OVC Employee Handbook Final Proof by tim rutherford

OCEAN VIEW CHURCH

Employee Handbook

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WELCOME

Welcome to the Ocean View Team!! We are so pleased that God has called you to serve Him together with us! To ensure that things may be done “decently and in order” we have designed this Staff Handbook to provide you with information about working conditions, employee benefits (where applicable), and some of the policies affecting your service. Our Team is comprised of Church and Academy employees. Whether a staff member is a full time or part time employee, or a volunteer, it is essential that each member’s testimony be above reproach. In this handbook, the term ”employee” or “staff member” is used to describe all various individuals , whether paid or unpaid within the Academy or Church. You are expected to read, understand, and comply with all provisions of the handbook. As we hope you will see by the policies, Ocean View is committed to providing an environment that is pleasing to the Lord and that is conducive to spiritual, personal, and professional growth. No handbook can anticipate every circumstance or question. As we continue to grow, the need for changes may arise. Ocean View reserves the right to revise, supplement, or rescind any policies or portions of this handbook from time to time as it deems appropriate, in its sole and absolute discretion. Of course, employees will be notified when changes to the handbook occur. No Ocean View representative is authorized to modify the “at will” employment policy for any employee or enter into any agreement, oral or written, that changes the “at will” employment status other than the Senior Pastor, and any such modification must be in writing, signed by the Senior Pastor and employee.

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Overtime Recording Time Worked Volunteer vs. Paid Work Payroll Information Pay Period & Payment Salaries Raises Housing Allowances Tax Withholdings FICA Employee Records Purchase Policy & Budgets Petty Cash Cash Handling Ushers / Collection of Oﬀerings Life Group Books / Sales Procedure Payroll Deductions From Gross Pay Error In Pay Stipends Staﬀ Advances

10 10 10 11 11 11 11 11 12 12 12 12 13 13 13 14 14 14 14 14

TIME OFF

7 7 8 8 9 10

BENEFITS

Standards of Conduct Integrity Agreement Statement of Faith Staﬀ Grievances Separation From Employment Unexcused Tardiness / Absence

POLICIES

4 4 5 5 5 5 6 6 6

SAFETY

Equal Opportunity Disability Accommodation Church Membership / Participation Hiring Procedure Job Descriptions Evaluations Serious Diseases Immigration Reform Act Employee Classiﬁcations

MISC

M O N E Y M AT T E R S

S TA N D A R D S

EMPLOYMENT

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

Vacation & Holiday Policy Rest / Meal Breaks Sick Days Days Oﬀ Jury / Witness Duty Sunday Services Military Leave Policy Maternity Leave Policy Medical Leave Policy Bereavement

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Benefits Retirement Benefit Medical Benefits Disability Insurance Staff Tuition Benefit

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Sexual Harassment Policy Continuing Education Policy Vehicle Policy Media Policy Email & Text Guidelines Public Relations Substance Abuse Policy Travel & Entertainment Policy

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Workman’s Comp Safety & Accidents Campus Security Child Abuse Prevention Policies Indicators of Child Abuse Children Supervisor Policies Accepting Applications for Workers Reporting An Incident What If You Are Accused? Unsure About Reporting Responding To Allegations Media Position Statement Summary of Steps In Allegation

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Family Medical Leave Act

Acknowledgment

EMPLOYMENT Equal Employment Opportunity We at Ocean View are committed to equal opportunity for all qualified persons, without regard to race, color, gender, age, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, sex (as determined at birth and not subject to change), disability, or disabled veteran as required by law. As a religious entity, OVC is legally permitted to make employment decisions based upon religious criteria, including doctrinal and lifestyle issues. It is the policy of OVC to utilize only staff members of like faith who subscribe without reservation to OVC’s Statement of Faith and Standards of Conduct and who are living out these doctrines and standards in all areas of their lives, both at and away from ministry functions. Furthermore, OVC is legally permitted to make employment decisions concerning its ministerial employees based on any criteria it deems appropriate, regardless of whether those criteria include otherwise legally protected characteristics. Nothing included in this Equal Employment Opportunity Policy should be construed to limit OVC’s constitutionally and statutorily protected right to make employment decisions based on otherwise legally protected characteristics. Any staff member with questions or concerns about any type of discrimination in the workplace are encouraged to bring these issues to the attention of their immediate supervisor or the Executive Pastor. Staff members can raise concerns and make reports without fear of reprisal. Anyone found to be engaging in any type of unlawful discrimination will be subject to disciplinary action. All employees are expected to show respect and sensitivity to other employees.

Disability Accomodation OVC is fully committed to complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and ensuring equal opportunity in employment for qualified persons with disabilities. OVC’s hiring procedures provide persons with disabilities meaningful employment opportunities. Pre-employment inquiries are made only regarding an applicant’s ability to perform the duties of the position. Reasonable accommodation is available to all qualified disabled individuals, where their disability affects the performance of essential job functions. All employment decisions are based on the merits of the situation, not the disability of the individual. OVC will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would result in an undue hardship. This policy governs all aspects of employment, including selection, job assignment, compensation, discipline, termination, and access to benefits and training. Any qualified individual with a disability should submit written requests or accommodations in the workplace to OVC’s Human Resources.

Church Membership Participation Employees of OVC are required to be active members of OVC. Special exceptions may be made on a case by case basis. Also, all employees are required to attend “The Flow”.

Hiring Procedure All applicants must complete an application for employment, sign a doctrinal statement, and be approved by the Senior Pastor.

Church Process An employment application should be submitted along with resume. The Executive Pastor interviews all applicants as overseer of the staﬀ. The Executive Pastor checks references. A written job oﬀer is drafted and should be signed by new employee upon hire. The new employee is then referred to the Human Resource Department for processing of paperwork.

Academy Process An employment application should be submitted along with resume. The Principal interviews all applicants for K – 12. The Preschool Director interviews Preschool applicants, and the Vice Principal interviews Day Camp applicants. References are checked following interviews. A written job oﬀer is drafted and should be signed by new employee upon hire. New employees are sent to HR for processing of paperwork.

Job Descriptions Upon hiring, each employee will be provided a written job description outlining his or her basic responsibilities and duties. An employee has the right to know what is expected of her/him regarding job responsibilities, and who, if anyone, he/she supervises or who supervises the employee. With this in mind, an employee may be requested to perform duties that are not contained within the speciﬁc job description as operational needs require. Employee will have the opportunity to discuss their job description at the time of their annual evaluation with their supervisor.

Evaluations Supervisors and employees are strongly encouraged to discuss job performance and goals on an informal, day to day basis. Additional formal performance appraisals will occur at any time performance expectations need to be clarified. Completed appraisals will be filed in the employee’s personnel file. Each employee is entitled to comment on his or her appraisal and have those comments included with the appraisal in their file. The performance appraisal allows the employee and supervisor time to 1) review and up-date the job description 2) assess working conditions 3) discuss/assess past performance, and 4) develop goals for the upcoming year.

Serious Diseases Staﬀ members with infectious, long term, life threatening or other serious diseases or illnesses may continue to serve as long as they are able to perform the duties of their position without undue risk to their own health, to that of other staﬀ members, or to that of the people to which OVC ministers.

Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 OVC is committed to full compliance with the federal immigration laws and will not knowingly hire or continue to employ anyone who does not have the legal right to work in the US. As a condition of employment, each employee will be required to ﬁll out an I-9 Form and provide documentation verifying identity and legal authority to work in the US.

Employee Classifications Full-Time Employees hired full-time (regularly scheduled 40 hours on a full work week basis) for a continuous and indefinite period of time are considered full time employees for compensation and benefit purposes. Eligible full time employees are entitled to all the benefits referenced in this handbook, unless otherwise stated in your employment agreement.

Part-Time Employees whose regular work schedule is less than full-time (less than 40 hours scheduled on a full work week basis) for a continuous and indefitie period are considered part time employees for all compensation and benefit purposes. Eligible part-time employees are entitled to some of the benefits set forth in this handbook by specific reference only.

Temporary Employees hired as temporary replacement for full-time or part-time employees for short periods of employment such as employment for summer months, peak periods and vacations are considered temporary employees. Temporary employees are not eligible for beneﬁts regardless of the number of hours or weeks worked.

Exempt vs. Non Exempt Employees that are classified as “exempt” for labor law purposes are paid on a salary basis only, do not need to fill out time cards, and are not subject to overtime laws. Employees who are considered “non-exempt” for labor law classification are required to submit time cards are authorized and permitted to take meal and rest periods and are subject to overtime. “Non exempt” classified employees are considered hourly employees under labor law, even if they are paid based on set hours for convenience (salary).

S TA N D A R D S Standards of Conduct and Corrective Action Members of this Christian facility and staﬀ are required to be individuals who pursue blamelessness. Our staﬀ members are selected not only for their ability, training, and experience, but also on the basis of Christian maturity for purposes of serving in positions of Christian leadership. The church may terminate employment with or without cause and without notice at any time. We also reserve the right to use intermediate disciplinary measures. This can include verbal warnings, written warnings, suspension and termination. Disciplinary action will be taken when, in the opinion of management, inappropriate behavior is exhibited or any violation of church policies, rules or regulations occur. Once a supervisor has determined that an employee’s behavior or actions are unacceptable, the supervisor will determine what course of action should be taken to resolve the problem. In arriving at a decision for proper action, the following among other matters may be considered: • • •

The seriousness of the infraction The employee’s past record The circumstances surrounding the matter

Integrity Agreement Integrity is an important element in a believer’s life. It is, in short, living a life that is consistent with what you believe, guided by honesty and strong moral principles. We realize people who serve at Ocean View Church will not be able to live perfect lives, but we do expect integrity. In light of this, we would like you to consider the following commitments.

