Parish Pay Scale - How does one find out?

[Hellisreal]

Not sure where to post this.

Its sort of a daily in and out parish life subject. So, if its in the wrong place, please forgive me and move it if need be.

My parish has a parish finance committe (I have heard other names for this but basically this is the term in this area)

I am wondering if anyone here knows how to go about finding out the salary of the paid employees. I am not interested in the Priest’s salary now.

I am interested in the other positions in the parish right now.

Do I ask the Pastor? Do I ask the Finance committe? Do I write the Arch?

Is this even information I can get?

Just wondering for the moment.

 

[Michael_Welter]

The salary of individual employees is private, and should not be available to you. The total salary expenditure of the parish should be on the annual financial statement from the parish.

Does that help?

 

[Hellisreal]

The salary of individual employees is private, and should not be available to you. The total salary expenditure of the parish should be on the annual financial statement from the parish.

Does that help?

Why should it not be available to the parishioner?

Any particular reason?

 

[Michael_Welter]

Why should it not be available to the parishioner?

Any particular reason?

I believe it’s federal law. Unless you’re an elected official, you’re salary is private, and may not be revealed to anyone without your permission.

 

[Hellisreal]

I believe it’s federal law. Unless you’re an elected official, you’re salary is private, and may not be revealed to anyone without your permission.

I think you are very wrong.

Names can not be mentioned. But- job title and salary can be.

I have worked in government, and my job title and salary was public information. If you knew my title.

In my parish, it would be very easy to find out without a name who the person was if the title and salary was released.

So again, tell me why I can’t find out?

 

[Joe_Kelley]

In our diocese, at least and I think in most if not all, the priest’s salary is set by the diocese. This figure is readily available. I remember razzing a friend when he got promoted to pastor. It carried a $20 a month raise. [The catch is that the pastor must say mass twice a month for the people of the parish - and forgo a $10 mass stipend for each.]

 

[Michael_Welter]

I think you are very wrong.

Names can not be mentioned. But- job title and salary can be.

I have worked in government, and my job title and salary was public information. If you knew my title.

In my parish, it would be very easy to find out without a name who the person was if the title and salary was released.

So again, tell me why I can’t find out?

Well, yes, you’re probably right about that. The position and salary, for some positions, may be available, but not if there’s a name attached. It would be an invasion of privacy to publish individual people’s salaries.

Why do you want to know?

 

[Hellisreal]

Well, yes, you’re probably right about that. The position and salary, for some positions, may be available, but not if there’s a name attached. It would be an invasion of privacy to publish individual people’s salaries.

Why do you want to know?

Why do I want to know…

Its a good question. I wish I had the fortitude to explain more fully.

That will have to be several more threads I am afraid.

Thank you for considering my thread, and your posts.

I just need to know how to find out at this point now.

 

[Hellisreal]

In our diocese, at least and I think in most if not all, the priest’s salary is set by the diocese. This figure is readily available. I remember razzing a friend when he got promoted to pastor. It carried a $20 a month raise. [The catch is that the pastor must say mass twice a month for the people of the parish - and forgo a $10 mass stipend for each.]

Thank you Joe!

But- I don’t care about the priest’s salary now.

I know mine do okay.

Priests are one thing.

I am asking about others now.

Good night and may we both have Mary close to us always!

 

[Corki]

I think you are very wrong.

Names can not be mentioned. But- job title and salary can be.

I have worked in government, and my job title and salary was public information. If you knew my title.

In my parish, it would be very easy to find out without a name who the person was if the title and salary was released.

So again, tell me why I can’t find out?

In many government jobs, salaries are set by position so everyone in the same job, with the same years of service, gets paid the same. That’s not how it usually works in non-government companies unless there is a union contract involved.

It isn’t illegal to give out individual’s salaries in most cases (unless protected by a particular state or local law) but not usually considered prudent.

You can certainly ask but don’t be surprised if they want a good reason for why you want/need this information. If you do, go first to the pastor as he is the person who is ultimately responsible for all of the financial and personnel issues in the parish. I don’t know of any reason he would be required to give you that information, so if he says “no”, there isn’t really another level to appeal to.

 

[Hellisreal]

In many government jobs, salaries are set by position so everyone in the same job, with the same years of service, gets paid the same. That’s not how it usually works in non-government companies unless there is a union contract involved.

It isn’t illegal to give out individual’s salaries in most cases (unless protected by a particular state or local law) but not usually considered prudent.

You can certainly ask but don’t be surprised if they want a good reason for why you want/need this information. If you do, go first to the pastor as he is the person who is ultimately responsible for all of the financial and personnel issues in the parish. I don’t know of any reason he would be required to give you that information, so if he says “no”, there isn’t really another level to appeal to.

Thank you for this answer.

Why can’t I go over the Pastor’s head?

Is it a rule of sorts?

I intended to go to him first, Then go up to the dean, then Bishop, ect- if that is even correct.?

But, I don’t see why we can’t know this.

 

[Corki]

Thank you for this answer.

Why can’t I go over the Pastor’s head?

Is it a rule of sorts?

I intended to go to him first, Then go up to the dean, then Bishop, ect- if that is even correct.?

But, I don’t see why we can’t know this.

The only reason you would go over his head would be if there was some requirement that you have this information and he was violating a rule by not giving it to you. As I said, I know of no such requirement so it would be entirely up to the pastor whether he wished to share the information with you. How would you even go about accelerating your request? Complain that the pastor didn’t give you something that he isn’t required to give you any way? BTW, the dean won’t likely have that information either. Even the diocese probably only has the financial reports which list the salary for the staff as a group, rather than individually.

