Guidance for PC(USA) Mid Councils on Personnel Processes and Policies

Councils of the church exist to help congregations and the church as a whole to be more faithful participants in the mission of Christ. The particular responsibility of the councils of the church is to nurture, guide, and govern those who witness as part of the PC(USA), to the end that such witness strengthens the whole church and gives glory to God (G-3.0101).

This document is intended to assist presbyteries and synods of all types and sizes in establishing personnel policies and processes, for the following two reasons:

1. Almost all mid councils (presbyteries and synods) have some type of employment relationship with someone.
   
   Councils may employ such staff as is required by the mission of the body in accordance with the principles of unity in diversity (F-1.0403). Larger presbyteries may have multiple full- and part-time ordained and non-ordained staff, while smaller presbyteries and synods may only have a part-time paid stated clerk, but there are always aspects of employment that need to be managed in order to ensure that the mid council is in compliance with both PC(USA) polity and applicable law.
   
   
2. Councils of the church at each level are required to develop a manual of administrative operations (G-3.0106).
   
   It is important that the mid council’s manual of administrative operations includes a section on personnel processes and policies. This document provides guidance on writing the personnel section of the manual of administrative operations.

The guidance in this document seeks to comply with the Book of Order of the PC(USA), and serve as an additional resource to the Book of Order. As with all working documents of the church, if there is a conflict between Book of Order and other documents, the Book of Order prevails.