Committed to growing in your relationship with Jesus Christ •

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Staff must have a personal, growing relationship with Christ (endeavoring to walk by the Spirit, to have a consistent prayer/devotional life, and to follow Christ’s leadership in all areas of life.) – Joshua 1:8, 2 Peter 3:18 Staff must desire to be teachable and to have a heart to serve others. – Luke 5:5 Staff must desire to be a positive influence in people’s lives and to be intentional about sharing the gospel. – 1Peter 3:15, Matthew 28:18-20, Luke 15

Committed to the Body of Christ at Ocean View Church • •

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Staff must regularly attend weekend services at Ocean View Church so they can be encouraged and challenged by God’s Word. – Hebrews 10:25 Staff are expected to guard the unity of Ocean View Church by not gossiping, slandering, or being divisive, and intentional about working through conflict. (You may not always agree with a decision made by the Church and Academy leadership but should be willing to talk it out and agree to submit to it if need be.) – Ephesians 4:1-6 Staff are expected to make Ocean View their church home by signing the Ocean View Covenant. Staff are expected to live by Ocean View’s Core Values. 7

Committed to Living a Lifestyle Reflecting that you are a Follower of Christ • • • • •

Staff must abstain from drug and alcohol use. – Ephesians 5:18 Staff must pursue sexual purity and abstain from pornography, adultery, pre-marital sex and homosexual practices. – Ephesians 5:1-13, I Thessalonians 4:3-7 Please honor God in the way that you dress by pursuing modesty. – 1Timothy 2:9-10 Staff are expected to be good stewards by giving of their time and talents for ministry at Ocean View Church. – Matthew 25:14-30 Staff are expected to tithe regularly at Ocean View Church, and may sign up for tithing via payroll deduction for convenience sake. Malachi 3:8-12

Statement of Faith I believe in the: (1) inspiration of the Bible, equally in all parts and without error in its origin. (2) one God, eternally existent Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Who created man by a direct immediate act. (3) preexistence, incarnation, virgin birth, sinless life, substitutionary death, bodily resurrection, ascension to heaven, and second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. (4) fall of man, the need of regeneration by the operation of the Holy Spirit on the basis of grace alone, and the resurrection of all to life or damnation. (5) spiritual relationship of all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ living a life of righteous works, separated from the world, and witnessing of His saving grace through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Staff Grievance Procedures All staﬀ members are encouraged to follow basic procedural requirements to address grievances relating to their employment. • •

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File a written record of the incident with your immediate supervisor. Your immediate supervisor will note the request in the file and address the concern appropriately. If you feel a grievance was not addressed appropriately, you may appeal to your supervisor, or file a copy of your grievance with the next chain of authority (based upon the organizational chart contained herein). Circumventing this procedure is not permitted as the authority structure is in place to provide for the well-being of all employees involved and the overall work environment and atmosphere. If any employee witnesses an occurrence that does not seem lawful or appears to be harmful to one’s self, it is expected that occurrence to be brought to the immediate attention of your supervisor. There are laws in place that protect employees in situations such as these. All employees are expected to handle grievances in confidence, assuming the best of others and trusting in their final authority for provision in difficult circumstances. At no time will gossip be acceptable. Gossip, slander, and/or divisive behavior are considered grounds for immediate dismissal. These are not traits of maturing Christ-like employee/ministers.

Separation From Employment An employee may be separated from employment involuntarily or voluntarily by retirement, resignation, lack of work, or termination. Usually before an employee is terminated, he / she will be told the reason(s). However, if any misconduct warranting discipline is severe enough, the Senior Pastor or Executive Pastor have the authority to discharge the employee immediately (or the Principal, in the case of the Academy). Nothing in this policy shall alter or modify the At-Will nature of employment with Ocean View Church. All church property in the employee’s possession must be returned to Human Resources upon separation from employment.

Rules To Help Us All It is the policy of the church to expect all employees to abide by professional rules of general conduct and performance at all times. The regulations governing employee conduct and responsibilities have been established in the best interest of the church, its employees and its members. Accordingly, a violation of these regulations constitutes misconduct on the part of the employee and disciplinary action will be initiated. These rules are guidelines only and are not all inclusive. Disciplinary action may include, but is not limited to, verbal reprimand, written notice, and suspension from work without pay and immediate termination of employment. In the event an employee is suspended from work for disciplinary reasons, beneﬁts will not accrue nor will beneﬁts be recoverable during the suspension period (medical, vision, retirement, etc).

Examples of Misconduct The following are examples of misconduct for which an employee may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination. These examples do not constitute a complete list of the circumstances for which discipline will be warranted. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

Disclosing confidential information to outsiders or unauthorized employees. Unethical conduct or serious conflicts of interest. Reporting to work under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs; possession, sale or use of marijuana or illegal drugs or chemicals or consumption of alcohol while working at the office. Stealing, hiding, or misappropriation of church property, another member’s property or anyone’s property. Gross negligence or willful acts in the performance of duties resulting in damage to church property or injury to others. Gross insubordination- a willful and deliberate refusal to follow reasonable orders by a member of the church leadership. Willfully misusing church property or equipment. Violation of equal opportunity or sexual harassment policies. Serious safety violation resulting in injury. Not following a reasonable order or failure to perform work assigned or to comply with work and safety rules. Gaining unauthorized access, viewing or using church records. 9

12. 13. 14. 15.

Use of threatening, profane or abusive language. Demonstration of lack of courtesy to others. Making comments, remarks disparaging to the church, school administrative staﬀ, or its oﬃcers to outsiders. Engaging in “grapevine” gossip, untruths or speculations to the detriment of the church or morale of its members.

Exit Interview An employee planning to leave the church may be asked to participate in an exit interview. In addition to discussing his/ her decision to leave their position on staff with his /her supervisor, the Executive Pastor may meet with the team member prior to the separation. Discussions concerning the reasons for leaving will assist the church in evaluating the effectiveness of its personnel policies and practices. At the time of the exit interview, matters relating to final pay and any other personal considerations will be arranged.

Pay at Time of Separation From Employment The church will determine if the terminating employee has any outstanding debt owed to the church and whether the individual has in his / her possession any church credit cards, keys, handbooks or other church property. All ﬁnal wages will be paid to the employee upon termination pursuant to the labor laws.

Unexcused Tardiness / Absence Excessive / persistent tardiness and / or unexcused absences will not be tolerated. Employees who are absent or tardy excessively will be subject to disciplinary action, not up to and including termination of employment.

M O N E Y M AT T E R S Overtime Non-exempt employees are not permitted to work overtime.

Recording Time Worked Government regulations require that the church keep an accurate record of time worked by team members in order to calculate pay and benefits. All employees who fall under the classification “non exempt” are required to fill out a time card even if they have full time salaried status. We will provide you with a time sheet that you must fill out to the best of your knowledge and sign. The time and hours recorded must fully identify all time that was worked during the designated pay period, inclusive of daily starting and ending times, and the starting and ending time of all meal periods taken. As required by federal and state law, each employee is authorized and permitted to take 30 minute duty free meal breaks, and will take all applicable meal periods, unless as otherwise agreed to in writing with Ocean View in accordance with the law. Each employee is also permitted and afforded to take 10 minute rest periods for every 4 hours of work (or major fraction thereof) as required by law. At no time may non-exempt employees work over 8 hours in one day or 40 hours in one week. Employees who fall under the category of “exempt” employees are not bound by overtime laws, or meal and rest-break rules, and may work over 40 hours in one week.

Volunteer Work vs. Paid Work for Employees Employees may (and usually do) engage in volunteer work in areas of ministry unrelated to the job they perform for pay. Volunteer work (activities not associated with the paid job description) should not be recorded on the time sheets, and do not aﬀect overtime for non-exempt employees. However, all duties associated with an employee’s paid job description may NOT be counted as volunteer work and must be recorded as hours to be paid, per labor laws.

Payroll Information Following the acceptance of employment, each new team member will be given federal and state tax forms along with any applicable insurance forms to complete. The completed forms, the employment application form and information regarding starting pay, starting date and other pay or beneﬁt information will need to be ﬁlled out prior to start date or on the 1st day of work.

Pay Period and Payment The pay period for employees is semi-monthly, on the 15th and 30th of each month. If the payroll date falls on a weekend or a holiday, the payroll date will instead fall on the preceding Friday.

Salaries Salaries are established for each position within a range based upon ability, training, and length of service, education, experience, and job responsibilities. Salaries are considered conﬁdential and we ask that employees not discuss their pay rate with other employees.

Raises Salaries are evaluated each year. Although we make every eﬀort to give a yearly raise, they may not occur on an annual basis. Raises are given based on the following criteria: merit, cost of living increase, and availability of funds. Lack of available funds are usually the basis for years in which raises are not given.

Housing Allowances Ministers of the gospel who own or rent their own home do not pay federal income taxes on the amount of their compensation that their employing church designates in advance as a housing allowance, to the extent that the allowance is used to pay housing expenses and does not exceed the fair rental value of the home (furnished, plus utilities). According to the tax court, a minister is one who: 1. Administers sacraments 2. Conducts religious worship 3. Has management responsibility in a local church or religious denomination (control, conduct, or maintenance of a religious organization) 4. Is ordained, commissioned or licensed, and 5. Is considered a religious leader by his or her church or denomination. The fourth factor is required, and a balancing test should be applied with respect to the remaining factors.

Tax Withholdings Ocean View Church withholds federal and California state personal income tax only. OVC does not withhold or pay into unemployment insurance, social security, or state disability insurance.

FICA (Social Security Taxes) Ocean View Church does not withhold social security (FICA) tax. All employees must pay their own Social Security (FICA) tax by filing a tax Schedule SE along with their regular 1040 tax form each year. For social security tax purposes only, employees are treated as self-employed. If you earn at least $108.28 for the entire year, self-employment tax (social security/FICA) must be paid. Also, the housing allowance for licensed ministers only provides a tax break for Federal Income Tax, not FICA. Unless you have received an approved form 4361 “Exemption from Self- Employment Tax,” FICA tax of 15.3% must be paid on the housing allowance. At the end of each year, it is recommended that you estimate your tax liability for the coming year. That should include both federal tax and social security tax. Be sure to request via W-4 enough withholding to pay 90% of your total tax liability. (Again, Ocean View Church does not withhold social security tax. However, over-payment of federal tax can be applied to social security taxes due, when filling out your 1040 tax return. You may determine to withhold 15.3% from your pay on Line 6 of your W4 form. This way, you will minimize the amount you have to pay at the end of the year. The amount will be withheld as federal taxes, but can be used for FICA at year-end. It is the responsibility of the tax preparer to file Schedule SE using the Federal Tax overage to pay the social security tax. Ministers have the option to “opt out” of Social Security taxes within the first 2 years of obtaining ministerial status if they hold religious conviction against paying into and receiving it. This decision should be taken with great care, and the far-reaching consequences of opting out should be weighed prior to doing so.

Employee Records The church is required to maintain current information on all employees. You are responsible for notifying the office of changes in address, telephone number or family status (birth, marriage, death, divorce, legal separation, etc.) as income tax and benefit status may be affected by these changes. Your personnel file is maintained in the church office with the above information along with performance reviews. Contact the office with any questions you may have concerning your file or to schedule an inspection of your file, as permitted by state law.

Purchase Policy & Budgets Ocean View Church operates on a fiscal year from September 1 through August 31. The budget is drafted annually to be used as a complete working budget. Ministry heads are asked to submit budget requests and are expected to operate within the final approved amounts, which may differ from their requests.

The Finance Oﬃce is expected to adhere to the budget at all times. Any purchases contained in the budget must be requested through the requisition order system. Celina Hernandez (CFO) and Gail Simpson (Administrative Assistant) have the authority to approve and process any purchase requests included within the budget. Purchase approval is dependent upon availability of funds, so an item being in the budget does not guarantee it may be purchased. It is the employee’s responsibility to obtain approval prior to purchase. A Budget Revision Form is required to make any changes to the budget, after it has been adopted by the Church.

Petty Cash A small amount of petty cash is kept on hand for discretionary purchases that require cash. If you have need for cash for a change box, or an amount larger than $50, you must inform the Finance Oﬃce no later than the Monday morning prior to your need of it. This will ensure availability of funds for you. Large amounts of cash are not kept on hand unless special circumstances arise.

