White Paper: Defending Religious Organizations—Employer Handbook

How can religious employers structure their policies and handbooks to reduce legal risk while preserving their religious values?

This White Paper serves as a practical self-assessment guide for churches, schools, and ministries. It highlights key employment law areas—including equal opportunity, disability accommodation, wage and hour rules, misconduct investigations, and child protection policies—and explains how the First Amendment and ministerial exception interact with these laws. The handbook also stresses the importance of clearly documented codes of conduct, dispute resolution processes, and crisis management planning for high-risk situations.