LA TAREA DEL SÍNDICO

Employees represent the Church at all times—not just during business hours. Consequently, employees are expected to always conduct themselves in a manner consistent with temple recommend standards. After-hours conduct that is detrimental to the reputation of the Church, whether or not it results in the loss of a temple recommend, may result in work-related

discipline, including termination.

Qualified Applicants Considered for Employment (May 27, 2013)

Only members of the Church who are worthy of a temple recommend qualify for employment. Apart from this, the Church is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its employment decisions on any basis that would violate U.S. or local law. Qualified applicants will be considered for employment and employees will be considered for advancement or other job-related benefits without regard to race, national origin, color, gender, pregnancy, marital status, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or other legally protected categories that apply to the Church. The Church will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, unless doing so would result in an undue hardship. S&I reserves the right, in its own discretion, to employ those it deems to be qualified to be religious educators for the Church. Likewise, it may, in its own discretion, terminate any religious educator it deems no longer qualified to be a religious educator. Qualifications may include, as examples, temple worthiness, having an exemplary marriage, living a life exemplary of the teachings of the gospel.

Temple Worthiness (May 27, 2013)

Employees must either hold a current temple recommend or be certified by his or her bishop or branch president as worthy of holding a temple recommend. This standard has many benefits:

• Employees who live the Church’s teachings are more likely to support its mission at work. • Employees who share common values can maximize unity and teamwork, and

communication among themselves, members, and leaders.

• Employees who sustain the leaders of the Church are more likely to support the work-related

policies established by those leaders.

• Employees who live the Church’s teachings better represent the values and reputation of the

Church to individuals and organizations who deal with the Church.

• Employees who believe the Church’s teachings, and have a testimony of God the Eternal

Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, are more likely to pray sincerely for and receive assistance in his or her work responsibilities.

An employee who ceases to be worthy of a temple recommend, for whatever reason, may be subject to corrective action, including termination from employment or involuntary release from missionary or volunteer service.

Employees must establish worthiness to hold a temple recommend at regularly scheduled intervals and on an as-needed basis. Bishops or branch presidents may be contacted for those employees who do not hold, or show on request, a current temple recommend.

Conditions of Employment for Religious Educators (July 15, 2013)

For employment, all S&I religious educators are required to meet and adhere to the conditions listed below. This list is not intended to be comprehensive, but to provide some guidance to the high standards S&I expects of religious educators.

1. Meets requirements for a temple recommend. 2. Abide by the objective of S&I.

3. Teach students the gospel of Jesus Christ as found in the standard works, the words of the prophets, and the approved S&I curriculum.

4. Be subject to and governed by all rules and regulations of the Church Board of Education and by the policies and instructions of the administrative officers of the board.

5. Exemplify the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including those regarding marriage and the family, and be a positive example of all gospel principles. Among other things, no mother with minor children living in the home or divorced person may be employed full-time to coordinate or teach seminary or in full-time institute of religion.

6. Maintain a reputation of meeting all financial commitments so as not to bring any negative reflection upon your position.

7. Do not use the name of the Church, the name of the institute of religion or seminary, or your position as an employee to promote your own business or other ventures or to gain the trust of others in the aid of any private business ventures in which you may be involved.

8. In states where “at will” employment is allowed, your employment is “at will”—which means that it may be discontinued with or without cause at any time either by you or by S&I.

9. Persons convicted of felonies may not be employed to teach or coordinate seminary or institute.

10. No person who has been disfellowshipped or excommunicated from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints may be employed as a religious educator.

Annual Worthiness Clearance (July 15, 2013)

All employees must maintain their worthiness to hold a temple recommend. S&I will request annual worthiness clearances from priesthood leaders.

Area or division directors should discuss matters of concern about employee worthiness with the S&I Human Resource director. If the bishop does not give worthiness clearance, S&I employees may be given as much as 90 days to work with their bishops to become worthy and retain their employment. Otherwise, employment may be terminated.

No Discrimination or Harassment (May 27, 2013)

Each S&I employee has a responsibility to maintain a workplace that fosters mutual respect. Discrimination and/or harassment in any form, and sexual harassment in particular, are

Human Resource 11-6

prohibited. Specifically, the Church prohibits discrimination and/or harassment that is sexual or related to race, national origin, color, gender, pregnancy, marital status, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other legally protected categories that apply to the Church. Employees should not harass, threaten, or degrade any person.

Harassment may include words, gestures, or actions that annoy, alarm, or abuse another person or create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment. Harassment also includes derogatory or degrading remarks, slurs, and inappropriate jokes and epithets.

Sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and any other verbal, non-verbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature, when submission to that conduct is a term or condition of employment, affects employment decisions, unreasonably interferes with a person’s work performance, or creates a hostile or offensive work

environment. Examples include but are not limited to:

• Verbal conduct such as talking about sex or sexual feelings, telling sexual jokes or stories,

asking personal questions about dating or sexual life, making sexual comments or

innuendoes, whistling or making other suggestive sounds, repeatedly asking for dates or other personal attentions.

• Nonverbal conduct such as displaying or e-mailing materials with sexually suggestive words

or pictures, making sexual gestures, giving items of a sexual or personal nature, staring at a person’s body or clothing, leering, looking a person up and down, blocking a person’s path, hindering a person’s movement, or standing closer than appropriate.

• Physical conduct such as kissing, hugging, or massaging another person or intentionally

touching another’s body, clothing, or hair.

If an employee feels he or she has been discriminated against or harassed, he or she should immediately report the incident to his or her supervisor. If the supervisor is involved in the alleged misconduct or if the employee is uncomfortable reporting to his or her supervisor, the employee may instead report the incident to his or her next level supervisor, to any other S&I leader, a human resource representative, the Standards Line, or the HR Legal Services and Standards Officer. Employees are encouraged to report immediately any incident of

discrimination or harassment they witness. Although not required, employees are encouraged to tell the person engaging in the discriminating and/or harassing conduct that it is unwelcome, offensive, and should stop at once.

A supervisor who learns of an alleged incident of work-related discrimination or harassment involving a Church employee (including an incident when the alleged discriminator or harasser is not a Church employee), must immediately report it to the the human resource representative for that area, who in turn must report it to the Standards Line or the director, HR legal services, even if the employee who is the alleged victim requests that it not be reported. A supervisor who fails to report in this way may be subject to corrective action.

The Church will investigate all reports appropriately, as confidentially as possible, and will take prompt action, up to and including termination from employment or involuntary release from missionary or volunteer service, against any employee found to engage in discrimination and/or

harassment. Any employee who knowingly makes a false claim will be subject to corrective action. If appropriate, supervisor will be notified of the resolution of his or her report.