Cash Handling In the event of a circumstance that requires the collection of funds, please abide by the following: • •

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Collect funds from participants Submit funds immediately to the finance office with all cash and checks collected recorded on a “Green Income Sheet”. If the Finance Office is closed, you may drop funds in the Office drop safe or the drop safe in the sanctuary Do not hold cash and checks! Please submit them promptly. Never, ever leave campus with funds, Please submit them to the finance office the same day. If the finance office is closed, drop them in the safe. Please do not draw on collected funds for expenses related to the activity being collected for. A paper trail is essential for good accounting, Funds are to be submitted, and a check request made to use the collected funds.

Ushers – Collection Of Offerings The following steps are the approved procedure for the collection and drop of oﬀerings: • • • • •

Ushers are to collect the offerings using the approved “collection” bag. Funds are to be placed in the appropriate “bank bag” and deposited into the church safe. The confidentiality of the offerings is vital and no ushers are permitted to directly handle the offerings other than to transfer the funds from the collection bag to the bank bag. The ushers are not permitted to sort through, look at the envelopes or checks enclosed or in any way handle cash, checks or envelopes. All of the above steps are to be taken by the usher personnel, always simultaneously consisting of two or more ushers. The transfer of funds should never be undertaken by just one usher.

Life Group Book Order / Sales Procedure •

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The Life Group Pastor / Executive Pastor may directly order books using the purchase requisition system. Please specify on the requisition any amount in the order to go towards leader costs (DVD, Leader Book). When books arrive, they should be forwarded to the finance office for processing. The finance office will then price the books, add them to inventory sheets, and place them in the Resource Center for sales. To allow time for participants to purchase, books should be ordered 3 weeks prior to the onset of the Life Group so they are available in the Resource Center. In the event of an emergency book order, the Life Group leader may retrieve books from the finance staff for selling the day of. The number of books would be counted out and the sales amount should be submitted the following day, along with leftover books. Book scholarships are allowable and may be given after the completion of a Book Scholarship Form, which are available in the Resource Center. Please submit the scholarship form to the finance office for inventory adjustment purposes.

Please do not retrieve items from the Resource Center without submitting a scholarship form or books sales funds along with accompanying paperwork. If a book form is not on hand, please simply write details on a piece of paper and submit to the Finance Oﬃce.

Payroll Deduction From Gross Pay The church will make arrangements for payroll deductions for the following: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Federal, state and local income taxes Garnishments (inc. child support) or other court ordered wage deductions. Employee portion of insurance premiums Voluntary tithe deductions

Error In Pay The church takes precautions to ensure that employees are paid correctly; however, if an error does occur, the employee should notify the Finance Department. The church will make every attempt to adjust the error no later than the employee’s next regular pay period.

Stipends Stipends are often paid for coaching fees in the School. Stipends are payable to the employee on the payroll period following the end of the season, and not before.

Staff Payroll Advances Payroll advances are generally not given to staﬀ. However, in the event of extreme hardship, a one time advance request may be considered, depending on the circumstance.

TIME OFF Vacation & Holiday Policy Ocean View Church offers paid vacation and paid specified holidays for designated classifications of employees as a benefit. Vacation and holiday benefits differ between Church and Academy employee classifications due to differences between Church and Academy schedules.

K-12 Academy Full Time Employees (Excludes Preschool Employees) Paid Holidays Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter Breaks are paid vacation blocks for eligible Academy employees (excepting the Preschool). In addition to Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving, there are additional holidays observed by the Academy, such as national observance days. (Refer to school calendar for nationally observed holidays during applicable year). Eligible (hourly) employees regularly scheduled to work on a holiday will be given holiday pay commensurate with the hours normally worked. These paid vacation beneﬁts are already included in the annual salaries of teachers and administrative staﬀ.

Vacation In addition to the above holidays, eligible year-round Academy employees are entitled to earn one week (5 days) of vacation each year , which may only be used during the summer months (after the completion of one year).

Church Full Time Employees Eligible employees are entitled to earn one week (5 days) of vacation during the ﬁrst year of employment and two weeks (10 days) of vacation each year starting the second year of employment. After 5 years of employment, employees are entitled to earn three weeks (15 days) of vacation each year. The applicable paid holidays include: New Year’s Day, Labor Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day.

Preschool Full Time Employees Eligible employees are entitled to earn one week (5 days) of vacation after completing the ﬁrst year of employment and two weeks (10 days) of vacation after completing two years of employment The applicable paid holidays include: New Year’s Day, Labor Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day. For Preschool employees, the following holidays are also paid: Labor Day, Columbus Day, Black Friday, Martin Luther King Day, President’s Day, & Easter Monday.

Part Time Employees Including Preschool Part Time Employees Eligible employees are entitled to earn one week (5 days) of vacation after completing one year of employment. (Vacation pay is calculated at the employee’s regular rate of pay, at an hourly amount commensurate with the average amount of weekly hours worked for six months prior to the vacation). Hourly workers who are paid to supervise children during church services and activities are not eligible for this beneﬁt. 15

The following rules apply regarding all vacation time: •

Benefit Use: Employees are entitled to use accrued vacation benefits only after completing the first year of employment. Only earned vacation time may be taken. Advanced time off for vacation which has not yet accrued is not permitted.

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Accrual Rate: Vacation accrual for new employees begins with the first complete calendar month worked. Vacation is accrued at the rate of .417 days per month for full time employees. Church and Preschool Employees can accrue up to one week of vacation benefits during the first year of employ ment. After the second year of employment, Church and Preschool Full Time Employees can accrue up to 2 weeks of vacation benefits annually. K-12 Full Time Employees and Part-Time Employees can accrue up to one week of vacation benefits in any year. Vacation benefits do not accrue during unpaid leaves of absences.

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“Cap” or Maximum Accrual: There is a “cap” on the accrual of vacation time. If accrued vacation time is not used within the year it is earned, new vacation time for the following year will not be earned. The maximum benefits that an employee may have at any time will equal one year’s benefits. If an employee’s earned but unused benefits equal the total benefits that the employee could earn in that year, the employee will not accrue any additional benefits. If the employee later uses enough benefits to fall below the maximum, (s)he will resume earning the benefits from that date forward.

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Separation: Upon termination, resignation or separation of employment, all employees will be paid for all vacation earned but not used. Accrued unused vacation will be paid upon termination, and will be paid at the employee’s ﬁnal rate of pay. An employee will not be paid for vacation accrued but not used except upon separation of employment.

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Scheduling Vacation: Vacations are to be scheduled based upon the operational needs of the Church. All vacations must be approved in advance. Vacation Request Forms should be submitted at least 30 days in advance of the desired time to the Executive Pastor or appropriate Academy supervisor and prior to making travel plans. Vacation requests received in less time may be denied. Also, vacation requests may be denied if the proposed dates are during a high activity time frame for the church, creating hardship for other staﬀ.

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Vacations will be granted on a “ﬁrst come, ﬁrst serve basis”. Management will attempt to accommodate all employee requests. However, management reserves the right to deny vacation requests or reschedule vacations to meet business needs or any other considerations management deems necessary.

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Vacation time does include Sundays. However, we ask that employees not miss more than four (4) Sundays in one calendar year (including vacation Sundays).

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Use of Vacation Beneﬁts: Ocean View Church encourages its employees to take vacation time in full one week increments. Vacation time may be taken in increments no less than 1 full workday at a time (not in partial days or hours).

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Applicable paid holidays which fall within an employee’s approved vacation absence will not be considered vacation time. The applicable holidays include: New Year’s Day, Labor Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day. For Preschool employees, the following holidays are also paid: Columbus Day, Black Friday, Martin Luther King Day, President’s Day, & Easter Monday.

Rest / Meal Breaks Under California law (non-exempt) employees must be authorized and provided the opportunity to take no less than a thirty-minute duty free meal period when the work period is more than ﬁve hours, and a 10 minute break time after each 4 hours of work (or major fraction thereof). Such 10 minute break times do have to be paid by the employer, but we do not require employees to clock out during their ten minute breaks. You are not required to take the above mentioned breaks, but they must never be denied. They are your right. If you are not being oﬀered the above breaks for any reason, please contact the HR department immediately.

Sick Days Academy Staff OVCA is a 5 day weekly operation. Absences necessitate the hiring of substitutes to cover classes for the absent employee, and absences in Administration can create hardship for the rest of the office staff. Illnesses are a part of life, and we understand that illness occurs and rest is necessary to recover. Staff may miss up to 5 days per year and still be paid for them. After 5 days are missed, Administration reserves the right to withhold equivalent pay for additional absences due to illness. In the case of illness, please notify your supervisor at least 1 hour (preferably more) before your scheduled start time. Please contact Administration as early as possible.

Maintenance Staff Up to 5 days per year may be missed for illness with pay. After 5 days are missed, Administration reserves the right to withhold equivalent pay for additional absences due to illness. In the case of illness, please notify the facilities director at least 1 hour (preferably more) before your scheduled start time.

Church Staff Ocean View Church is a 7 day weekly operation. Offices are open 7 days a week, and pastoral staff may be on call when they are not in the offices during their typical office hours. Most of our pastors are on call 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Much work performed is outside standard office hours (hospital visits, away teaching, counseling, Sunday morning preaching, events, discipleship, leader training, etc). It is generally the responsibility of the church staff to manage their work time. Please alert the church office if you will be out on a day which you are normally in the office. OVC reserves the right to withhold equivalent pay for days if absences become excessive.

The following rules apply to all sick time benefits and use: Sick days do not accumulate and roll over from year to year. Compensation for unused sick days will not be paid upon termination. In come cases, a doctor’s note may be required to verify absences and return to work from an absence. For long-term illness, please see the Medical Leave Policy contained within the handbook.

Weekly Days Off Each church staff member is encouraged to take his or her day off each week. Please notify the church front office if your day off changes. The Executive Pastor must approve the selection of which day you are off.

Jury / Witness Duty The team member must notify their supervisor (see ﬂow chart) upon receipt of a summons or subpoena so that arrangements can be made to accommodate the employee’s absence. A document from the court, which shows the time spent by the employee and the amount paid to the employee should be submitted. If the court dismisses the jury early, the employee is expected to return to work as soon as possible and complete a regular workday comprised of civic time and time on the job. Jury duty is unpaid for hourly workers. Exempt employees will be paid for up to one week of jury duty. Jury duty that exceeds one week will be unpaid.

Sunday Services It is essential that all staﬀ attend and serve in weekend services. Staﬀ may not miss more then 4 weekend services per year for vacation, personal, or sickness combined.

Military Leave Policy Military leaves are governed by federal and state law, and will be treated in accordance with applicable regulations. Generally, such leaves must be granted. Ocean View is committed to protecting the job rights of employees absent on military leave and applauds such service. In accordance with federal and state law, it is our policy that no employee or prospective employee will be subjected to any form of discrimination on the basis of that person's membership in or obligation to perform service for any of the Uniformed Services of the United States, including the National Guard and Reserves. Speciﬁcally, no person will be denied employment, reemployment, promotion, or other beneﬁt of employment on the basis of such membership. Furthermore, no person will be subjected to retaliation or adverse employment action because such person has exercised his or her rights under this policy. If any employee believes that he or she has been subjected to discrimination in violation of this policy, the employee should immediately contact his or her Supervisor, or the Senior Pastor if the Supervisor is unable to be of assistance.

