On Leave from Call

This information has been adapted from the “Manual of Policies and Procedures on the Management of the Rosters.”

Three kinds of leave

• Normative: three years’ duration
• Graduate study: six years’ duration
• Family (child, parent, spouse): six years' duration

Process

At the termination of the call of a rostered person

• Bishop writes to rostered person, providing information about and guidelines for requesting on-leave-from-call status.
• Rostered person has 45 days from end of call to apply for on-leave-from-call status. The request includes
• A statement of willingness to be available for call
• How the rostered person’s gifts and abilities can contribute to the ministry and mission of this church
• The anticipated date of being available for call
• What the rostered person is willing to do to provide ministry services while on leave from call
• A plan for continuing education while on leave
• Current and anticipated participation in an ELCA congregation. A person on leave must be an active member of a congregation of this church.
• For graduate study: education goals, time line for completion, commitment to being available for call at the end of leave
• Family leave: explanation of family circumstances, time line for availability for call, commitment to being available for call at the end of the leave
• If person does not apply within 45 days, he or she can be removed from the roster.
• A person on leave remains accountable to the synodical bishop and to the ministry standards of this church.
• Synod Council grants or denies the request for leave. The effective date of leave is the last day the person was under call. Vacation time (but not money for unused days) counts as being under call. Severance does not count as being under call.
• Leaves are reported annually to the Synod Assembly as information.
• Written notification of the Synod Council decision is sent to rostered person.
• Synod notifies the Board of Pensions and Office of the Secretary of decision.

Prior to the end of each year of the leave, the rostered person requests renewal of on-leave status. Synod Council must act annually to renew or deny request.

What to do when leaves come to an end

Six months prior to the end, bishop’s office contacts rostered person to review

• pension and health insurance implications (recommend person contact BoP)
• implications and expectations of not being on a roster
• criteria for continuation of on-leave-from-call status beyond three (or six) years
• the process for reinstatement of the roster

The Office of the Secretary will notify synod offices when leaves are coming to an end. It does so shortly after each Conference of Bishops meeting for the next 6 months to year, and it does the same three months later.

Criteria and Process for Continuation of On-Leave Status

• Criteria: continuation serves the mission and ministry of this church; particular circumstances warrant an exception
• Rostered person must make a written request to bishop and Synod Council. Due six months before the end of leave.
• Written request (normative) includes
  • Rationale; gifts and circumstances; commitment to be available to serve
  • Anticipated date of availability
  • Willingness to provide ministry services
  • Plan for continuing education
  • Current participation in a congregation of this church
• Written request (graduate school) includes as well education goals, time line for completion, commitment to being available for call at the end
• Written request (family leave) includes as well explanation of family circumstances, time line for availability for call, commitment to being available for call at the end of the leave
• Synod bishop reviews request, forwards to Synod Council with evaluation
• Synod Council considers and if it approves, votes continuation contingent upon approval by the Conference of Bishops
• Request for extension is forwarded to chair of the Roster Committee and Ruth Hamilton in Office of the Secretary. It includes rostered person’s request, action of the Synod Council and rationale for its action, and bishop’s letter of support for request.
• Roster Committee reviews synod requests, recommends to Conference of Bishops for action.
• Conference of Bishops takes action, normally valid for two years. It reports its actions to synods in the report of the roster committee and minutes of the Conference of Bishops meetings.
• Synod notified rostered person of the Conference of Bishops action.
• Synod must review the leave annually (as above).

On Leave from Call Time Line

Three kinds of leave

• Normative: three years’ duration
• Graduate study: six years’ duration
• Family (child, parent, spouse): six years’ duration

Process for initial leave:

45 days:

• Bishop writes to rostered person, providing information about and guidelines for requesting on-leave-from-call status (see above for more information).
• Rostered person has 45 days from the end of call to apply from on-leave-from call status.
• If request for leave is not filed within 45 days, the rostered person may be removed from the roster by Synod Council action.
• If request is filed, Synod Council grants or denies the request for leave. The effective date of leave is the last day the person was under call. Vacation time (but not money for unused days) counts as being under call. Severance does not count as being under call.
• Leave decisions and removals from the roster are reported to the Synod Assembly as information and to the Office of the Secretary.

Annually:

• Rostered person requests renewal of leave. Synod Council acts on renewal.

When leave comes to an end

6 months before:

• Office of the Secretary notifies synod of persons whose leaves are coming to an end.
• Synod notifies rostered person that leave is coming to an end and reviews implications of change of status.
• Rostered person must make a written request to bishop and Synod Council.
• Synod bishop reviews request, forwards to Synod Council with evaluation
• Synod Council considers and, if it approves, votes continuation contingent upon approval by the Conference of Bishops
• Request for extension is forwarded to chair of the Roster Committee and Ruth Hamilton in Office of the Secretary. It includes rostered person’s request, action of the Synod Council and rationale for its action, and bishop’s letter of support for request.

March and October:

• Roster Committee reviews synod requests, recommends action to Conference of Bishops. Conference of Bishops takes action, normally valid for two years. It reports its actions to synods in the report of the roster committee and minutes of the Conference of Bishops meetings.
• Synod notifies rostered person of the CoB action.

Annually:

• Synod must review the leave (as above).

On Leave From Call Guidelines from “Manual of Policies and Procedures on the Management of the Rosters.”