LETTER OF AGREEMENT FOR ASSISTANT CLERGY

The Vestry concurring,

who has appointed him/her to be Assistant with the understanding that his/her appointment shall continue until (date), or until dissolved by mutual consent or by arbitration and decision.

Section A - Time of Work

Clergy are considered to be “professionals” and are expected to manage their schedules to reflect the demands of the ministry while maintaining their own physical and spiritual health, as described in the Compensation & Benefits Manual.

The Assistant is expected to take the time to develop and maintian a healthy spiritual life, including scheduling time for an annual retreat, quarterly reflection days and weekly and daily time set aside for prayer, scripture study and meditation.

Section B - Annual Revision

This Agreement is to be revised and evaluated annually by the Rector and Vestry.

Section C - Evaluation

The Rector and Vestry agree to an annual discussion and evaluation of the Assistant's work in the congregation, the purpose being:

1. To provide the Assistant with a more accurate picture of how the congregation sees him/her that he/she might receive informally.
2. To allow the Assistant to express his/her opinions about how well the Rector and Vestry have fulfilled their responsibilities to him/her.
3. To establish goals for his/her work in the congregation in the following year.
4. To isolate areas of conflict or disappointment which have not received adequate attention and may be adversely affecting working relationships.
5. To clarify expectations on all sides which will help put future conflicts in a manageable form.
6. To provide an additional and valuable factor for the Vestry to use in setting future compensation.

Section D - Compensation

The Assistant's annual cash stipend will be (amount). This stipend is to be established within the guidelines passed by the annual Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of Maryland. (A copy of the current guidelines is attached to this agreement.)

He/she will be provided housing according to the following arrangement (choose the option which applies):

• An annual housing allowance, in accordance with the Internal Revenue Service Code, in the amount of (amount).
• The use of a parish owned dwelling. The Vestry assumes responsibility for the following expenses of maintaining the house: ________________________________
• The use of a parish owned dwelling. The Assistant assumes the following responsibilities for the parish owned dwelling, for which he/she will be paid a Housing Reimbursement of (amount). The congregation will pay all utilities.

The Vestry agrees to provide the following benefit premiums:

1. The Church Pension Fund assessment on the Assistant's cash stipend and housing allowance / reimbursement in accordance with Church Pension Fund rules.
2. Individual/Family life and health insurance benefits, either from the Diocese of Maryland or the equivalent, for the Assistant and his/her dependants, according to Section 3 of the Compensation & Benefits Manual.
3. Workers' Compensation Insurance.

Section E - Expenses

The Vestry agrees to reimburse the Assistant for the following expenses incurred by him/her in fulfilling his/her professional obligations:

1. Moving Expenses - From former location to this congregation shall be paid in full.
2. Office - All necessary office space, furniture, equipment, and supplies will be paid for by the parish.
3. Communications - The Vestry agrees to provide for a telephone in the Assistant's office. All postage for church business will be included in the congregation's budget.
4. Travel - The Assistant is to be reimbursed for all travel for church business at the current Internal Revenue Service rate, currently $.345 cents per mile.
5. Discretionary fund - A fund of (amount) per year will be provided for expenditures at the discretion of the Assistant.
6. Entertainment - Any entertainment done be the Assistant in the course of church business will be reimbursed as negotiated.
7. Professional dues - All dues of the Assistant for professional organizations up to (amount) will be paid by the congregation. This amount includes the cost of the annual Convention and Clergy Conference, as well as other clergy events.
8. Continuing education - The Assistant will be given an allowance of (amount) annually to further his / her continuing education.

Section F - Leave Time

The Rector agrees that the Assistant will have the following periods of leave during which he will continue to receive his/her full compensation and expense allowances:

1. One day off per week, which normally will be (day).
2. One calendar month vacation each year, which will be available after (date).
3. Two weeks per year annually for professional development or continuing education.
4. One month per year of service of sabbatical leave, to be available after the third year, and cumulative through the sixth year.
5. Two weeks childbirth leave for the period immediately surrounding the birth of a child to the Assistant or Assistant's spouse, beginning at a time decided by the Assistant.
6. Sick leave as follows: __________________________

Section G - Supplementary Compensation

The Assistant may receive income from other sources, including, but not limited to, compensation for performing the Rites of the Church (except as below), teaching, counseling, lecturing, writing, and providing consultative services not performed on the church property. The Assistant shall not charge for performing the Rites of the Church, including but not limited to Baptism, Marriage and Burial, done on church property to members of the congregation.

Section H - Use of Buildings

The Rector and the Assistant have reached the following agreement concerning the use of the Church and affiliated buildings: ______________________________

Section I - Other Agreements

The Assistant shall attend all meetings of the Fresh Start Program offered by the Diocese for a period of twenty-four months at the beginning of his or her tenure within the congregation.

[Here or in a separate appendix a mutually established list of expectations for the ministry of the parish is recommended. This is then used as a reference at the time of evaluation (see Section C).]

Date_________________ (Signed) ____________________________________________ Assistant

Date_________________ (Signed) ____________________________________________ Rector

Date_________________ (Signed) ____________________________________________ Warden

Approved:

Date_________________ (Signed) ____________________________________________ Deployment Officer