What to do when hiring a person with DACA status

One of the biggest postelection debates in Washington surrounds President Obama’s legal authority to grant of legal status to undocumented immigrants. The discussion is the latest chapter in a series of events that included the Obama administration issuing in 2012 what has become known as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). DACA gave legal status to certain undocumented immigrants who were under thirty-one on June 15, 2012. Although the current debate is about expanding a similar status to others, which President Obama seems set to announce, this post covers the basics of DACA for the purpose of churches and other religious organizations hiring someone with DACA status. Specifically, it addresses which tax and other forms organizations first hiring someone with DACA status to use. In other words, it answers the questions whether someone who falls under DACA qualifies as an Other U.S. person as defined by form W-9 and,
if so, whether that person would need to meet other requirements or fill out
other forms.

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Indiana Church of the Brethren district cannot take title to breakaway congregation

A local district of the Church of the Brethren could not assume the title of the property of a Northern-Indiana congregation that broke away from the Anabaptist denomination, according to an opinion from the Indiana Court of Appeals. The congregation had not incorporated suggested language in its deeds or in its governing documents necessary to give the church the authority to take over the congregation’s property in the event of a split. Continue reading “Indiana Church of the Brethren district cannot take title to breakaway congregation” →

Seventh Circuit holds challengers to parsonage exemption lack standing

The Seventh Circuit unanimously rejected a challenge to the parsonage exemption brought by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, concluding that the Wisconsin-based, nontheistic group lacked the legal ability to challenge the statutory exception granted to “minister[s] of the gospel.” Because the Seventh Circuit concluded the plaintiffs did not have standing, it did not reach the question of whether the parsonage exemption runs afoul of the First Amendment. The opinion reverses a decision of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin that held the provision unconstitutional as violating the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. (You can listen to the very interesting oral argument here.*)

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Make decisions in live meetings, which doesn’t mean in person

The modern age seems to have brought us two things: more meetings and more ways to meet. But what are the limits of how we can or should use technology to help us make decisions more efficiently? Deciding that means thinking about why we meet and what we give up when using technology to make decisions. The short answer is that teleconferences and Skype are acceptable means to make a decision, e-mail and chat rooms are not. And none of these is permitted unless your organization’s governing documents expressly allow for electronic meetings. Continue reading “Make decisions in live meetings, which doesn’t mean in person” →

Don’t vote on minutes—It’s a waste of time!

Every religious organization I’ve ever been a part of has meetings. And inevitably there are minutes for those meetings. And for some reason we feel like we should vote on them, which means we ask for a motion, and a second, and then the vote. It turns out that this not only feels like a waste of time, it is a waste of time. Continue reading “Don’t vote on minutes—It’s a waste of time!” →