Paid Time Off
1. Purpose
Section titled “1. Purpose”CrossRoads Church provides paid time off so employees have time away from work for rest, vacation, illness, medical appointments, personal appointments, and personal business.
This policy also provides paid days that are not drawn from the PTO bank including paid holidays and Soul Care Days, a quarterly paid Sabbath day for time with God.
2. Employee Classifications
Section titled “2. Employee Classifications”Full-Time Employee
Section titled “Full-Time Employee”A regular employee scheduled to work 30 or more hours per week.
Eligible for PTO, paid holidays, Soul Care Days, and other benefits approved by the Elders.
Retirement benefits are not a general full-time benefit. Any retirement contribution, including a match, is approved by the Elders for a specific position rather than extended to all full-time employees.
Part-Time Employee
Section titled “Part-Time Employee”Part time employees are scheduled to work 20 to 29 hours per week, which is half-time or more.
Eligible for PTO on the same day-based schedule as full-time employees (Section 3), plus paid holidays and Soul Care Days. Other benefits only when specifically approved by the Elders.
Limited-Hours Employee
Section titled “Limited-Hours Employee”A regular, ongoing employee scheduled to work fewer than 20 hours per week, which is less than half-time.
Not eligible for PTO, paid holidays, or Soul Care Days under this policy. Eligible for benefits only when specifically approved by the Elders.
Temporary/Seasonal Employee
Section titled “Temporary/Seasonal Employee”An employee hired for a limited duration or a specific project, regardless of weekly hours.
Not eligible for paid leave or other benefits under this policy unless required by law or specifically approved by the Elders.
3. Paid Time Off (PTO)
Section titled “3. Paid Time Off (PTO)”PTO covers vacation, illness, medical appointments, personal appointments, personal business, and rest and renewal. This is the only paid leave bank under this policy, so it also covers time away for the employee’s own illness or a family member’s medical needs.
Accrual
Section titled “Accrual”- PTO begins accruing on the employee’s hire date. There is no waiting period: PTO may be used as soon as it is accrued.
- PTO cannot be used before it is earned unless the supervisor approves an advance in writing.
- PTO accrues monthly and balances are tracked in hours.
One day means the employee’s own day
For calculating PTO hours, one day equals the employee’s scheduled weekly hours divided by five.
| Scheduled weekly hours | One day equals |
|---|---|
| 40 hours | 8 hours |
| 30 hours | 6 hours |
| 20 hours | 4 hours |
An employee whose scheduled hours are not listed uses the same division.
How much PTO an employee earns
Every eligible employee earns the same number of days at the same length of service. Because a day is sized to the employee’s schedule, the hours differ while the time away does not.
| Years of Service | Days per year | At 40 hrs/wk | At 30 hrs/wk | At 20 hrs/wk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 2 years | 12 days | 96 hrs (8.00/mo) | 72 hrs (6.00/mo) | 48 hrs (4.00/mo) |
| 3 to 5 years | 15 days | 120 hrs (10.00/mo) | 90 hrs (7.50/mo) | 60 hrs (5.00/mo) |
| 6 or more years | 18 days | 144 hrs (12.00/mo) | 108 hrs (9.00/mo) | 72 hrs (6.00/mo) |
The formula behind the table, for any schedule:
Annual PTO hours = days for the tier × (scheduled weekly hours ÷ 5)
Monthly accrual = annual PTO hours ÷ 12
- The 6-or-more-years tier is the maximum. This rule is the same for full-time and part-time employees.
- Limited-hours and temporary or seasonal employees do not accrue PTO.
- Years of service are measured from the hire date. An employee moves to the next tier on the anniversary date beginning that tier.
When scheduled hours change
If an employee’s scheduled weekly hours change, the new accrual rate takes effect the following month. Hours already accrued are not recalculated, and the value of a day for spending purposes follows the current schedule. An employee moving from 20 to 30 hours a week goes from 4.00 to 6.00 hours a month and keeps everything banked to that point.
An employee whose hours fall below 20 keeps the PTO already accrued. Accrual pauses while their schedule is under 20 hours a week and resumes if their hours return. Banked PTO remains available to use and is not forfeited, and it is spent at the employee’s day as their current schedule defines it. A reduction in hours should not cost someone time they have already earned.
