In any work setting, employees should know what the organization expects of them and how commonly occurring situations are handled. Without a personnel manual, decisions are often made
ad hoc, which can result in claims of favoritism or unfair treatment. A policy manual ensures that employees understand expectations and are treated equitably.
Many of you have been asking for sample personnel policies that you can use as a starting point for creating or revising your own congregation's personnel handbook. Thank you for your patience! After many rounds of editing and review, the Office of Church Staff Finances is pleased to present an updated
Sample Personnel Policy Manual. This resource is posted as a Word document for ease of copying and pasting, and it lives on the
Policies for Congregational Personnel page of the UUA website.
If you use this resource, please take a minute to send us your feedback through
this brief survey (included on the webpage and within the resource itself). We will make improvements and provide clarifications based on user feedback.
Please keep in mind that our sample manual is not a substitute for thoughtful policy conversations among congregational leader nor does it replace a review by a legal professional in the congregation's local area. (We can't account for differences in state and local laws.)
