5 Developments in Religion and Law since Law Meets Gospel started

Five years ago, I set out to try my hand at blogging about legal and related issues that religious groups face. I sought to help faith communities improve their grasp of the rules that govern them, organize themselves, and feel comfortable contacting a lawyer for help. The last five years have brought some very interesting developments at the intersection of law and religion, and the next five promise even more. I’ve enjoyed blogging, though I have not been as regular as I would like to be. I aim to change that in the coming months. I’ve also created some graphics to help you know right away that what you’re seeing is Law Meets Gospel. To mark the fifth birthday of this effort, below are five important developments in the law that affect faith communities. And then some other big news … .

Stop using comp time in place of overtime!

The Department of Labor recently announced new rules about which employees are entitled to hourly and overtime pay. That has caused many employers, including religious and other not-for-profits, to assess whether they are correctly classifying and compensating their employees. One issue that may come up is how your organization compensates employees for work beyond the required hours in a workweek.

Indiana church camp sues over neighboring dairy farm

In one of the first lawsuits filed under Indiana’s year-old Religious Freedom Restoration Act (Ind. Code §§ 34-13-9-1 to -11), the Hoosier Environmental Council filed a complaint (download here) on behalf of a children’s church camp in eastern Indiana. The complaint alleges that the Rush County Board of Zoning Appeals substantially burdened the House of Prayer Ministries’ exercise of religion by granting a special exception to local zoning ordinances allowing Milco Dairy to construct and operate a concentrated animal feeding operation, known as a CAFO.