Compensation and Staffing News
UUA Office of Church Staff Finances Mission
Guided by the values of our faith,
we equip congregations for excellence as employers
and their staff for financial competence and well-being.
January 2020

In some email readers, you may need to click on continuation dots to read the entirety of each article.
Compensation Standards Help Leaders Focus on Mission
Your congregation is an employer, so you need staff and lay leaders who understand and attend to the rules and details of payroll and benefits administration. It's technical stuff. We strive to make it easier for you to be a faithful employer – faithful to the law and to our values – so that more of your congregation's leadership energy can go into fulfilling your mission and transforming lives. This is our ministry to you.

Next month, we're strengthening this ministry. Yes, we're "leveling up." As explained in the lead article of our November 2019 issue , we're adding a new component to the UUA Compensation Program and making a shift in language.

Our current Compensation Guidelines consist of 1) salary recommendations and 2) benefit level recommendations. Going forward, we're referring to compensation "standards" rather than guidelines. Beginning in February, UUA Compensation Standards will contain three components: salary recommendations (see below for changes), benefit level recommendations (no immediate changes), and legal requirements (new).

Legal compliance is foundational to justice for staff. We'll support you in meeting your payroll and benefits obligations by providing checklists that include links to UUA resources and other useful information. We need your help to make this new approach as successful and useful as it can be, so please begin using these checklists next month and let us know how they're working for you.
Salary Recommendations and Resources for 2020-2021
UUA Salary Recommendations and related resources for the 2020-2021 program year are now available. Highlights:
  • Our Guide to Salary Recommendations has been updated. It includes information about how UUA Salary Recommendations are developed, how to adjust posted salaries for part-time employees, how to use our ranges, consideration of local wage norms, and much more.
  • Range midpoints and their corresponding maximums have increased between 2% and 6% (depending on position and congregational size) relative to 2019-2020 recommendations.
  • Range minimums have increased in keeping with the midpoints for their positions. But we also ran an "85% test" to make sure that each minimum is no less than 85% of its corresponding midpoint. (See explanation on page 1 of the Guide to Salary Recommendations.) As a result, quite a few range minimums received an additional adjustment. If a staff member's current salary is at or near the minimum of their 2019-2020 recommended range, it's possible that it will fall noticeably below the 2020-2021 recommended range. Consider a 2-year plan to move the staff member back into an appropriate part of the range.
  • Be sure to check your Geo Index, which reflects the cost of wages in your area. This year, we've also posted cost of living numbers in our listing, expressed as percent higher or lower than the national average. (These are especially useful for congregations seeking to attract professionals from outside of their geographic area – and to professionals exploring positions in other locations.)
  • We have added a Facilities Manager position for Mid III and larger congregations. (See Capsule Job Descriptions.)
Eye Exams and Eyewear: Coverage Changes
Please share this information with staff enrolled in the UUA Health and/or Dental Plans. Note that all coverage under Davis Vision ended on 12/31/2019.

For participants in the UUA Health Plan
 
The UUA Health Plan covers comprehensive routine annual eye exams completed by an in-network provider, without a deductible on all plans. This benefit has always been part of the Standard PPO plan. New for 2020, eye exam coverage has been extended to the High Deductible and Bronze plans, with no deductible or co-payment.

For participants in the Dental Plan through Guardian

EyeMed eyewear coverage is now provided at no extra charge to everyone enrolled in the Guardian Dental Plan. We are offering Dental and Eyewear as a package, as most large employers do, but keep in mind that the companies are separate – Guardian does Dental and EyeMed does eyewear.
 
Employees enrolled in the Guardian Dental Plan should have received, or will soon receive, an EyeMed ID card in the mail directly from EyeMed.
 
This EyeMed Benefits Summary provides coverage details. Coverage is for lenses, frames, and contact lenses only. EyeMed does not cover eye exams.
A Message from the UUA Congregational Giving Team
Do you get questions about why support for the Annual Program Fund (APF) matters? Do some wonder what your congregation is “getting” for their investment? Here is a quick video ( under 4 minutes) that offers answers. Congregations have been sharing this video in their electronic newsletters for members, as well as at board meetings, budget and finance meetings, staff meetings, and congregational meetings. As you are setting your budget numbers for the upcoming year, please take advantage of this resource.
 
As always, please reach out to the UUA’s Congregational Giving Team for more conversation at apf@uua.org.
UUA Office of Church Staff Finances
24 Farnsworth Street | Boston, MA 02210