Small Business Administration and Faith Based Organizations

There are numerous conversations and questions concerning whether or not the CARES Act will benefit pastors and churches. Please remember that the legislation is contained in a 900+ page document. After several webinars, conference calls, and many conversations, I will attempt to give you my best understanding and thoughts.

1. There is a degree of undefined terminology within the act in regards  to churches in particular. In that pastors are not church employees, but self employed professionals, there is some question whether or not a pastor can be "furloughed" or "laid off". There is a more defined conclusion, that as a self-employed professional, should a church not be able to pay its pastor, the pastor can file for unemployment under the legislation. However, there is an unanswered question of whether a pastor could continue their pastoral duties while collecting unemployment.
2. What about church staff? If your church employs a secretary, organist, youth leader ect., and the church is not able to pay the staff's salary, it can apply for salary replacement under the CARES Act. This will entail documentation at both the beginning and end of the process. 
3. There is consistent observation that we will not know how this will benefit or not benefit churches and pastors until there is some experience of applications made and subsequent acceptance or denial. Please if your church applies, let me know what occurs, and your experience of the process.   

At this point I would encourage you to enter the process if needed, but please remember we do not know how this legislation will be applied and interpreted in relation to churches.

In Jesus name, Dale