GC45 WF08: GCE02 Total Compensation Review Proposals for Summer 2025

There was strong support for moving forward with this proposal. 

Participants acknowledged that the current processes and structure for M&P and human resources processes are challenging and in many cases difficult to maintain. 

Some groups named concerns with (iii), which some groups interpreted as an intent or directive to limit the creation of part-time positions. Groups affirmed that there are situations where part-time ministry is appropriate for both the community of faith and the ministry personnel. 

There was a lot of feedback on the need to review salary minimums given the data about the percentage of ministry personnel currently being paid above the minimum. This indicates strong interest in the recommendation to ensure that further study on minimum salary levels be undertaken. Some groups wanted that recommendation (vii) to be more directive. On balance, the existing language of the proposal incorporates already addresses their concerns and provides for a possible implementation plan in this regard. 

While there was support for exploration of the feasibility and acceptance of a centralized payroll system, concerns were expressed about the effectiveness of a centralized payroll system and the potential financial and operational impacts of implementation. 

Groups affirmed recommendation (xiii) for continued pay equity analysis, also wanting to ensure that such analysis also incorporated the implications for ministry personnel employed in incorporated ministries and ecumenical shared ministries. 

Therefore, the Way Forward Team proposes 

 
That, in response to GCE02 Total Compensation Review Proposals, the 45th General Council, 2025: 

1. receive the report of the Total Compensation Task Group; 

2. add to The Manual section I.2.1.1 a) the words “fair, just, and equitable,”  

3. encourage regional councils to exercise oversight to seek to provide full-time equivalent employment opportunities wherever possible limit creation of part-time positions so that the onus is on the church to, rather than ministry personnel having to “cobble together” full-time equivalencies, recognizing that there are situations where part-time ministry is appropriate for both the community of faith and the ministry personnel. 

 
That the 45th General Council, 2025 direct the General Secretary to:  
 

4. recommend to the 2026 45th General Council annual meeting the elimination or revision of specific by-laws that confound/complicate co-operative and collaborative ministries employment; 

5. annually provide regional councils with aggregate payroll data by regional cost of living groups to support them ensuring fair and equitable compensation terms at the time of appointment and call and ensuring compliance with minimum salary standards; 

6. apply regional cost of living compensation differentials to communities of faith providing a manse to ministry personnel;  

7. undertake further study of salary minimums – which includes but is not limited to studying relative parity of United Church minimum salaries with the minimums of Presbyterian, Evangelical Lutheran and Anglican churches – with a recommendation for a possible implementation plan for revised salary minimums; 

8. work with the leadership and wisdom of the National Indigenous Council to develop a compensation model, and funding for that model, that is relevant to remote Indigenous communities of faith;   

9. explore with the Indigenous leadership additional resources and supports for ministry personnel serving Indigenous communities of faith, specific to the context of remote Indigenous ministries; 

10. annually adjust minimum salaries by the annualized Consumer Price Index (CPI) if 3% or less; when the CPI exceeds 3%, staff gather data on wage predictions, collective agreements in not-for-profit and social service sectors, adjustments being offered by other denominations, to support the Executive of the General Council, considering issues of affordability, to set an adjustment.   

11. work with the Indigenous church as it discerns more appropriate compensation models and commit to removing any policy barriers to nimbleness in funding;  

12. explore the feasibility and acceptance of centralizing payroll administration: to relieve communities of faith of this complex burden, recognizing that treasurers would still have to be the source of employment and payroll data for the payroll administrators;   

13. expand the base of participation in the Leadership Counts equity study so that equity can be evaluated more thoroughly 

And that the 45th General Council, 2025 forward the notes from the discussion groups to the General Secretary and General Council Office staff to review, and incorporate General Council feedback, as appropriate, as part of the implementation plans.