Short Term Military Leave Employees who must be absent from their job for a period of not more than thirty working days in one year will be categorized as taking temporary military leave. All beneﬁts will continue during an employee’s temporary military leave. If the employee has a payroll deduction for medical beneﬁts, the premiums for the time of leave must be paid prior to the leave. Leave will be granted as unpaid leave.

Extended Military Leave Employees directed to participate in extended military duties in the U.S. Armed Forces that exceed thirty consecutive days will be placed on an unpaid military leave of absence status for a period of as long as ﬁve years cumulative service limit (with eight exemptions*) and will be entitled to the rights and beneﬁts described below, subject to the procedures outlined below.

Procedures For All Military Leave 1.

The employee will provide Administration with written notice that the employee will be engaging in military service. Employees are requested to provide such notice as soon as they have knowledge of upcoming military service.

When the employee intends to return to work, he or she must make notiﬁcation of re-instatement to Administration within the application period set forth below. If the employee does not return to work the immediate supervisor must notify Administration so that appropriate action may be taken.

Benefits If an employee is absent from work due to military service, beneﬁts will continue as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4.

If an employee has military orders for over 30 consecutive days, the employee and covered dependents will be oﬀered COBRA health coverage for up to 18 months. The group long-term disability insurance provided by the Company will be suspended the day the employee becomes active military. Employees do not accrue vacation, personal leave or sick leave while on military leave of absence status. With respect to the Church retirement plan, upon reemployment, employees who have taken military leave will be credited for purposes of vesting with the time spent in military service and will be treated as not having incurred a break in service. Immediately upon reinstatement, the employee may, at the employee’s election, make any or all employee contributions that the employee would have been eligible to make had the employee's employment not been interrupted by military service. In addition, the employee may receive any and all Church paid retirement contributions that the employer would have been eligible to make had the employment not been interrupted by military service. In the event they do not return, their retirement beneﬁt will be calculated on the basis of the portion of time worked in that year. If the employee is hospitalized or convalescing from a service-connected injury, the employee must submit an application for reinstatement with Administration no later than two years following completion of service.

Exceptions To Re-Employment In addition to the employee's failure to apply for reemployment in a timely manner, an employee is not entitled to reinstatement as described above if any of the following conditions exist: 1. 2.

The Church’s circumstances have so changed as to make reemployment impossible or unreasonable. The employee's employment prior to the military service was for a non-recurrent period and there was no reasonable expectation that the employment would have continued indeﬁnitely or for a signiﬁcant period. The employee received a dishonorable discharge from military service.

General Benefits Upon Reinstatement Employees reinstated following military leave will receive seniority and other beneﬁts determined by seniority that the employee had at the beginning of the military leave, plus any additional seniority and beneﬁts the employee would have attained, with reasonable certainty, had the individual remained continuously employed. In addition, an employee’s time spent on active military duty will be counted toward their eligibility for FMLA/ CFRA** leave once they return to their job, subject to the employee returning from leave within 5 years of consecutive service limit.

Documentation If applicable, Administration will, upon the employee's reinstatement, request that the employee provide the Church with military discharge documentation (DD214) that establishes the length and character of the employee's military service. *Exceptions: Eight categories of service are exempt from the ﬁve-year cumulative service limitation. These include: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Service required beyond five years to complete an initial period of obligated service. Service from which a person, through no fault of the person, is unable to obtain a release within the five year limit. Required training for reservists and National Guard members. Service under an involuntary order to, or to be retained on, active duty during domestic emergency or national security related situations. Service under an order to, or to remain on, active duty (other than for training) during a war or national emergency declared by the President or Congress. Active duty (other than for training) by volunteers supporting “operational missions” for which Selected Reservists have been ordered to active duty without their consent. Service by volunteers who are ordered to active duty in support of a “critical mission or requirement” in times other than war or national emergency and when no involuntary call-up is in effect. Federal service by members of the National Guard called into action by the President to suppress an insurrection, repel an invasion, or to execute the laws of the United States.

*FMLA – Family Medical Leave Act *CFRA- California Family Rights Act

Maternity Leave Policy 1.

2. 3. 4. 5.

Female full-time employees who have worked a minimum of one year and 1250 hours within that year will be entitled to two (2) weeks paid maternity leave. An additional ten (10) weeks of leave shall be afforded without pay. The paid maternity leave only applies to employees who will be returning to work. Female part-time employees who have worked a minimum of one year and 1250 hours within that year will be entitled to up to 12 weeks unpaid maternity leave. No paid leave will be offered. Maternity leave is, in and of itself, voluntary and without pay except for the first 2 weeks for full-time eligible employees. Maternity Leave simply guarantees the employee’s right to return to her position. All continuity of service and other benefits will accrue if employee returns within the agreed twelve (12) week period or any mutually agreed extension.

There is no provision for paternity leave.

Medical Leave Policy 1.

3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Full-time employees who have worked a minimum of one year and 1250 hours within that year will be entitled to two (2) weeks paid medical leave in the event of a medical emergency for their personal health only. An additional ten (10) weeks leave shall be without pay. Part-Time employees who have worked a minimum of one year and 1250 hours within that year will be entitled to up to 12 weeks unpaid medical leave in the event of a qualifying event. No paid leave will be oﬀered. No paid leave will be granted for health events of family members, but the employee will be entitled to 12 weeks unpaid medical leave in the event of a family member’s medical emergency. The 5 days of permitted sick days with pay will be included in the 2 weeks paid medical leave (not in addition to). Sick days do not otherwise accrue. Deductions for health insurance, tuition, or any other deduction regularly owed is to be paid directly to OVC during unpaid leave. Employer paid employee medical premiums will be carried by the church for one month of leave. Leave related to Workman’s Comp will be treated the same as Medical Leave, as will disability related leave.

Bereavement This policy will apply to all employees, full or part time. In the event of a death in the family, employees are entitled to 2 days paid leave when the days fall on workdays. Unpaid leave may be taken in addition to these paid 2 days, at the discretion of the supervisor, and with advanced approval. Extensions of paid or unpaid leave may be made at the supervisor’s discretion, taking into consideration necessity for travel or any other factors.

BENEFITS Benefits The church provides a well-balanced program of benefits designed to meet the needs of employees and provide protection from financial hardship. These benefits will be reviewed periodically to insure that they keep pace with area practice. Full-time team members are eligible for benefits provided by the church if they meet specific requirements. The terms of the benefit plans described are subject to change at any time by the insurer(s) or the church and the information contained in this handbook regarding team member benefits is not a contract to provide these benefits to any team member. Also, the current health insurance provider may change from time to time. In the event of any inconsistencies between the policies contained in this handbook and the actual plan documents, the plan documents shall govern.

Retirement Benefit All salaried full time, hourly full-time and teacher full-time personnel shall be eligible for the retirement benefit after five years of continuous service. The retirement benefit is for the purpose of long term investment, and only paid into the employee’s 403(b) Guidestone plan, per IRS guidelines. This benefit may not be taken as compensation or used in any other way. Retirement benefits shall be earned and paid on the anniversary date of employment for church personnel and September for school personnel. Employees must complete the entire applicable calendar/school year to be eligible for the retirement benefit. The following schedule shall prevail: • • • •

After five years of continuous service, the employee shall receive $1,000.00 to be invested for retirement into their Guidestone 403(b). This amount shall increase $200.00 per year until $2,000.00 is reached. The retirement benefit shall be paid until the employment is terminated or until retirement. Staff are encouraged to personally contribute to their 403(b) via payroll deduction.

Medical Benefits Health and vision insurance are not considered part of the employee’s salary, but a benefit. Compensation will not be given in lieu of health insurance. It is the employee’s responsibility to submit applications given to them during the hiring process in order to be enrolled in the plans. Health insurance coverage is provided for full time staff members. The employee may purchase health insurance for additional family members using a pre-tax payroll deduction. This benefit will continue as long as the employee remains on staff in a qualifying position. In addition, vision care insurance for the employee and family is provided.

Duration of Coverage It is the employee’s responsibility to submit applications given to them during the hiring process in order to be enrolled in the plans. Health insurance for employee’s additional family members continues so long as timely monthly premiums are paid and the employee remains on staff in a qualifying position. Cessation of benefits is as follows: • Academy staff benefits are terminated at the end of the month in which employment is terminated. • Coverage for Academy staff choosing not to return to employment after summer vacation will cease at the end of the school year (June 30th). • Church staff benefits are terminated at the end of the month in which employment is terminated. • Certain health insurance plan limitations and exceptions apply.

Vision Care Vision insurance for employee and family is included for full time employees who enroll. Part time preschool employees may also enroll in this beneﬁt at no cost to themselves for their families.

Dental Benefits A dental insurance plan is available for purchase (through payroll deduction) by full-time staﬀ.

Disability Insurance Full time staﬀ (minimum 30 hours regularly scheduled per week) are eligible to enroll in a long term disability policy. Policy beneﬁts are as follows: a. b. c.

Benefit percentage Maximum benefit Minimum benefit

d. e. f. g. h.

Benefit waiting period Preexisting condition Duration of benefits Survivors benefits Conversion privilege

Employer contribution

60% of current salary $6,000 per month $100 per month or 10% of the Insured Employee’s Monthly Beneﬁt, whichever is greater. 90 days 12 months Age 65 3 months Option to convert to group conversion policy if insured terminates employment 100%

Staff Tuition Benefit Full Tuition Benefit The first child of staff members who regularly work at least 32 hours per week will be accommodated for enrollment at our school without paying tuition, but the employee is financially responsible for paying registration and other applicable fees. The “first child” refers to a natural or adopted son or daughter of the staff member. Cases of guardianship will be contingent on class seats available. Criteria for guardianship will be tax returns claiming the child as a dependent. Staff members with foster children will be considered for the “first child” benefit contingent on class seats available. Spaces will not be reserved. Staff members must pay tuition, registration and other fees for additional children in the family that are enrolled according to current rates beginning with the second-child rate.

Half Tuition Benefit Emloyees regularly working 15-32 hours each week are entitled to a benefit of one-half discounted tuition for school or preschool, for the first child enrolled. Registration and other applicable fees are still the financial responsibility of the employee. Employees are responsible for tuition, registration and other fees for any additional children in the family that are enrolled at the current rates. Note: If the Preschool is affected by the Affordable Care Act and staff are disallowed working over 28 hours the following will apply: Those regularly scheduled above 29 hours would qualify for the full tuition benefit, and those working 15-28 hours would benefit for the half tuition benefit.

