including the date it was authorized.
- A newly designated housing allowance is only in effect prospectively, not retroactively.
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New Faces on Our Retirement Team! |
Anna Gehres (she, they) began employment as our Retirement Plan Specialist in July after nearly 12 years working as a congregational administrator. Originally from Ohio, Anna graduated from Earlham College with a degree in religion and music, and from Eastern Michigan University with a degree in social work before settling in Minneapolis with their partner. After employment as a social worker who enjoyed paperwork, she changed her focus to administrative work within progressive nonprofit organizations. Anna is a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities and enjoys traveling, visiting family, reading, walking, playing music, and treating neighborhood dogs.
Anna will work with UU Retirement Plan participants and their employers, supporting them in benefitting from the plan at all points during their service, from enrollment to receiving distributions. |
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Jackie Toone (she/her/ella) comes to the UUA from Empower Retirement, where she worked as a Registered Representative and Account Manager. She has spent the past four years in the Financial Services industry, beginning her tenure at Prudential and obtaining her Series 6 and 63 licenses initially to work directly with clients in the Annuities Service Center.
With a focus on Women's and Gender Studies, Jackie has demonstrated the consistent value of promoting women's and queer rights in the workplace, and is thrilled to have found an organization that espouses her values. |
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As the Retirement Plan Employer Liaison, Jackie is working with leaders to ensure equitable treatment of the employees of each of our member congregations. She believes that financial prosperity can be achieved through planning and appropriate compensation for employees. As a licensed rep, she has seen firsthand how scary a prospect retirement can be, and is dedicated to making the process of preparing and saving as simple as possible for the talented folks working with and for our congregations.
When not at work, Jackie can be found spending time catching up on the latest shows and movies with her spouse, Robin, or reading science fiction novels and anthologies. They share an ancient Himalayan cat named Pumpkin who reminds them every day to provide breakfast and dinner service, and who demands treats and pets in equal measure. |
Charissa Benak began her work with us in 2016 as Church Staff Finances Administrator, later moving to the Retirement Team. We're glad Charissa hasn't gone far: she is now the newest member of the UUA Human Resources Team. Thanks for everything, Charissa! |
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