Compensation Guidelines

Each employer is responsible for preparation, approval and updates to a salary scale/grid for their employees.

Vacation time is based on the calendar year (i.e. January to December). It is not recommended that significant vacation be accumulated from year to year as this can become a growing liability for the employer.  If vacation is accumulated it should be approved in writing by the council prior to the year end of the year that the vacation was not taken.  Vacation accumulated within the final year of employment will be paid out on termination of employment.

This chart defines the minimum vacation recommended however experience and responsibilities of the position should be taken into consideration and vacation entitlement adjusted accordingly.

For all leaves, please refer to the ELCIC Group Services website to determine the requirements regarding pension and benefits during the leave.

1.  Sick Leave – Illness and Disability – a policy for sick days is detailed in Appendix One. Short Term and Long Disability is insured for members of the ELCIC Group Benefits Plan.

2.  Bereavement & Compassionate Care Leave – with pay for death or critical illness of:

• • your spouse or child – 2 weeks
  • your or your spouse’s parent, grandparent, sibling, or grandchild – 1 week

Council may allow additional days with or without pay. Please visit your provincial government employment standards website for more information.

3.  Parental Leave – a policy for salary replacement while on parental leave is detailed in Appendix Two.

4.  Statutory Leaves – for any other leaves, refer to your provincial government employment standards.

All employees (meeting minimum eligibility) become members of the ELCIC Pension Plan and contributions are forwarded monthly to ELCIC Group Services. Contributions rates are applied to the annual salary. Employees working less than full time may still be required to contribute if eligibility has been met.

For details regarding the ELCIC Pension Plan, please visit the ELCIC Group Services website.  Please call for any questions regarding eligibility or requirements for contributions for specific pastors.

Group Benefits Plan
The ELCIC Group Benefits Plan consists of:

• Life Plus, including: life, short and long-term disability, parental leave supplemental pay, employee and family assistance plan (counselling) and
• Health Module benefits which include: prescription drugs, professional services, vision care, dental care, travel health, a Health Care Spending Account and a Lifestyle spending account.

All employees (meeting minimum eligibility) join the ELCIC Group Benefits Plan, and premiums are remitted by the employer monthly to ELCIC Group Services. Benefits are not maintained for employees reduced to working permanently below the minimum criteria nor for those providing supply services.

Premiums on the insurance benefits are calculated on annual salary.

For details regarding the coverages in the ELCIC Group Benefits Plan and premium rates which may vary annually, please visit the ELCIC Group Services website.

A Continuing Education Plan (“CEP”) has been established to accumulate funds for further education. While enrollment in CEP is optional for Non-Rostered employees, it is strongly encouraged in order to support ongoing learning and improvement. The policy, which details contributions and use of the funds, can be found on the ELCIC Group Services website.

Note:  Group Pension and Group Benefits are not paid on CEP contributions or education resource allowance/reimbursement.

Employees required to travel as part of their work shall be reimbursed for travel, meals and accommodations.  Compensation options specific to an employee’s vehicle are as follows:

1. Vehicle Expenses KM Rate Paid – When the employee is required to use their own vehicle a per kilometer rate as set by CRA may be paid. The rate is specified for the first 5,000 km driven and then at a reduced rate on km driven thereafter for the balance of a calendar year. These amounts are updated annually and can be found on the CRA website.

OR

1. Vehicle Allowance – When the employee is required to use their own vehicle the employer may provide a flat annual amount for the cost of using the vehicle.

Federal – all statutory withholdings and remittances must be made as per Canada Revenue Agency requirements – please visit their website for more information.

Provincial – employers are responsible to understand labour laws of their province and comply accordingly with requirements for workers compensation, provincial medical premiums etc.

Sick Leave Policy

Paid sick days are provided when an employee is ill or injured, needs to attend to a close personal relation/family member or for time off for necessary or routine health care.

Full-time employees may have 18 sick days each year (pro-rated for employees joining part way through the year). Part-time employees earn sick days on a pro-rated basis related to their regular hours of work.

Sick days are paid to a maximum of two weeks (10 working days, which include working Sundays) per event at which time a claim must be made to the short term disability plan.

If the employee is not a member of the short term disability plan, sick days continue to be paid to the maximum accrued, subject to medical verification as determined by the employer/congregation.

Employees who have used fewer than ten sick days in the previous fiscal year are entitled to two personal days in the current fiscal year (which will count as sick days in the current fiscal year).

Unused sick days may be carried over for a maximum accumulation of 28 days. Any unused sick days or personal days will not be paid out at a fiscal year end or on termination, including retirement or acceptance of a new call.

With respect to sick days used for illness or injury the employer/congregation can in its sole discretion require that an employee provide a physician’s statement to verify the nature of the illness and the employee’s prognosis, and to determine if any reasonable accommodation is required so the employee can return to work.

Employer:  An organization that has signed a subscription agreement for the ELCIC Group Benefits plan administered by ELCIC Group Services Inc. “GSI”.

Member:  An eligible employee who is enrolled as a plan member in the ELCIC Group Benefits plan.

Eligible Member:  A member who has applied for and is in receipt of employment insurance maternity and parental benefits.

Salary Basis:  Cash compensation including gross salary and housing allowance and housing equity

Leave:  Maternity or pregnancy or parental leave as defined in the employment standards legislation in the jurisdiction of residence.

Benefit:  Supplemental income of 30% over 12 months or 20% over 18 months, coinciding with the employment insurance option selection of pre-leave salary basis net of employment earnings if working part-time while on leave. During the employment insurance waiting period the salary replacement will be 85% of pre-leave salary.

Policy

Employers shall allow their employees Leave in accordance with the applicable employment standards legislation in their jurisdiction.

Eligible Members will receive the supplemental income benefit upon reporting confirmation and details of receipt of employment insurance maternity and/or parental benefits.

Matters regarding the qualifying period, length of leave and required notice, shall be governed by the employment legislation in the applicable jurisdiction.

ELCIC Pension and Group Benefits administered by GSI will continue during Leave as per those respective policies.

Professional expenses for Rostered employees such as car, book and education allowances will be suspended during Leave.

An Eligible Member who receives supplemental income benefits is expected to return to work for a period of at least 6 months after the end of the Leave.

Procedure

The Employer must complete the applicable form and provide evidence of supplemental payments in respect of the Benefit. GSI will reimburse the employer this amount.

General Provisions

Leave granted under this policy will be counted as service for purposes of salary calculations, length of employment, seniority and other such rights, obligations and benefits as provided by the Provincial Standards.

Please note that the recitation of the Provincial Standards or any applicable federal legislation, such as the Employment Insurance provisions, are for information only. Anyone wishing to know more about these matters is encouraged to review the Provincial Standards and any applicable federal legislation to determine their rights and obligations.

If any part or parts of this policy contravene the Provincial Standards or any applicable federal legislation, the minimum standard required by applicable Provincial Standards or federal legislation shall apply.