POLICIES Sexual Harassment Policy Ocean View Church will not tolerate sexual harassment of employees, students or volunteers. Sexual harassment involves not only any unwelcome touching and demands for sexual favors, but also any unwelcome sexually-oriented behavior or comments which create a hostile or oﬀensive work environment. Sexual harassment from supervisors, co-workers, students or others who visit the ministry must be reported immediately to the following appropriate ministry head: Church - Senior Pastor / Executive Pastor Preschool - Director School - Principal Day Care – Vice Principal Please contact them if you have any questions about sexual harassment or this policy.

Definition of Sexual Harassment • • • •

Unwanted sexual attention of a persistent or abusive nature: made by a person who knows or ought reasonably to know that such attention is unwanted; Implied or expressed promise of reward for complying with a sexually oriented request; Implied or expressed threat or reprisal in the form either of actual reprisal or the denial of opportunity, for refusal to comply with a sexually oriented request; Sexually oriented remarks or behaviors on the part of a person who knows or ought reasonably to know that such remarks or behaviors may reasonably be perceived to create a negative environment for work or study.

Examples Any repeated offensive or suggestive language, inquiries about a person’s sexual behavior, or sexually oriented jokes are considered sexual harassment when the victim asks the perpetrator to stop the offensive behavior and they refuse. Any touching of intimate body parts, accidental or not, is considered sexual harassment. Stroking someone’s hair, putting your arm around their shoulder, hugging, kissing, pinching, or anything of a similar nature, is considered sexual harassment when the victim asks the perpetrator to stop the offensive behaviors and they refuse. Displaying sexually suggestive pictures or objects. Leering in a sexually demeaning manner. Gesturing and making lewd motions with one’s body is considered sexual harassment.

Complaint Procedures For Alleged Sexual Harassments The party must report the allegation to their immediate supervisor as listed below or senior pastor. If the allegation involves the person(s) who would normally receive the report, the allegation must then be reported to another supervisor, such as Executive Pastor or Administrator. Church Employees/Volunteers - Senior Pastor Preschool Employees/Volunteers - Director Academy Employees/Students/Volunteers - Principal Upon receiving the allegation the senior pastor will be notiﬁed and the supervisor will investigate. If the investigation proves the allegation is valid then the following procedures will be used: • •

In the case of employee to employee or employee to student, the employee may be suspended or terminated. In the case of student to student, the following procedures will be used: i. the parents of the accused will be contacted and informed of charge and the student may be suspended with the intent to expel. ii. The complainant’s parents will be contacted and informed of the incident and the actions taken so far. iii. A parents’ conference will be held with the parents of the accused and the principal. A written outline of this conference will be kept. iv. A parent’s conference with the complainant’s parent and principal will be held. v. The discipline committee will meet (in accordance with the Ocean View Academy Disciplinary Policies) to determine the appropriate disciplinary action to be taken. vi. Any appeal may be submitted in writing.

Continuing Education Policy Ocean View Church recognizes the beneﬁt of continuing education. Therefore, the following program is made available for faculty who desire a ﬁnancial reimbursement for continuing education expenses: • • •

•

The employee must have been a full-time employee of OVC for a minimum of one year (one school year for Academy employees) at the time of attending the continuing educational course(s). All course work must be related to the ﬁeld of certiﬁcation or responsibility, or be in preparation for a designated position at OVC. All course work must be successfully completed with a grade C or better to qualify for assistance. Employees may receive assistance prior to completing a course, however, proof of a grade C or better must be submitted upon completion of the course. As a condition of obtaining tuition assistance, the individual must expressly promise to remain as an employee for at least one year following tuition assistance. (For Academy employees, they must expressly promise to agree to remain for at least one more school year.) If the employee fails to meet the one-year obligation for any reason, the full amount of tuition assistance must be repaid to OVC.

•

• • •

Tuition assistance is limited to the lesser of 50% of tuition cost or $700 per semester and does not include books, fees, or travel, subject to the Total staff tuition assistance fiscal year budget. Total staff tuition assistance will also be limited to a budgeted amount per fiscal year. To insure payment, administrative approval must be obtained in advance to registering for the course. The total course cost must be obtained from the college or university attended and submitted in writing prior to reimbursement. The tuition assistance benefit will only be paid if all the above conditions are met and there are sufficient funds available in the budget.

Vehicle Policy Church owned vehicles are to be used for ministry purposes only. Personal use of church vehicles is generally disallowed. If you require the use of a vehicle for a church activity, please clear usage in advance with the facilities director. For use of an Academy vehicle, please clear usage in advance with the school principal. Only paid and volunteer staﬀ may drive church owned vehicles if they meet the criteria below. Driver Agreement Forms must be signed and submitted to the insurance company for any routine drivers, and bus drivers are subject to CHP drug testing regulations.

Vans - Church Use For church (non-academy) activities where passengers are transported in a van, the driver must be over 25 years of age, with a valid California Driver’s License, and a clean driving record, as required by our insurance. Only 9 people, including the driver, may be transported. In keeping with CHP law, one of the seats must be removed from the vehicle to accommodate the requirement prior to departure. The proper seat configuration is as follows: driver, front passenger, 3 passengers in middle seat and 4 passengers in the back seat. More than 9 passengers (including the driver) may be transported if the driver has a valid California Class B Drivers License with passenger endorsement. This is different from a school bus driver’s license or a military bus driver’s license. Our insurance requires that drivers be 25 years of age to drive. As a provision for hardship, our insurance company will consider making an exception for a responsible employee 21 years or older on a case-by-case basis. If the need arises, the head of the ministry would submit a letter of recommendation detailing why there is no-one of suitable age to drive, and why the employee should be considered for exception along with the DMV driving record to the Finance Office who will then submit to our insurance company for consideration. Until and unless verification is received from the insurance company that an exception has been approved, drivers under the age of 25 may not drive.

Buses – Church Use Any church (non-academy) activity must have a driver with a valid California Class B Bus Driver’s License with passenger endorsement. Drivers of all vehicles must be approved in advance. Meticulous records must be kept on any and all drivers in accordance with state and federal regulations.

Vans / Buses – Academy Use (Activities During School Year) Any buses driven for Academy activities must be driven by an approved, licensed School Bus Driver in a certified yellow school bus. If a van is going to be used, then only 9 people including the driver may be transported, with extra seating removed. In order to have more than 9 passengers, the van would have to be painted yellow, identified as a school bus and be driven by a licensed school bus driver. This rule applies during the months of school. During the summer months, refer to instructions above for Church activities as our services in the summer are considered day care and the rules for school do not apply. However, summer school activities (first through twelfth grade) must use school rules.

Volunteer Drivers of Personal Vehicles Drivers of personal vehicles for church and/or academy activities must show the following: • • • •

Driver must be 25 years of age. Driver must have a clean driving record, i.e. No accidents or tickets. Driver must have a valid California Driver’s License. Driver must carry and provide proof of having more than the California Minimum Insurance.

Media Policy Personal Website and Weblog Policies Ocean View Church has been growing its participation in social media to strengthen our name and our connection with the world outside our doors. Networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter can provide exciting new avenues for communication in our ministries and personal lives. Used responsibly, they provide an effective method of interaction. In general, we view personal websites and weblogs positively, and respect the right of our employees to use them as an avenue of self-expression and outreach. As an employee of Ocean View Church, you are seen by our members and outside parties as a representative of the church. Therefore, as in all areas of daily life, a church staff member's personal website or weblog is a reflection on the church, whether or not the church is specifically discussed or referenced. If you choose to identify yourself as an Ocean View Church employee or to discuss matters related to the church on your website or weblog, please bear in mind that, although you may view your site as a personal project, many readers will assume you are speaking on behalf of the church. In light of this possibility, Ocean View expects our staff to observe the following important guidelines: Notify Your Supervisor. If you currently have a personal website or weblog, or are considering starting one, be sure to discuss this with your supervisor. Also, if you have any questions, feel free to share them with the Media or HR Department. Include a Disclaimer. On your site, please make it clear to your readers that the views you express are yours alone and that they do not necessarily reflect the views of Ocean View Church. To help reduce the potential for confusion, we recommend you prominently display the following notice, or something similar, on the homepage of your site:

I work at Ocean View Church. Everything here, however, is my personal opinion and is not read or approved before it is posted. Opinions, conclusions and other information expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of Ocean View Church. We recommend a disclaimer if your site is published under your name, even if it is entirely personal and does not mention Ocean View Church or your employment, as readers will inevitably connect your personal life to your professional life. Respect Confidentiality. You must take proper care not to purposefully or inadvertently disclose any information that is confidential or proprietary to Ocean View Church. Consult Human Resources and the church’s confidentiality policies for guidance about what constitutes “confidential” or “proprietary” information. Be sure that what you are announcing has been in the weekend bulletin, on the website, or announced from the stage before posting it. Otherwise, check with your supervisor. Any employee who violates our policies regarding confidentiality will be subject to serious discipline, up to and including immediate termination of employment. Respect the Church and its Staff. Since your site is a public space, we expect you to be respectful to the church and our leaders, employees, volunteers and members. Any employee who uses a personal website to disparage the name or reputation of the church, its practices, or its pastors, officers, employees, volunteers or members will be subject to serious discipline, up to and including immediate termination of employment. Respect Copyright. Do not use Ocean View Church’s logos on your site or reproduce church material without first obtaining written permission. Respect Your Time. All time and effort spent on your personal site should be done on your personal time and should not interfere with your job duties or work commitments. Respect Our Beliefs. When working for a church, it is important to remember that employment decisions will be made based upon our Christian beliefs. If your personal website displays inappropriate images or reflects personal opinions or life-style choices that are contrary to Ocean View Church’s religious beliefs, you may be subject to discipline, up to and including immediate termination of employment. For this reason, we encourage you to first seek guidance from your supervisor or Human Resources if you have any questions.

Teacher/ Student Online Contact Great caution should be exercised during any online communication between an adult and child. Any inappropriate communication will be grounds for disciplinary action, including potential dismissal from employment.

Follow the Employee Handbook Be sure to conform to the rules of the Employee Handbook, especially as it relates to harassment and illegal activities (including, in this case, spam and piracy). As with other forms of communication, do not engage in personal, racial or sexual harassment, unfounded accusations, or remarks that would contribute to a hostile workplace. For more information about Ocean View Church’s Policy Against Harassment, see Human Resources.

Use Common Sense Use common sense in all communications, particularly on a website accessible to anyone. What you say on your site could potentially be grounds for dismissal. If you would not be comfortable with your manager, co-workers, or the pastoral team reading your words, do not write them. Ocean View Church reserves the right to monitor employee use of social media regardless of location (i.e. at work on a company computer or on personal time with a home computer.

Church Email and Church Owned Devices If you conduct any business on any device the church reserves the right to search it. For all social media accounts, please use your own personal email, and not your church / academy email. Any social media account with a church /academy email is technically owned by the church, and the church is liable for anything posted to it. For this reason, use of work email in social media is not allowed.