There is no reason you can’t have this information (unless protected by state law or an HR policy of the parish or diocese) but there is also no reason that you have the right to this information. You have the right to ask, they have the right to say “no”.

If you believe there is some kind of financial malfeasance occurring, you should go to the pastor and, if still unsatisfied, go to whoever in the chancery oversees parish finances. But they would take the investigation from there and you still would probably not know what the staff is making.

 

[Hellisreal]

Thank you Corki,

Just for clarification, (your winkie) I am not upset with my pastor or the priests.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Why should it not be available to the parishioner?

Any particular reason?

Because most state laws require it to be between the employer and employee. It may be possible to learn a range “X dollars to Y dollars” for this position or an average amount across the diocese.

 

[Lovemyfaith]

Well, I would guess one might want to know the salaries if interested in working at the parish. That would be a good reason.
I do not care for our parish business manager. I also have a big problem with the way our pastor runs the finances of the parish. There seems to be some sort of financial corruption, at least in my opinion. It really bothers me in that it is the people of the parish who are paying their salaries. In that respect, salaries should be made public knowledge also.
You could call the diocese office and request an audit of your parish. This is not to say you will get one, and the information will still be private, but at least if there is something unusual going on they will find out.
There are things I really like about my pastor, but the money thing really bothers me.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Thank you for this answer.

Why can’t I go over the Pastor’s head?

Is it a rule of sorts?

I intended to go to him first, Then go up to the dean, then Bishop, ect- if that is even correct.?

But, I don’t see why we can’t know this.

I would contact the diocese and ask what is the average pay for a parish DRE, Youth Minister, etc. They should be happy to tell you a paid staff DRE will make between 13K and 23K depending on the size of the parish.

 

[MusicMan]

I’d really like to know why you want this information. Perhaps we could be of more use to you if you told us why you’re interested in it.

 

[AHapka]

This is an issue that has always intrigued me.

I’m the chair of the finance committee in my Parish, and I also work for the county government. In my government job, my salary is public information. All you would have to do is call the county and ask how much I make, and they’d tell you.

I honestly don’t see what the big deal with someone knowing how much someone else makes is and personally don’t see that as “private” information. It is of great benefit in government that we know how much everybody makes to prevent any malfeasance (or accusations thereof), so why not in the private sector too?

It’s kind of funny how they talk about women making less then men in the private sector. This doesn’t happen in government, everyone makes the same amount. No discrimination that way. The only downside is that if I work hard, I don’t make any more then the slackers do. But the benefit of government work is that i’ll never be poor.

Anyway, in our Parish I have always argued for a greater transparency in the processes and figures. Then there are those who are vehemently opposed to sharing any information other then the minimum necessary, since it’ll give people something to complain about. Personally, I feel that we should share more with the people as we are all part of the body of Christ, and they deserve to know these details in how their church is run.

It all boils down to the Priest in charge. He makes the final decisions as to what type of information is released and what isn’t. As my spiritual leader I do what he says since I figure that the Holy Spirit endowed him to make final decisions for the Parish. If the Priest doesn’t want to share that information with you, then you are likely out of luck. While a Bishop is his religious superior, I can’t see him overriding the Priest’s decision without a compelling reason why.

Just my two cents,

Andy

P.S. I made $56,000 last year.

 

[Orionthehunter]

This is an issue that has always intrigued me.

I’m the chair of the finance committee in my Parish, and I also work for the county government. In my government job, my salary is public information. All you would have to do is call the county and ask how much I make, and they’d tell you.

I honestly don’t see what the big deal with someone knowing how much someone else makes is and personally don’t see that as “private” information. It is of great benefit in government that we know how much everybody makes to prevent any malfeasance (or accusations thereof), so why not in the private sector too?

It’s kind of funny how they talk about women making less then men in the private sector. This doesn’t happen in government, everyone makes the same amount. No discrimination that way. The only downside is that if I work hard, I don’t make any more then the slackers do. But the benefit of government work is that i’ll never be poor.

Anyway, in our Parish I have always argued for a greater transparency in the processes and figures. Then there are those who are vehemently opposed to sharing any information other then the minimum necessary, since it’ll give people something to complain about. Personally, I feel that we should share more with the people as we are all part of the body of Christ, and they deserve to know these details in how their church is run.

It all boils down to the Priest in charge. He makes the final decisions as to what type of information is released and what isn’t. As my spiritual leader I do what he says since I figure that the Holy Spirit endowed him to make final decisions for the Parish. If the Priest doesn’t want to share that information with you, then you are likely out of luck. While a Bishop is his religious superior, I can’t see him overriding the Priest’s decision without a compelling reason why.

Just my two cents,

Andy

P.S. I made $56,000 last year.

While you may not mind the world knowing your salary, you might care that the world knows how much debt you have, access to your work reviews, or your health status. In my opinion, our first obligation is to respect the privacy of others and only people who have a right to know private information should know. But I don’t think that is necessarily a broad universe but is a narrow universe. Private information can lead to gossip (grave sin) and used to further private agenda’s contrary to the agenda of the organization.

Furthermore, while a taxpayer and donor to my church, government employees and parish personnel don’t work for ME. They work for their organization and are accountable to their superiors and the purpose of their organization. They are not to serve my personal whims.

If the OP has a specific concern about potential malfeasance, they are processes (in government, business, or their parish) to report the potential problem. After they report their views, it is for the organization to investigate and take any action they deem appropriate. It is inappropriate for any individual to pursue the matter as a vigilante.

 

[chicago]

Thank you for this answer.

Why can’t I go over the Pastor’s head?

Is it a rule of sorts?

I intended to go to him first, Then go up to the dean, then Bishop, ect- if that is even correct.?

But, I don’t see why we can’t know this.

The dean, the bishop… they probably don’t even know!