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Table of Contents Thanks to all of TJD's 2003-2004 Fair Share Congregations Paying Our Dues: An Expectation of Membership Thomas Jefferson District Communications Guide UUA General Assembly - June 24-28 - Long Beach, CA |
Is It Budget Time Again? It's the time of year for many congregations to re-examine needs and priorities and how monies will be best spent. Within that conversation is, hopefully, adoption of the UUA Fair Compensation Guidelines. Fair compensation is a Social Justice issue. Our ministers and staff should be justly compensated for all that they do, most of which is behind the scenes, without which our churches would struggle to function. Just compensation is a “market” salary with a fair benefits package The need for guidelines to improve staff salaries and benefits has long been recognized and action was taken at GA 1995 when the delegates voted in favor of their establishment. New guidelines were published in 2000 and again in January 2004. These guidelines are based on the Abbott-Langor survey of wages in the nonprofit sector in each area as well as the responses from so many of our congregations that took part in that 2004 survey. There's lots of survey information at www.uua.org/programs/ministry/finances. If you need help in determining where you are in the Fair Compensation matrix in developing a three- to five-year plan to reach that goal, or for fund raising and/or stewardship ideas, please contact either: If you are already meeting the guidelines, you are a Practicing Congregation. Committed congregations are those that have a plan in place to meet the guidelines within a three- or four-year period. By filling in the simple congregational self-assessment (found on the UUA website) and forwarding that to us, you can be recognized by UUA and TJD for your great accomplishment. Make this year one well remembered by your staff and congregation for being good employers and be proud of the goals you set. |