Worker classification is an important legal matter. Learn to determine which of your workers must be treated as employees versus who might be an independent contractor. Know the requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act and whether each of your employees is nonexempt or exempt.

Your directory or online membership database is a powerful connection tool for your members and friends. But it also has the potential to be misused or abused.

Safety policies help to prevent interpersonal harm as well as safeguards for your assets such as money and building.

While the requirements for membership are in your bylaws, you also need policies ithat define participation, financial support, etc.

When your congregation is developing or revisiting "guiding documents" for leaders that are endorsed by the congregation as a whole (e.g....

For congregations that own a parsonage, consider the possibilities as well as implications for structuring a ministerial agreement.

Boards, especially in congregations with 100 or more members, find that delegating part of their fiduciary work to committees and/or task forces helps to free them up for big-picture and visionary discussions.

Personnel Committees don't hire, manage or supervise staff. Instead they advise the board and the senior minister on best practices.

Policies and procedures are a way of telling future boards “this is our best thinking and guidance on this subject.” 

Bylaws guide the congregation’s board in governing by articulating board structure and key fiduciary committees and processes for key decision-making.

One of the most important keys to congregational health and vitality--along with a clear purpose--is a cohesive leadership team.

A summary and commentary of the UU congregational results of the Faith Communitities Today (FACT) 2023 survey that was conducted this past February-April. 

Replenishing their well of being is essential to a minister's ability to serve faithfully and authentically.

The UUA offers a Congregational Salary Program as a service to congregational leaders. Our approach emphasizes process and values, with recommended salary ranges provided for six job levels in four congregational size profiles.

Ideally, policies guiding the minister, staff, and ministry teams come out of mutual conversations to create clarity around roles, responsibilities, and accountability. Ministry policies should feel collaborative and serve to guide ongoing programs and future decisions.

Safety policies are especially important to have in place before you need them, so they can be thoughtful without the anxiety of a current safety situation.

Links to EqUUal Access resources to help make your congregation accessible to people with disabilities.

The Faith Lab Toolbox series contains videos, songs, activities and quotes on a variety of themes for you to draw from for consistent faith engagement with young UUs. This page is dedicated to the Care Groups Toolbox on creating communities of care.

With the recent relaxation of CDC guidelines, our communtities will be under pressure to reopen. We need to make sure that we have systems and processes to keep the most vulnerable safe and included.

As a faith community, we need to be grounded in our principles and values when making decisions during times of turmoil.

Membership in UU Congregations is an intentional process of commitment and covenant. This guide provides practices and tools useful in training membership teams and/or professionals.

The Safer Congregations Committee is responsible for the overall oversight of the safety ministry and is accountable to the Board. With the Board, the Committee formulates the mission and vision of the safety ministry.

If there was ever a time that you needed to trust that your religious leaders were making the best choices they could make, that time is now.

What if you invested only in things that made a better world? What are the risks if you don’t do that? What if we could liberate money to be used as a tool for love?

Budgeting for the new year is very much on everyone’s mind. There is no telling how the pandemic will affect pledge drives underway, nor fulfillment of current year pledges. Congregations also fear the loss or reduction of other income from rentals, fundraisers, plate collections, and other contributions.

Scammers like to strike when people are anxious. Be sure to take a breath, then remind yourself, YOUR MINISTER WILL NEVER ASK YOU TO BUY GIFT CARDS!

Talking with kids about the coronavirus can be hard. Here are some resources

Church of the Larger Fellowship past and present Learning Fellows share their top learnings about worship, connecting and doing church online.

Community, including intimate, deep, and spiritually supportive versions thereof, can be created and sustained in online spaces, including covenant groups, ritual, pastoral care, and community interactions.

Zoom is an affordable paid service that has both streaming and meeting capabilities. It is used by the UUA, its affiliates and many member congregations.​ At minimum, you will need a laptop computer, a webcam, Wi-Fi, and a Zoom account....

