Evening star., 1950-09-10
The Week in Religion
By RELIGIOUS News Service

Dy NeH9iOuS NEWS SSIft&s
AS many as 100000 lay workers
employed by religious organiza-
tions and institutions will be eligi-
BILE for Federal social security COW
|erage beginning January l under
the bill recently signed by Presi-
dent Truman.
This is the first time that re-
ligious workers have been covered.
For some years a debate was car
Iried on in church circles as to
whether it would be desirable to
have employees of religious organi-
cations covered. Some religious
groups opposed such coverage.
fearing violation of the principle
of separation of Church and State.
During the last few ears there
has been a. growing demand by
church agencies for coverage of
Iemployes. However, when the
new law was being discussed in
Congress the Southern Baptist
Convention urged that church lay
employees be exempted. The South
ern Baptists said they had their
own retirement plan for employees.
To overcome the objections of
the Southern aBptists. and other
denominations which might have
similar views, Congress made So
cial security coverage optional fol
religious groups.
Under the new law ordained
ministers of the gospel and mem
bers of religious orders are ex-
cluded from coverage, but al
other employees of religious insti-
tutions are eligible, provided two
steps are taken.
Two Steps Required.
First, the church body employ
ing lay workers must indicate te
the Federal Social Security Ad-
ministration its willingness to pay
taxes and make wage reports or
those of its employees desiring
coverage. Second. all eligible en-
plyoes must be polled and two
thirds must express a desire tc
participate.
If a two-thirds majority ap-
proves, participation will be
granted. but those employees who
vote against participation can re-
main out, if they so desire. Un-
less two-thirds of the employees
do approve. none can participate
in the program.
The first step in securing cov-
erage must necessarily be an offer
OF it by the employing body. There
is no way under the law whereby
employees of an eleemosynary in
stitution can bring pressure tc
bear in this matter, since Congress
did not feel it necessary.
Church bodies or church-relatec
institutions desiring to offer GOV.
erage to their employees can takt
this first step Immediately. al.
though coverage would not begir
until January /. The requisit,
application blanks are now bein.
prepared by the Government
Printing Office.
I 1t is not contemplated in Wash
ington that any elaborate election
machinery will need to be set u
to go about polling the lay work
erS to see whether two-thirds ap
prove. They will merely sign al
application blank which will b,
provided, and will give their socia
security number. if they have one
If they have not been under socia
security in a previous position, ar
account will be opened for them
in the same manner as for any
new worker in industry.
Part-Time Workers Included.
The worker by refusing to sign
will register his or her dissent.
Signatures of two-thirds of those
eligible will be required. The
point has not been determined,
but it is believed that only full
time workers will be considered
eligible. although if participation
is approved. part-time workers
will be included in the social Sc
curity coverage.