New Hire Process
New Hire Process
- The 2025 New Hire Form must be completed for all hired employees, and returned to the Office of the Bishop.
(See bottom of this page for instructions on where to submit) - The 2025 Employee Pension Election Form must be completed by all hired employees regardless of full-time or part-time status, and returned to the Office of the Bishop.
- The following forms must be completed for all employees eligible for benefits, and returned to the Office of the Bishop. (Click here for more info on eligibility).
- 2025 New Hire Form
- CPG Employee New Assignment Notice Form
- 2025 Employee Enrollment Form (if eligible for benefits)
- CPG Employee Application For Combined DC Plans (if eligible for benefits)
- Defined Contribution Retirement Plan Beneficiary Designation Form (if eligible for benefits)
- CPG Retirement Savings Plan Form (RSVP) (if eligible for benefits)
(Only required if the eligible employee would like to enroll in an RSVP plan)
- Review this Safety Manual and keep a signed copy of the receipt in the employee’s file.
- Complete the W4 Employee Withholding form, and the CA Withholding Allowance form as required by the IRS. (These forms must be retained in the employee’s file at the congregation)
- Complete the Wage Theft Notice
- Complete the I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form as required by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. (This form must be retained in the employee’s file at the congregation). (Form in Spanish) (Instructions)
- Ensure Employees are Enrolled in the Church Pension Fund. Both clergy persons and lay employees scheduled to work 1,000 or more compensated hours per year should be enrolled in the Church Pension Fund.
- Health Insurance Enrollment: All employees scheduled to work 1,000 or more compensated hours per year are eligible for medical and dental insurance.
If your congregation provides State Short-Term Disability Insurance and Unemployment Insurance, the following brochures must be provided to all employees:
Submit New Hire & Benefit Forms via:
Email:
benefits@norcalepiscopal.org
Fax:
916-442-6927
Mail:
Episcopal Diocese of Northern California
c/o Office of the Bishop – Benefits
2394 Fair Oaks Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95825
Changes in Employee Information
Changes in Employee Information
The Employment Practices and Benefits (EP&B) Committee recommended a 4.80% COLA (Cost-Of-Living-Adjustment) for 2024, which was approved by the Board of Trustees. If your congregation chooses to make an increase to clergy/lay employee salaries, please complete the form below.
Complete the 2025 Employee Change in Information Form and the 2025 CPG Employment Change Form for any of the following reasons:
- Change in employee compensation
- Annual COLA increase to employee compensation
- Adding or removing employee benefits (for employee or dependent)
- Change in employment status (exempt, non-exempt,salaried, hourly)
- Change in hours
- Change in address
- Change in phone numbers
- Change in job title
Submit Employee Change in Information Form via:
Email:
benefits@norcalepiscopal.org
Fax:
916-442-6927
Mail:
Episcopal Diocese of Northern California
c/o Office of the Bishop – Benefits
2394 Fair Oaks Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95825
Terminating Employment
Termination Process
The following forms must be completed for all terminated employees, and returned to the Office of the Bishop.
- 2025 Termination Form*
- 2025 CPG Employment Change Form**
- Final Paycheck Acknowledgment
- Change in Relationship Form
*Churches or institutions will be charged for health insurance until this form is submitted to the Diocese.
**You must check the “Termination” box at the top of this form
Submit Termination Forms via:
Email:
benefits@norcalepiscopal.org
Fax:
916-442-6927
Mail:
Episcopal Diocese of Northern California
c/o Office of the Bishop – Benefits
2394 Fair Oaks Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95825
Initiating the Retirement Process
Retirement
Please contact the Church Pension Group and the Episcopal Church Medical Trust directly as you approach age 65 (regardless of whether or not you plan to retire). To ensure sufficient time for transitions, please contact Church Pension Group when you are three months away from retirement.
Forms to submit to benefits@norcalepiscopal.org:
Annual Performance Evaluations
Annual Performance Evaluations
These performance evaluations were developed by the Office of the Bishop to facilitate annual employee reviews. Churches and institutions of the diocese are welcome to use them but they are not required to do so. Please contact us if you would like to change these forms in any way.
Housing Allowance Reporting
Housing Allowance Reporting
At the end of every year, the Vestry or Mission Committee of each congregation should determine a housing allowance for clergy. Any changes that need to be made must be enacted by December 31 of the current year to be effective for the upcoming year.
Please fill out one of the forms as applicable below:
- Housing Allowance Resolution Form (With House) for a minister whose housing is provided by the church
- Housing Allowance Resolution Form (No House) for a minister who owns or rents his/her home
More Resources: Church Pension Group – Tax Resources
For further assistance, please contact Ms. Nancy N. Fritschner, CPA (1-877-305-1414), from the Church Pension Group
Imputed Income
Imputed Income
Most active clergy persons UNDER the age of 65, receive up to $100,000 in group term life insurance from the Church Pension Fund and an additional $20,000 in group term life insurance from their respective church institution. Most active clergy OVER the age of 65, receive an amount of group term life insurance as calculated by the Church Pension Fund.
When the value of employer-provided group term life insurance coverage exceeds $50,000, there is imputed income related to this insurance that needs to be determined and reported. As imputed income, the excess amount of group term life insurance becomes a taxable value to an individual clergy person. The amount of imputed income is calculated by the Church Pension Fund based on a number of factors including age and the number of months the insurance was provided.
After the Office of the Bishop receives this information, a letter is mailed out with the respective amount of imputed income for each employee to the employee AND the church institution where they are employed.
Therefore, church institutions should not file W-2 Forms until after receiving a letter from the Office of the Bishop. In the meantime, each church institution should contact their respective payroll provider to inform them that the church institution is waiting to receive this information before filing W-2 forms.
Ministerial Forms & Information
Ministerial Forms and Information
Letters of Agreement (LOA): Clergy serving a congregation in the Diocese of Northern California are required to have a completed Letter of Agreement prior to the announcement of their call to a position of ministry. The original LOA will be on file at the Office of the Bishop and copies will be provided to the clergy person and Senior/Bishop’s Warden.
For current LOA templates, please contact:
The Rev. Julie Wakelee
916-442-6918 ext. 214
transitions@norcalepiscopal.org