Online meetings and streaming worship don't work well for everyone. Here are some tips and tools to make your online programs more accessible. Suggestions that we can add to this page are encouraged! Closed Captioning for Video The He… Loss Association of America has recommendations for Closed...

Because hospitality is important to human relationships, learning how to host in online spaces is essential. People come with different levels of experience and comfort. Here are some tips to help host an online space that can help host an online space that can help build connections.

Many congregations record or stream their in-person services so that people can participate even if they can't be there in person. Some use low tech video with one person in front of the camera in order to record and/or stream the sermon and similar Sunday service elements.​ Others have cameras...

Resources from Past General Assemblies General Assembly 2019 Track: How to Be a Good Employer and Supervisor General Assembly 2017 workshop slides: https://www.uua.org/sites/live-new.uua.org/files/ga17_compensation_fina… Considerations and Complications in a Changing World (PDF): Learn about...

Employees in meaningful roles want to do their best, and the best gift a supervisor can give is honest and helpful feedback. Provide opportunities for regular supervision that is supportive and useful to staff members, their supervisors, and your congregation’s leadership....

The health and vitality of the congregation depends on the health and vitality of its minister(s), religious educator(s), music professional(s), administrative professional(s), membership professional(s) and other staff.

Wherever you may be in your process of hiring and supporting staff at this moment, exploring your vision and values is an important starting place for thinking about diversity.

Note: When checking references before calling or hiring a minister, please refer to The Settlement Handbook. Use the following reference check (as well as the background check) guidelines (previously presented as Responsible Staffing) when hiring professional religious leaders and staff, and when...

Use the following background check (as well as reference check) guidelines (previously presented as Responsible Staffing) when hiring professional religious leaders and staff, and when recruiting volunteers whose work will put them in close contact with children and persons in vulnerable...

The UUA wants to help our congregations live into their values by offering benefit plans that protect their employees, including health plans that reflect UU values

In February 2020, the UUA shifted from Compensation Guidelines (salary and benefit recommendations) to Compensation Standards. While we continue to provide recommendations for salaries and benefits, the new UUA Compensation Standards also include legal requirements related to pay and benefits...

Can you provide guidance and resources for completing W-2 forms for both ministers and other congregational staff? Deadline by January 31 after the tax year (February 1 in 2021), W-2 forms must be given to employees and sent to the Social Security Administration.

The UUA Compensation Program is evolving! We launched Phase I of of our program revisions in early 2020 with the introduction of new Compensation Standards. Please sign up for Compensation and Staffing News and stay informed about upcoming changes....

Last revised: July 2019 Highlights Nearly all congregational ministers are employees, not independent contractors. There are 3 important tax provisions for ministers – dual tax status, housing allowance, and optional tax withholding. Benefits recommended for all staff, including ministers, are...

Last revised: July 2019 Highlights The Ministerial Housing Allowance enables ministers to exclude a portion of their salary from certain taxes. For most active and retired ministers, it is their most important tax benefit....

We know that learning about staff compensation can be confusing. UUA Compensation Consultants are here to help! Compensation Consultants are trained volunteers who work under the direction of the Office of Church Staff Finances.

All systems need feedback loops and organizations like congregations are no different. Your Leadership Development program will be more responsive if you develop assessments and other tools to help you learn and adjust as needed. Things you might include in your assessments: How is the...

Effective Leadership Development teams focus on recruiting and relationship building. By using our suite of four leadership development trainings, you can spend less time on content and more on connection. All of our courses have discussion questions that you can use for in-person sessions.

Congregations need to follow copyright laws and ensure their leaders and staff are aware of these laws. The issues surrounding copyright and worship are complex and often confusing. You will also want to review the resource Copyright Issues Related to Worship. Sample Policy Any use of copyrighted...

The board, as "trustees," have specific responsibilities to the congregation that should be articulated in fiduciary policies. Along with the governance policies that guide the board's work , the board also needs to set policies around safety, finance, capital assets, and personnel.