Email & Text Guidelines Email can be an appropriate and eﬀective means of communicating basic factual information such as the time of an event, agenda for a meeting, text of a document, etc. Email is not an appropriate communication method for matters that are pastorally or legally sensitive, emotionally charged or require extensive conversation. If an email message is longer than a couple of sentences, then the matter might more properly be addressed via live conversation. Humor and sarcasm can be easily misinterpreted in an email. All email users should take a moment to consider the ramiﬁcations of their message before clicking on the “send” or “reply to all” button.

Public Relations No employee of Ocean View Church or its ministries, including Ocean View Christian Academy, shall talk to any media outlet on behalf of the organization, or themself, regarding church/academy information.

Substance Abuse Policy This church is dedicated to providing safe and efficient transportation services for our members, attendees and students. Ocean View Church demands that employees, volunteers and hired bus drivers report fit to perform their duties safely and efficiently. All of our employees and volunteers are prohibited from using, selling, possessing, distributing or being under the influence of controlled substances at any time as evidenced by agreeing to be bound by our standards of conduct prior to involvement in any ministry. Ocean View Church implemented a drug and alcohol testing program for its hired bus drivers, effective January 1, 1996. For the full policy, please obtain a copy from the Human Resources Department.

Travel & Entertainment Policy Ocean View Church compensates the pastor and his staff for reasonable business travel expenses expended on behalf of church business. The IRS has stated in IRS Letter Ruling 0706018 that this is allowable and a proper thing to do. However, certain requirements must be met in order for the expenses to be classified as business expenses; therefore not taxable income to the staff involved. The IRS lists the following requirements:

Business expenses for travel (transportation, meals, lodging while away from home overnight) must show: (1) the business purposes of the trip; (2) the amount of each expense; (3) dates of travel, and (4) travel locations.

Entertainment Expenses Business expense reports/receipts for entertainment expenses must show (1) the business purpose of the entertainment including a description of the business activity conducted; (2) identiﬁcation of the person or persons entertained suﬃcient to establish a business relationship with the employer; (3) the amount of each separate expenditure for entertainment; (4) the location of the entertainment (5) the type of entertainment (if not apparent from the designation of the place of entertainment); and (6) if the entertainment immediately precedes or follows a business discussion, the employee also must identify those persons entertained who participated in the business discussion, and the nature of the business discussion.

Travel Expenses Please inform Administration of your upcoming business trip no later than the Monday morning preceding your departure. This will ensure the availability of cash for you. The usual amount for conference food expenses is $30 a day per employee. In the case of couples, it is usually $50 a day. These amounts are subject to modiﬁcation, depending on the location of the conference and circumstances surrounding the trip. Travel expenses, such as airline tickets and hotels are not included in this allowance. The food allowance is only for food and minor expenses that are directly related to the business purpose of the trip. The employee is responsible for all personal items and entertainment expenses. Receipts must be kept and returned to Administration within one week following the trip, along with excess cash unused from the trip. Receipts turned in should equal the amount of cash spent. Please be careful not to exceed the amount approved/designated for your trip. Requests for business expense funds exceeding the designated amount should be considered ahead of time, and must be approved prior to the trip by the Senior Pastor.

SAFETY Workers Compensation The church promotes a safe environment for all its employees. Those employees that are injured on the job may be eligible for workers compensation insurance beneﬁts. Any employee who suﬀers an accident on the job must notify a supervisor immediately and necessary forms documenting the incident must be completed. Any delay in giving notice may result in loss of workers compensation eligibility.

Safety and Accidents The church strives to provide safe working conditions for all employees. No one will knowingly be required to work in any unsafe manner. Safety is every employee’s responsibility, and Cal Osha regulations should be followed. Please see the HR department for a complete list of CalOsha guidelines. 29

Code of Safe Practices – General Office It is our policy that everything possible will be done to protect employees, volunteers and visitors from accidents. Safety is a cooperative undertaking requiring participation by every employee. Failure by an employee to comply with safety rules will be grounds for corrective discipline. Supervisors shall insist that employees observe all applicable company, state and federal safety rules and practices and take action as is necessary to obtain compliance. To carry out this policy employees shall: •

•

• • • • • • • • • • •

• • • • •

• •

Report all unsafe conditions and equipment to your employment supervisor, safety coordinator or safety program manager (church administrator). A Report of Safety Hazard will be filled out and processed. Report all accidents, injuries and illnesses to your employment supervisor, safety coordinator or safety program manager (church administrator) immediately. All necessary forms will be filled out and processed as soon as possible. Means of egress shall be kept unblocked, well lighted and unlocked during working hours. In the event of fire, sound alarm and evacuate. Upon hearing fire alarm, stop work and proceed to the nearest clear exit. Gather at the designated locations. Only trained workers may attempt to respond to a fire or other emergency. Exit doors must comply with fire safety regulations during business hours. Stairways should be kept clear of items that can be tripped over and all areas under stairways that are egress routes should not be used to store combustibles. Materials and equipment must not be stored against doors or exits, fire ladders or fire extinguisher stations. Aisles must be kept clear at all time. Work areas should be maintained in a neat, orderly manner. Trash and refuse are to be thrown in proper waste containers. All spills shall be wiped up promptly. Files and supplies should be stored in such a manner as to preclude damage to the supplies or injury to personnel when they are moved. Heaviest items should be stored closest to the floor and lightweight items stored above. All cords running into walk areas must be taped down or inserted through rubber protectors to preclude them from becoming tripping hazards. Never stack material precariously on top of lockers, file cabinets or other high places. Never leave lower desk or cabinet drawers that present a tripping hazard open. Use care when opening and closing drawers to avoid pinching fingers. Do not open more than one cabinet drawer at a time; particularly the top two drawers on tall file cabinets. Always use the proper lifting technique. Never attempt to lift or push an object which is too heavy (i.e. cafeteria tables). You must contact someone else when help is needed to move a heavy object. When carrying material, caution should be exercised in watching for and avoiding loose material. All electrical equipment should be plugged into appropriate wall receptacles or into an extension cord of similar size and capacity. Three-pronged plugs should be used to ensure continuity of ground. 30

•

• • •

• • • •

Individual heaters at work areas are discouraged. However, if employment supervisor approved, they should be kept clear of combustible materials such as drapes or waste from waste baskets. Newer heaters which are equipped with tip-over switches should be used. Appliances such as coffee pots and microwaves should be kept in working order and inspected for signs of wear, heat or fraying of cords. Fans used in work areas should be guarded. Guards must not allow fingers to be inserted through the mesh. Newer fans are equipped with proper guards. Equipment such as scissors, staples, etc., should be used for their intended purposes only and should not be misused as hammers, pry bars, screwdrivers, etc. Misuse can cause damage to the equipment and possible injury to the user. Cleaning supplies should be stored away from edible items on kitchen shelves. Cleaning solvents and flammable liquids should be stored in appropriate containers. Solutions that may be poisonous or not intended for consumption should be kept in well labeled containers. Adequate ventilation should be insured when using any cleaning supplies or chemicals.

Code of Safe Practices – General Industry To carry out this policy employees shall: • Report all unsafe conditions and equipment to your supervisor, safety coordinator or safety program manager (church administrator). • Report all accidents, injuries and illnesses to your supervisor, safety coordinator or safety program manager (church administrator) immediately. • Anyone known to be under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs, shall not be allowed on the job. • Horseplay, scuffling, and other acts which tend to have an adverse influence on the safety or well-being of the employees are prohibited. • Means of egress shall be kept unblocked, well lighted and unlocked during work hours. • In the event of fire, sound alarm and evacuate. • Upon hearing fire alarm, stop work and proceed to the nearest clear exit. • Only trained workers may attempt to respond to a fire or other emergency. • Exit doors must comply with fire safety regulations during business hours. • Stairways should be kept clear of items that can be tripped over and all areas under stairways that are egress routes should not be used to store combustibles. • Materials and equipment will not be stored against doors or exits, fire ladders or fire extinguisher stations. • Aisles must be kept clear at all time. • Work areas should be maintained in a neat, orderly manner. Trash and refuse are to be thrown in proper waste containers. • All spills shall be wiped up promptly. • Always use the proper lifting technique. Never attempt to lift or push an object which is too heavy. You must ask someone else to help you when help is needed to move a heavy object. • Never stack material precariously on top of lockers, file cabinets or other relatively high places. • When carrying material, caution should be exercised in watching for and avoiding obstructions, loose material, etc. • Do not stack material in an unstable manner. 31

•

Report exposed wiring and cords that are frayed or have deteriorated insulation so they can be repaired promptly.

•

Never use a metal ladder when it could come in contact with energized parts of equipment, ﬁxtures or circuit conductors.

•

Maintain suﬃcient access and working space around all electrical equipment to permit ready and safe operations and maintenance.

•

Do not use any portable electrical tools and equipment that are not grounded or double insulated.

•

All electrical equipment should be plugged into appropriate wall receptacles or into an extension of only one cord of similar size and capacity. Three-pronged plugs should be used to ensure continuity of ground.

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All cords running into walk areas must be taped down or inserted through rubber protectors to preclude them from becoming tripping hazards.

•

Inspect motorized vehicles and other mechanized equipment daily or prior to use.

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Shut oﬀ engine, set brakes and block wheels prior to loading or unloading buses.

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Inspect pallets and their loads for integrity and stability before loading or moving.

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Do not store compressed gas cylinders in areas which are exposed to heat sources, electric arcs or high temperature lines.

•

Do not use compressed air for cleaning oﬀ clothing unless the pressure is less than 10 psi.

•

Identify contents of pipelines prior to initiating any work that aﬀects the integrity of the pipe.

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Wear hearing protection in all areas identiﬁed as having high noise exposure.

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Goggles or face shields must be worn when grinding.

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Do not use any faulty or worn hand tools.

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Always keep ﬂammable or toxic chemicals in closed containers when not in use.

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Do not eat in areas where hazardous chemicals are present.

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Be aware of the potential hazards involving various chemicals stored or used in workplace.

•

Cleaning supplies should be stored away from edible items on kitchen shelves.

•

Cleaning solvents and ﬂammable liquids should be stored in appropriate containers.

•

Solutions that may be poisonous or not intended for consumption should be kept in well labelled containers.

•

When using cleaning solvents be sure there is adequate ventilation.

•

Never leave lower desk or cabinet drawers that present a tripping hazard open. Use care when opening and closing drawers to avoid pinching ﬁngers.

•

Do not open more than one upper drawer at a time; particularly the top two drawers on tall ﬁle cabinets.

•

Individual heaters at work areas are discouraged. However, if approved by employment supervisor, be sure they are kept clear of combustible materials such as drapes or waste from wastebasket. Newer heaters which are equipped with tip-over switches should be used.

•

Appliances such as coﬀee pots and microwaves should be kept in working order and inspected for signs of wear, heat or fraying of cords.

•

Fans used in work areas should be guarded. Guards must not allow ﬁngers to be inserted through mesh. Newer fans are equipped with proper guards.

