In today’s increasingly litigious society, not even the church is immune from the predatory practices of those looking to use or beat the system for personal gain.

Let’s say you fire a church employee because he/she used a church computer to surf porn sites. If the use of a church computer in such a manner isn’t specifically prohibited in the church Employee Handbook, the former employee may claim they didn’t know the particular act was grounds for termination and sue the church.

So, when it comes to Employee Handbooks, the more comprehensive, the better.

Feel free to use the Employee Handbook (linked to below) as a starting point. You may want to add other sections/topics specific to your parish and to your state employment laws.

You’ll also want to substitute your compensation, benefits, time off and leaves of absence  particulars.

Most important, have your first and final drafts reviewed by an employment lawyer.

Employee Handbook

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