DWTX from Anaheim – Episcopal News Service – The 76th General Convention committee on the Church Pension Fund unanimously recommended July 10 that the Episcopal Church establish a mandatory pension system for its lay employees.

Because Resolution A177 would amend parts of Canon 1.8, it must pass through the convention’s committee on canons. It will then go first to the House of Bishops for consideration.

The requirement would apply to people who are scheduled to work a minimum of 1,000 hours annually (20 hours/week) for any domestic ecclesiastical organization or body subject to the authority of the church. The system would be provided by the Church Pension Group (CPG) and begin not later than January 1, 2012.

The recommendation grew out of research conducted by CPG in response to 75th General Convention Resolution A125 and a request by the church’s Executive Council that called for the organization to study the church’s lay employees and consider whether providing lay pensions should be required by canon, and whether a pension plan should be administered by a single provider.

That study showed that not all such employees are covered 17 years after General Convention passed Resolution D165a, saying church-related employers “shall provide” lay pension benefits for employees who work at least 1,000 hours. However, such a plan was not required by the canons, and employers were free to provide coverage from any source.

CPG’s study found that 93 percent of diocesan lay employees who work 20 hours or more a week and have been employed for more than one year have employer-provided pension benefits. Approximately 70 percent of similar congregational employees are covered.

Eighty percent of the covered diocesan employees and 67 percent of the congregational employees participate in Church Pension Fund plans.