Ocean View Church Security Ocean View Church Security exists to provide a safe environment in which to worship Jesus Christ. Our main goals are as follows: •

• • •

To maintain a safe and secure environment for our pastors and church support staﬀ to teach God’s Word and serve Him without hindrance or disruption from any outside source that would attempt to divert the ministry team from mission critical activities established by our Senior Pastor. To maintain a safe and secure environment for children as well as adults to worship God freely on campus during service times and special events. In addition to keeping our campus safe, Ocean View Church Security are trained to assist in medical emergencies and have access to portable deﬁbrillators for use in emergencies. Ocean View Security collaborates with local law enforcement and emergency medical services to accomplish its mission.

Ocean View Church Security employs many methods to accomplish these goals. They are as follows but not limited to: •

• •

•

A combination of armed and unarmed security persons in stationary positions as well as roving personnel are present to deter and respond to situations ranging from the disruptive person to an active shooter. Digital surveillance as a theft deterrent. Two way private communications between security personnel as well as communication devices placed in sensitive children’s/youth areas for quick communication to security persons (A virtual 911 call). Volunteers from within the medical ﬁeld on call prepared to respond to a medical emergency and stabilize the situation until outside help arrives.

Ocean View Church Security strives to maintain a safe campus and worship environment. If a security, medical, or safety concern presents itself please contact OVC Security Director or Security personnel immediately.

Child Abuse Prevention Policies & Procedures Introduction The reported cases of child abuse and neglect in the United States have continued to climb over the past decade. More than 3,000,000 cases were reported in 2006. A report is made every ten seconds, and approximately 4 children die daily from child abuse in the U.S. Research now indicates that as high as one in three girls and one in seven boys will be sexually abused by age 15. These statistics are alarming. If these statistics are true for the general population then we must realize that at least some of these traumatized children will attend our church and school. It is also reasonable to assume the church is vulnerable. Churches have traditionally accepted the services of anyone expressing an interest in working as a volunteer with children or youth. Churches by nature are trusting and unsuspecting. Asking questions of those who are giving their time and talents can be seen as distasteful by church leaders. No one wants to oﬀend potential workers, especially longtime church members with a history of good service. These qualities can make a church susceptible to incidents of child molestation and subsequent claims by alleged victims. Because of our commitment to the children and youth that have been entrusted to our care, we have developed the following policies and procedures to prevent child abuse. Failure to implement a child sexual abuse prevention program just because it has never happened here would be very dangerous after knowing the sad statistics of our times. Doing nothing to respond to this signiﬁcant risk may subject the church to punitive damages, loss of insurance and community trust. Most of all, injury to those that the Bible calls “the least of these” whom have been entrusted to our care. This prevention program must have your support if we are to provide a safe and secure environment for our children. Please take time to review it. It just may be that your child will be spared the consequences of becoming a victim of sexual child abuse.

What Is Child Abuse? Child abuse is legally deﬁned as: • • • • • •

A physical injury which is inﬂicted by other than accidental means on a child by another person. Sexual abuse, including both sexual assault and sexual exploitation. Willful cruelty or unjustiﬁable punishment of a child. Cruel or inhumane corporal punishment or injury. Neglect, including both severe and general neglect. Abuse (all of the above) in out-of-home care.

Indicators of Child Abuse Below are some indicators of child abuse which can help you recognize an existing or potential problem of abuse.

Physical Abuse Physical abuse may be deﬁned as any act which results in non accidental physical injury. Indicators of physical abuse:

• • • • • • • •

Bruises, burns, abrasions, lacerations, or swelling caused by other than accidental means. Belt buckle marks, hand prints, bite marks and pinches. Child states injury was caused by abuse. Injury unusual for a speciﬁc age group. A history of previous or recurrent injuries. Unexplained injuries; conﬂicting explanations or reasons for injury. Child excessively passive, compliant or fearful. Caretaker attempts to hide injuries.

Neglect Neglect is essentially the negligent treatment or maltreatment of a child by a parent or caretaker under circumstances indicating harm or threatened harm to the child’s health or welfare. Indicators of neglect: • • • • •

Child lacking adequate medical or dental care. Child is always sleepy or hungry. Child is always dirty or inadequately dressed for weather conditions. There is evidence of poor supervision. Conditions in home are extremely or persistently unsafe or unsanitary.

Sexual Abuse Sexual abuse is deﬁned as acts of sexual assault or the sexual exploitation of minors. Indicators of sexual abuse: • Child reports sexual activities to a trusted person. • Detailed and age-inappropriate understanding of sexual behavior (especially by younger children.) • Child wears torn, stained or bloody underclothing. • Child is victim of other forms of abuse.

Child Supervision Policies & Procedures Two Adult Rule Two adult supervisors must be present during any church activity or class. Preferably, one of the adults would be a parent of one of the participating children or youth, or alternatively, at a minimum, someone over 21 years of age. This rule reduces the risk of sexual molestation, and also reduces the risk of false accusations of molestation by individuals seeking a quick legal settlement. Another way of looking at the two adult rule is that it also serves as a safety net to protect adults against false accusations. Specific Situations: • Do not pick-up children or youth if you are the only one in the vehicle. • Do not take children or youth for an outing where you will be alone. • During an activity never put yourself in the position where you are alone with a child or youth no matter what the reason. • Church bus drivers (when alone in the bus) must use good judgment and make every effort not to pick-up or drop off single students. • Do not take one child to the restroom.

Obtain Parental Permission Permission slips must be obtained from parents for any church sponsored activity that is oﬀ the church grounds in advance. This rule applies for anyone under 18 years of age. Activities must be approved by the ministry supervisor prior to the date of the activity. DO NOT make last minute changes that violate the terms of the permission slip, (i.e. volunteer vehicles instead of church vehicles, place of activity, return time, etc.) If another parent says he/she is to pick-up a child other than their own, then they must produce written permission from that parent or the activity supervisor must call the parents of that child before releasing him. Permission slips should include this rule to avoid any confusion at a later date. Note: Permission slips are available through the church and academy oﬃces respectively.

Physical Contact Guidelines One of our main goals is to demonstrate God’s love and train the children in our care in the ways of our Lord, however, we must be sure that our behavior can never be considered inappropriate. The following guidelines are to be followed: • • • •

•

Be sure there is visual access to any room where you are teaching. Never strike or shake a child. Discipline through loss of privileges or time outs. Adults should not act as a child’s “friend” in a children’s friendship manner. Adults must maintain their proper authority status and respect and act accordingly. We should demonstrate our mission of love and concern to those children with whom we come in contact. As general policy, only small children should be held on laps. Hugs should be short and age appropriate. Inappropriate touching of any kind will not be tolerated. When children have bathroom accidents or break their pants’ zippers, as much as possible avoid direct assistance for non-nursery, older aged children. The children should be instructed on how to clean themselves up without direct assistance. They may be handed what they need, but adults should not directly clean or wash the childrens’ bodies. In similar manner, adults should avoid helping boys with broken zippers or young girls with skirt problems. Consider ﬁnding a garment for them to wear to cover such problems until they can be cared for by their parents or request safety pins from the church oﬃce. Make sure another adult is present if assisting a child with the safety pins. Doors should remain open when counseling.

Suspicious Behavior Any inappropriate conduct or relationships between an adult worker and a member of the youth group or a child should be reported immediately to the ministry supervisor or senior pastor. • • • •

Ministry supervisor and/or senior pastor will investigate immediately. Prompt warnings will be issued when appropriate and the situation monitored very closely. Adult worker’s services will be terminated immediately for violation of warnings. Adult worker’s services will be terminated immediately for single violation of suﬃcient gravity.

Accepting Applications For Paid Positions Ocean View Church, as policy, only accepts resumes. After a resume has been reviewed and we are interested in continuing with the hiring process an employment application, conﬁdential screening form and authorization for a criminal records check are given to the applicant. They must also agree to be legally bound by the Standards Of Conduct and Statement Of Faith of Ocean View Church. Only the following employment supervisors have the authority to hand out employment applications for their respective ministries: Church Academy Preschool

Senior Pastor/Nursery Supervisor Principal Director

Accepting Volunteer Workers All individuals seeking to volunteer to work with children or youth must be approved by the following ministry supervisors prior to being assigned to a class or activity: MINISTRY AWANA Sunday School Nurseries Children’s Choir Academy

SUPERVISOR AWANA Commander Sunday School Director Nursery Director Nursery Director School Principal

All individuals seeking to volunteer to work with children or youth must fill out a confidential primary screening form, authorize a reference and criminal records check and agree to be fingerprinted. They must also agree to be legally bound by the Standards Of Conduct and Statement Of Faith of Ocean View Church. Applicants will not be assigned to a position involving working with children or youth until they have actually had their fingerprints taken and returned them to their prospective ministry supervisor for processing.

Reporting An Incident Of Child Abuse The Law The law in California (Sections 11165-11174 of the Penal Code) requires that individuals/organizations working with families and/or children must report the following, when a child (under 18) is involved in: • • • • •

Sexual assault Neglect Willful cruelty or unjustiﬁable punishment Cruel or inhumane corporal punishment or injury Abuse in out-of-home care

Involvement does not mean physical intervention or snooping. It simply means not ignoring the obvious. Fear of involvement has resulted in family tragedies in which adults reported they knew what was going on, but declined to get involved.

Child Abuse Reports What to do if a child reports abuse to you: • • • • • • • • • •

•

NEVER ignore any reported incident of child abuse! Reassure the child that he/she is ok and safe. Reassure the privacy of the child. The child will need to tell his/her story in detail to the investigators, so don’t press the child for details. Remember a person only needs to “suspect” child abuse to make a report. Do not display horror, shock or disapproval of the parents, the child, or the situation. Do not place blame or make judgments. Tell the child that he/she will be talking to people who will help and that it was good the story was told. Report the incident to the appropriate ministry supervisor prior to contacting the authorities. Do NOT discuss the matter with friends, relatives, and co-workers. Since the church is involved, it must be handled within procedural guidelines. Who to report to: Sunday School teachers and workers (includes High School Pastor) - Senior Pastor. AWANA volunteers - AWANA Director, Sunday School Director and Senior Pastor Babysitters - Nursery Supervisor, Sunday School Director, Senior Pastor Bus drivers and workers - Bus Minister, Sunday School Director or Senior Pastor OVCA teachers and workers - Principal, and Senior Pastor. OVCA Preschool teachers and workers – Preschool Director and Senior Pastor Day Camp, Before And After School Care – Vice Principal Out of respect for the child’s privacy be VERY careful to ONLY talk to the proper church, school and governmental authorities. DO NOT ask for prayer for the child by name in faculty devotionals, class or meetings. Do not make comments to church members, church and school staﬀ or parents about the incident. If you are questioned by the media direct them to the media spokesperson (senior pastor). If the media interviews teachers and workers who have never given any consideration to responding to inquiries of this kind, contradictory statements can abound. The senior pastor has a prepared media position statement that should satisfy reporters and not jeopardize the church’s integrity. Determining whether or not the suspected abuse actually occurred is not your responsibility... DO NOT investigate.

