PCANZ recommended pay scale for staff working with young people

The PYM Recommended payscale has been recently updated for staff being employed due to the recent increase in the Living Wage.

2024 Recommended Payscale for Staff Working with Young People

The Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand adopted the Living wage at GA2012 as the minimum an employee should be paid. as of 1 September 2023 the Living wage is set at $26.00. This is the minimum amount any lay ministry staff member should be paid.
In addition to the current living wage, it is recommended churches take into account qualifications, experience, responsibility and their location when determining the pay.

It is hoped that the pay scale will encourage lay ministry workers to work longer for churches and to get better qualified.

General Assembly committed to the Church paying staff at least the living wage.

  • All lay youth workers should earn at least the living wage, in line with that GA commitment.

  • When there is a living wage increase notified by Living Wage Movement Aotearoa New Zealand, this increase should be applied from 1 September.

  • It is up to individual churches to decide what to pay non-stipend staff who earn more than the living wage. It is therefore up to each individual church to determine:

    • If it will offer salary increments in excess of living wage based on experience, qualifications etc,

    • whether to offer annual salary increases, and the quantum of that increase.

  • It is recommended that, once employed, the lay ministry worker’s pay and terms be reviewed annually.