Information Leaflet

Stipend payments will be made by direct credit deposit into the Presbyter’s bank account on the 10th of each month (assuming the 10th of the month is a weekeday) covering the calendar month in which it is paid. That is, the payment made on 10 July 2023, is the payment of the stipend for the whole of the month of July 2023. When the 10th is a weekend or holiday then the bank account deposit will be made on the previous working day with the funds being available for use on the following day

The payment to the Presbyter will cover:

• The standard stipend;
• Taxation on the assessed value of housing where the Presbyter lives in a parsonage provided by the Church
• The house allowance payment where the Presbyter provides their own housing accommodation (if  applicable);
• The standard expenses allowance;
• The deduction of PAYE tax;
• The deduction of the member superannuation contribution;
• The deduction of KiwiSaver employee and employer contributions (where this is appropriate);
• Any other deductions approved by the employee or required to be deducted by law including additional medical insurance.

Where the Administration Division pays the stipend and/or wages on behalf of the parish, it will debit funds from the parish bank account using the banking direct debit facilities on or about the 8th day of each month or where the 8th is a weekend or holiday on the previous working day.

At the beginning of the financial year (July), a list of direct debit dates and an invoice for the amount to be debited is sent to the Parish to ensure accounts have sufficient funds.

If a Parish needs to make any change to payments or are sending timesheets these must be notified by the 3rd of the month to Stacey Milne (for monthly payroll only).

The amount collected by Connexional Payroll and invoiced to parishes each month will cover:

• The gross stipend;
• The housing allowance (when applicable);
• The standard expense allowance;
• The gross parish supernumerary fund contribution (church/employer contribution including ESCT); KiwiSaver employer contributions (where this is appropriate);
• Any other payments made through Connexional Payroll e.g. Travel Allowance.
• Medical Insurance (where applicable)

That is to say, the gross costs of the monthly pay will be direct debited from the Parish bank account.

All leave taken (holidays, sickness (including COVID), unpaid, ACC, bereavement, etc.) within the parish by either the Presbyter or lay workers must be notified to Connexional Payroll within 5 days of the leave being taken otherwise it may not be able to be processed in the same month as the leave is being taken.

Notification of leave taken (holiday, sick, ACC, unpaid, etc.) needs to be sent to the Connexional payroll team and they will ensure that the records are correct and up to date. The records that the Connexional Office maintain are as good as the information supplied to them. What they do not know about cannot be processed.

A medical certificate may be requested after 5 days sick leave. After two weeks a medical certificate must be provided to the Synod Superintendent. For Church related injuries that have ACC payments associated with them, copies of the ACC forms would also be helpful. Remember that if there is either a Church based or non Church based injury, in most cases ACC covers most if not all the costs.

For more information regarding Leave for Presbyters, refer to Information Leaflets 7 and 7a.

Payments for ACC Employer Levies are invoiced to parishes once per year, only after the Connexional Office have received invoices from ACC (about August of each year).

Invoices from ACC cover both the previous tax year and a forecasted amount for the current tax year based upon gross payroll information supplied by the IRD.

Normally, the Connexional Office will not make any deductions from stipend payments unless either authorised by the Presbyter or by Law.

From time to time Inland Revenue, Ministry of Social Development or the Department of Justice will require us to make deductions. In these cases the Connexional Office is required to make the deduction and therefore the Connexional Office will follow the deduction notice. The Connexional Office assume that these agencies would have made contact with the Presbyter before providing the Connexional Office with the written notice to deduct.

For further details contact either:

Peter van Hout, Financial Services Manager, Connexional Office
Email: [E-Mail not displayed] or T: 0800 266 639, ext. 817
OR
Stacey Milne, Fund Administrator, Connexional Office
Email: [E-Mail not displayed] or T: 0800 266 639, ext. 833.