There are three major legal issues to consider this year that will help make your church better.

Pay. The Department of Labor has changed its salary thresholds for exempt and non-exempt employees. Here’s what you need to know. Right now, anyone who makes under $23,660 per year must be paid hourly and given overtime, for the most part. Starting January 1, that number goes up to $35,568 per year or $684 per week. Church employees must be paid a salary of at least that amount and meet certain duties to be exempt from overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The Department of Labor estimates that more than a million workers will get a raise in January, and I already know of several churches who are working through making the necessary adjustments. Churches in some states will not be affected. Alaska, California, and New York already have higher salary requirements. Washington State and Pennsylvania are considering higher levels.
Bylaws. I’m going to keep harping on bylaws. They are a necessary evil in the world right now. If we don’t follow our bylaws, the courts can get involved and tell us what to do. We must have a good set of bylaws. Get our free sample at www.churchbylawsbook.com.
Politics. We’ve got to stay out of politics as best we can. We must preach the truth of God’s Word and we don’t need to shy away from talking about the same things politicians are talking about. However, we can’t get involved in partisanship.
Get sample bylaws and a sneak peek at Josh Bryant's new book Bylaws and Business Meetings: Turning Pains to Gains at www.ChurchBylawsBook.com.

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