Hiring Staff

Key Resources

Person reading from a paper, with two smiling people looking on, one taking notes. Low table with two laptops and plant in foreground.

Personnel Policy Manual

Our Sample Personnel Policy Manual offers a starting point for congregations in creating or updating their own policies.

Position Description

This Position Description Template (PDF) assists you in defining a position, not only for the job search but to support the new employee.

Letters of Hire and Terms of Employment

Our Guide to Setting Terms of Employment helps you establish shared understandings and provides new hires with a solid foundation. Includes a section about Letters of Hire.

Background Checks

Conducting Background Checks on congregational staff (and volunteers who work with vulnerable populations) is critical.

Reference Checks

Reference Checks are part of due diligence in your hiring process.

Welcoming and Onboarding

This Welcoming and Onboarding Checklist (Excel) helps ensure that new staff are properly welcomed and that essential paperwork is handled.

Additional Guidance and Special Topics

Staffing for Diversity

Staffing for Diversity provides tips and processes to reduce unconscious bias and expand your hiring pool.

Hiring Members

On Hiring Members helps ensure good outcomes when hiring from within the congregation's membership.

Sharing Staff

Sharing Staff covers practical and philosophical considerations when sharing an employee with another UU congregation.

From Starting to Parting

From Starting to Parting (PDF) helps congregations hire, support, and transition staff. Written with religious education and music staff in mind, most information is more broadly applicable.

For Ministerial Hires

Our Employment Agreements page includes model ministerial agreements.

Negotiating an Agreement: Key Considerations for Ministers provides ministers with reminders that can help ensure fruitful conversations.