Benefits Administration is an important part of managing the day-to-day activities of your church. Clergy and lay employees are entitled to a variety of benefits, depending on a number of factors. The staff at the Diocese of Southwest Florida are here to assist you in helping your team members access their benefits. This guide is intended to answer the more frequently asked questions and to provide an introduction to benefits administration at the church level.
Clergy and lay employee benefits change frequently, and determining eligibility can be a daunting challenge. Diocesan Benefits Administrator, Jerry Buss, can assist you with specific questions about benefits eligibility and programs. If you have any questions, please contact her at [email protected].
Diocesan Policy
Denominational Health Plan Policy
General Information
Benefits for employees at Episcopal organizations are administered by Church Pension Group (CPG) under one of their many lines of business. CPG offers numerous training opportunities for new benefits administrators, click here to access that training. CPG’s Administrators’ Resources Hub contains a wealth of information for benefits administrators. Access that area by clicking on this link.
New and experienced benefits administrators should frequently visit the Administrators’ Resource Hub for refresher courses on benefits programs and for the latest news and updates. New administrators can orient themselves with CPG’s ‘At-a-Glance’ guides to clergy (click here) and lay (click here) benefits.
2024 Health and Dental options can be found in the Benefits Administrator’s Annual Letter to Churches (click here).
Employee Health Benefits
Church employees that work at least 1,000 hours a year are eligible to be covered under a Church Medical Trust health insurance plan. Churches must offer funding of health insurance plans for employees who work 1,500 or more hours per year. Churches may choose to fund health insurance plans for those working between 1,000 and 1,500 hours per year, and the church must remain in compliance with the Denominational Health Plan linked above.
In the Diocese of Southwest Florida, medical plans are administered Church Pension Group under The Episcopal Church Medical Trust. The Diocese of Southwest Florida participates in health insurance coverage offered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
Lay Employee Retirement Benefits
Lay employees are eligible to participate in a ‘Defined Contribution’ 403b/401a retirement plan. Employees who work 1,000 hours or more in a year are entitled to receive funding of their retirement plan from their employing church. The plan is administered through Fidelity. Learn more about this retirement plan by visiting CPG’s Lay Defined Contribution webpage (click here).
Clergy Retirement Benefits
Employed clergy members participate in the Clergy Pension Plan, and the assessments are typically paid by the church that employs them. The Clergy Pension Plan includes a defined benefit retirement plan, short and long term disability coverage for working clergy, and a life insurance benefit. Learn more about the Clergy Pension Plan by visiting CPG’s Clergy Pension Plan webpage (click here).
Clergy and their employing churches also have access to the Retirement Savings Plan (RSVP) to supplement the cleric’s retirement planning. The RSVP is a ‘Defined Contribution’ 403b plan that provides tax deferred growth to contributions. Learn more about RSVP by visiting CPG’s RSVP webpage (click here).
Dental Benefits
Employees who are eligible to participate in Church Medical Trust health insurance plans are also eligible to purchase dental coverage. Churches may or may not contribute to the cost of coverage. More information on dental coverage can be found on CPG’s Delta Dental webpage (click here).
Short and Long Term Disability
Employees may be eligible for employer-paid or employee-paid disability coverage. Clergy who are active in the Clergy Pension Plan receive short and long term disability coverage under that plan. You can learn more about that coverage by reading about the pension plan on CPG’s Clergy Pension Plan webpage (click here). Lay employees obtain coverage under separate plans, and you can learn more about that coverage on CPG’s disability page (click here).
Life Insurance
Employees may be eligible for employer-paid or employee-paid life insurance. As with disability coverage, clergy who are active in the Clergy Pension Plan receive a life insurance benefit through that plan. You can learn more about that life insurance benefit by reading about the pension plan on CPG’s Clergy Pension Plan webpage (click here). Lay employees obtain coverage under a separate plan, and you can learn more about that coverage on CPG’s lay life insurance page (click here). Clergy may be able to obtain additional group or individual life insurance coverage beyond the coverage offered under the pension plan. Learn more about that coverage on CPG’s clergy life insurance webpage (click here).
Last Updated: 9-18-23