Severance Benefits

The State of Ohio does not provide unemployment compensation coverage for church employers and its employees.  The reason for this exclusion is rooted in separation of church and state issues that have been made part of Ohio’s unemployment law.  As such, the National Offices has worked to reduce the impact of this lack of an unemployment benefit by providing for severance benefits that are made available to employees should they be affected by a reduction in force. 

Termination of staff shall take effect with at least four weeks’ notice, or payment of equivalent salary in lieu of such notice.

Severance pay shall be an amount equal to a minimum of 12 weeks of regular salary.  In addition, the employee will receive one week of regular pay for each year of service up to a maximum of ten (10) weeks.   Thus an employee may not exceed the maximum of 22 weeks of severance benefits.  Severance allowances will be paid in installments on regular pay days and is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local taxes.

Employer paid benefits shall continue during the notice and severance periods, except that vacation, sick, and personal time will not be earned.

Payment for accrued vacation up to the date last worked will be made as a lump sum. 

Transitional Services will be made available to assist affected employees as follows.  

• Identification of goals
• Resume development, review and revision
• Effective letters and follow-ups
• Strategic job targeting
• Information on job search support groups
• Networking skill development
• Interpersonal communications
• Computer lab and fax services
• Online job board
• Employee Assistance Program (e.g., stress and financial management)