Carryover
Section titled “Carryover”Employees may carry over up to three days of unused PTO into the following calendar year, using the employee’s own day as defined above. That is 24 hours at 40 hours a week, 18 hours at 30, and 12 hours at 20. Any unused PTO above that on December 31 is forfeited unless the Elders approve an exception in advance.
Requesting PTO
Section titled “Requesting PTO”Planned PTO should be requested at least:
- One week in advance for one to two days
- Two weeks in advance for absences of three or more days
These notice periods apply to planned absences, such as vacation and scheduled appointments. For illness or another unplanned need, notify your supervisor as soon as practicable — no advance notice is required.
Supervisor approval is required for all PTO; for an unplanned illness absence, notifying your supervisor when you call in satisfies this requirement.
Increments
Section titled “Increments”- Appointments and partial-day absences may be taken in one-hour increments and are charged the hours actually missed, so a short absence does not consume more leave than needed.
- Vacation should be requested in whole or half days to help with scheduling and coverage. A whole day is charged at the employee’s own day.
Sundays
Section titled “Sundays”Sunday is the primary ministry day. An employee with Sunday ministry responsibilities may use no more than four Sundays per calendar year as planned PTO. Additional Sundays require approval from both the supervisor and the Elders.
PTO at Separation
Section titled “PTO at Separation”Unused accrued PTO is not paid at separation and has no cash value. PTO is provided for rest and renewal during employment, not as deferred compensation.
4. Extended Leave
Section titled “4. Extended Leave”An employee facing an absence longer than their available PTO — for example, an extended illness or medical leave — should notify their supervisor as early as possible. If PTO is exhausted, the Elders may approve additional paid or unpaid leave based on the circumstances.
Because CrossRoads Church is not covered by the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, requests for extended leave are considered individually. No paid leave accrues during periods of unpaid leave.
5. Holidays
Section titled “5. Holidays”CrossRoads Church observes the following nine paid holidays:
- New Year’s Day
- Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Friday after Thanksgiving
- Christmas Eve
- Christmas Day
A holiday is a day the church is closed and everyone is off. Full-time and part-time employees alike receive the holiday in full, regardless of scheduled hours and regardless of whether the holiday happens to fall on a day they would ordinarily work. No employee is asked to work a holiday, no PTO is charged for it, and no pay is reduced because of it.
When a holiday falls on a weekend, it is observed on the nearest weekday and never on a Sunday, so that staff who work Sundays still receive an actual day off in exchange. The Elders will communicate the observed dates each year.
6. Soul Care Days
Section titled “6. Soul Care Days”CrossRoads Church provides one paid Soul Care Day per quarter, set aside for the employee to spend time with God. It is a paid Sabbath day for rest and spiritual renewal, not vacation and not a personal day.
Eligibility. Employees who are eligible for PTO under Section 2, meaning those scheduled to work 20 or more hours per week. Available from the date of hire.
It is not charged to any leave bank. A Soul Care Day does not draw down PTO, and no pay is reduced for it.
Length. One day. A part-time employee takes a day away from work the same as anyone else.
Scheduling. A Soul Care Day is taken within the quarter it belongs to and does not carry over. Employees request the day by email to their supervisor in advance, so the church knows who will be out. Approval is expected; the request exists for coverage, not permission.
Unused Soul Care Days have no cash value and are not paid at separation.
7. Bereavement Leave
Section titled “7. Bereavement Leave”All employees eligible for PTO receive:
- Immediate family: up to three paid days
- Extended family: up to one paid day
Immediate family means the employee’s spouse, child, stepchild, foster child, parent, stepparent, legal guardian, sibling, stepsibling, grandparent, or grandchild, and the same relations of the employee’s spouse.
Extended family means an aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or cousin, and any other relative or member of the employee’s household not listed above.
A part-time employee receives the same number of days as a full-time employee.
Additional leave may be approved by the supervisor. Bereavement leave does not draw down PTO.
8. Jury Duty
Section titled “8. Jury Duty”Employees receive paid leave for required jury service. Each day of service is paid at the employee’s own day as defined in Section 3.
9. Military Leave
Section titled “9. Military Leave”Military leave will comply with all applicable federal and state law.
10. Exceptions
Section titled “10. Exceptions”The Elders may approve exceptions to this policy when extraordinary circumstances exist. Exceptions should be rare and documented.