Note: Teachers, workers and volunteers are liable if administration fails to report an incident (see the law, section VII below). Suspected abuse information is NOT “privileged” information. Be sure to follow-up with the appropriate supervisor to assure that the proper authorities have been notiﬁed.

What If You Are Accused? If you are accused of child abuse while fulﬁlling your duties as a paid employee or volunteer worker you should • Immediately contact the Senior Pastor and Principal (if paid by the school)/ Preschool Director (if paid by the preschool). They will know how to handle the situation and will advise you.

•

DO NOT discuss the matter with anyone other than the senior pastor, appropriate supervisors and an attorney in private. Remember that anything you say can incriminate you. If other persons indirectly overhear parts of a conversation then the potential for rumors abounds. Police may or may not be involved at this point. If they are, the decision is yours whether or not you wish to answer their inquiries without the presence of an attorney. Remember... anything you say can be incriminating.

Additional Instructions For Ministry Supervisors Only Unsure About Reporting Consider discussing the situation anonymously with a representative of the agencies listed below if you’re unsure about reporting because of special circumstances. These representatives often are willing to discuss particular cases and evaluate whether or not a report should be filed. Of course, if you are advised that a report need not be filed, be sure to obtain the representative’s name and make a record of the call. It should be filed with the church administrator.

Contacting The Authorities Call an Attorney Local Church Attorney: Harold Ayer (619) 563-5404 Christian Law Association (727) 399-8300 An attorney should be present while answering any investigative questions from police or social service agencies. Call the San Diego Police Department (or Sheriﬀ’s Department) and/or CPS 24 hour emergency numbers as listed below: San Diego Police (child abuse department) (619) 531-2260 Child Protective Services (858) 694-5141 Call Insurance Agency Be sure the administrator is aware that a claim has been initiated and give any pertinent information such as claim number and claimant’s names, etc. If you prefer, church administrator can make this call.

Forms and Protocol Reporting party must ﬁll out suspected Child Abuse Report Form SS 8572 and send it to Child Protective Services within 36 hours of receiving abuse information (You may obtain the form SS 8572 from the Senior Pastor).

Academy When an investigator arrives at the school he/she will most likely question the child in the presence of a third party, (i.e. principal or person who was told of the abuse by the child). Investigators may have the authority to prohibit the school from contacting parents ﬁrst before the interview. If the investigator provides that information, even orally, immediately co-operate.

If the investigator insists on removing the child from the school’s premises be sure to see proper identiﬁcation and write down his/her name and the agency’s phone number to give the child’s parents. NOTE: A person reporting child abuse can have a substantial degree of anonymity until, or unless the case becomes the subject of court action. If court action occurs the person who reported may be required to testify, or the court may disclose the person’s name in some manner. Anyone who in good faith reports child abuse, and who has reasonable grounds for making the report, is immune from any liability, civil or criminal.

Responding To Allegations Of Abuse Designated Media Spokesperson OVC has a designated spokesperson (Senior Pastor), or he may, in his absence delegate an associate pastor. If the media interviews several church leaders who have never given any consideration to responding to inquiries of this kind, contradictory statements can abound. Anyone questioned by the media should refer them to the designated spokesperson.

Media Position Statement The following statement can be released if an allegation of abuse occurs. It includes Ocean View Church polices and established safeguards. This is far superior than making no comment. It is our opportunity to inﬂuence public opinion positively by emphasizing our awareness of the problem of child abuse, our concern for the victim and the extensive steps our church and school have taken to reduce the risk and provide a safe environment for children.

MEDIA STATEMENT In an effort to provide a safe environment for the children entrusted to Ocean View Church and Academy, we have established policies and procedures to prevent an opportunity for child abuse. All of our paid employees as well as regular volunteers are screened thoroughly. Any applicant who wishes to have supervisory or disciplinary powers over minors must fill out a screening form which asks specific questions regarding child abuse. References are checked and applicants must be fingerprinted prior to working in any ministry. The fingerprints are sent to the California Department of Justice and the FBI to be checked for any criminal history. We are then advised of the results. All employees and volunteers receive periodic training in policies and procedures geared to prevent child abuse opportunities. We feel that we have taken the necessary steps to provide a safe and secure environment as possible for the children entrusted to us. At this time our first priority is to assure the victim is being cared for. We have offered whatever pastoral services are needed. We will be working closely with the authorities to gather all the facts of this alleged incident.

Summary Of Steps To Be Taken By Senior Pastor And Ministry Supervisors With Allegation of Child Abuse 1. 2.

Document all your eﬀorts regarding handling of the incident. Report the incident immediately to church insurance company, attorney and Board of Trustees. Do not try to handle this without professional outside assistance.

4. 5. 6.

Contact the proper civil authorities following the guidance of your insurance company and attorney. Do not attempt an in-depth investigation. This should be left to professionals who are familiar with these cases. Notify the parents. Do not confront the accused until the safety of the child or youth member is secured. Do not prejudge the situation, but take the allegations seriously and reach out to the victim and the victim’s family. Showing care and support help to prevent further hurt. Extend whatever pastoral resources are needed. Remember that the care and safety of the victim is the first priority. In some situations, churches have responded in a negative or unsupportive manner to the alleged victim. This can increase the anger and pain of the victim and the victim’s family. Future reconciliation will be more difficult and the possibility of damaging litigation increases. Treat the accused with dignity and support. If the accused is a church, school or preschool volunteer, that person should be relieved temporarily of his or her duties until the investigation is finished. If the person is a paid employee, arrangements should be made to either maintain or suspend his or her income until the allegations are cleared or substantiated. In either situation, without disclosing any information regarding the alleged incident, advise the ministry supervisors that the person in question will not be able to work with children or youth until further notice. Remind ministry supervisors NOT to discuss the matter with anyone other than those involved in the investigation.

Use the text of the prepared public statement to answer the press and to convey news to the congregation. Be careful to safeguard the privacy and conﬁdentiality of all parties involved.

Family Medical Leave Act FMLA Law and Ocean View Requirements For Leave: Ocean View Church is required to comply with the Federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and CFRA (California Family Rights Act), and reserves the right to designate FMLA leave as needed to any eligible employee and to require employees to use ﬁrst all available paid time oﬀ qualifying as FMLA time toward the 12 week limit. The FMLA entitles eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of paid or unpaid, job-protected leave in a 12-month period based on the employee’s anniversary hire date for: • • •

The birth or placement of a child for adoption or foster care. To care for an immediate family member (spouse, child, or parent) with a serious health condition. To take medical leave when the employee is unable to work because of his/her own serious health condition.

Eligible Employees To be eligible for FMLA, an employee must have worked for the Company for at least one year and have completed 1,250 hours over the 12 months prior to the commencement of the leave. The 12-month period during which an eligible employee may take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave will be calculated using the eligible employee’s service anniversary date.

Procedure •

•

• •

To be eligible for FMLA, an employee must have worked for the Company for at least one year and have completed 1,250 hours over the 12 months prior to the commencement of the leave. The 12-month period during which an eligible employee may take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave will be calculated using the eligible employee’s service anniversary date. An eligible employee who wishes to take FMLA must provide HR with 30 days advance notice when the leave is foreseeable. At the time of the request, the employee may complete a “Family Medical Leave Information/Request Form” (SEE ATTACHED). The eligible employee must submit medical certification to support a request for leave, and any extension of the original request for leave. Health and dental benefits will continue during the FMLA provided the employee makes his/her regular monthly contributions to the plan. Failure to pay premiums may result in lapse of coverage. Contact HR for specific details on continuing benefits while on leave. Employees returning from FMLA within the 12 week period will be restored to their original job, or to an equivalent job with equivalent pay and benefits. Employees returning from a medical FMLA may be required to present medical certification of fitness for duty. Failure to provide a medical certificate of fitness for duty may result in a denial of job reinstatement until medical certificate release is provided. FMLA may be taken in increments as small as one hour. Employees may not earn additional paid time off while on FMLA.

FMLA will always begin with paid time off until all available paid time is used. After exhausting paid FMLA leave, non-paid FMLA leave will continue until the conclusion of the protected 12 week time limit. Following the conclusion of protected leave, the employer will decide whether non-FMLA leave should apply. The medical Certification of Health Care Provider serves as a "doctor note" to certify the reason and expected duration of the extended medical leave in writing. All requests for medical leaves, and any extension, must be accompanied by a doctor’s statement verifying your total disability and your estimated date of return to work. Further, written medical verification of your ability to resume work and a list of restrictions that would directly relate to your ability to perform your job must be supplied upon your return.

Employee Rights and Responsibilities Under the FMLA Basic Leave Entitlement FMLA requires covered employers to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to eligible employees for the following reasons: • For incapacity due to pregnancy, prenatal medical care or child birth; • To care for the employee’s child after birth, or placement for adoption or foster care; • To care for the employee’s spouse, son or daughter, or parent, who has a serious health condition; or • For a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the employee’s job; • Exigency for immediate family of active duty member; • Injured service member.

Definition of Serious Health Condition: A serious health condition is an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that involves either an overnight stay in a medical care facility, or continuing treatment by a health care provider for a condition that either prevents the employee from performing the functions of the employee’s job, or prevents the qualified family member from participating in school or other daily activities. Subject to certain conditions, the continuing treatment requirement may be met by a period of incapacity of more than 3 consecutive calendar days combined with at least two visits to a health care provider or one visit and a regimen of continuing treatment, or incapacity due to pregnancy, or incapacity due to a chronic condition. Other conditions may meet the definition of continuing treatment.

Use of Leave An employee does not need to use this leave entitlement in one block. Leave can be taken intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule when medically necessary. Employees must make reasonable eﬀorts to schedule leave for planned medical treatment so as not to unduly disrupt the employer’s operations.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT STAFF HANDBOOK RECEIPT

STAFF HANDBOOK ACKNOWLEDGMENT I, _______________________________, acknowledge receipt of a copy of the Staff Handbook. I understand that this Staff Handbook describes important information about my employment with Ocean View Church. I further understand that I am responsible for reading, understanding, and complying with the contents of this Staff Handbook, and that I should consult the Human Resources department regarding any questions about the content of this Staff Handbook or any questions about my employment that are not answered in this handbook. I have entered into my working relationship with Ocean View Church voluntarily and acknowledge that while there may not be a specified length of service, Ocean View or I can terminate the relationship at will, with or without cause, at any time, so long as there is no violation of applicable federal or state law. I understand that no representations made or information distributed by any representative of Ocean View Church shall be considered to alter the at will status of my service. I further understand that this Staff Handbook is not a contract of employment nor a legal document, and nothing contained herein creates a contract between Ocean View Church and me. Ocean View Church may revise the information contained in this Staff Handbook to supersede, modify or eliminate existing policies. Finally, I understand that this Staff Handbook is Ocean View Church’s property that must be returned to the ministry when I leave my service with Ocean View.

STAFF MEMBER’S NAME (printed) STAFF MEMBER’S SIGNATURE DATE RECEIVED

www.ovcapatriots.com Ocean View Christian Academy 619.424.7875 2460 Palm Avenue San Diego, CA 92154