Employment Options

Missionaries with Reliant can chose from a variety of employment statuses when in Initial MTD. 

Full-Time

Part-Time 30, 25, or 20

Associate Staff (official volunteer)

Why Do Some Start as Associate?

Some missionaries choose to start their initial fund raising season as an Associate Staff. Being an Associate means they are an official volunteer with Reliant while they begin support raising, but are not benefits eligible and do not yet receive a paycheck. This option allows the MTD account the missionary is responsible for to build up a balance of funds before pulling money out for a paycheck or benefits. This is a common choice for international missionaries who need to also have funds to cover all of their one-time ministry expenses in the MTD account before they move. If you choose to start Initial MTD as an Associate, you get to choose a point in the future when you want to receive a hire date and start getting paid.

Funds come out of an MTD account with a specific order of pay. Often, in the first few months of support raising, the MTD account does not have enough funds to cover a full paycheck. If a missionary starts Initial MTD receiving a paycheck (Full-Time or Part-Time), but there is not yet sufficient funds in the MTD account to cover a paycheck, then the missionary is "short checked" and accrues backpay (like an I.O.U. for what would get paid if there were enough funds available). In future months, when the MTD account has an abundance of funds, the amount of backpay starts to get paid back to the missionary. 

You might want to start as Associate IF:

• You want to avoid accruing backpay
• You do not need benefits coverage through Reliant
• You do not need a paycheck (you have savings to sustain you, and/or your living expenses will be lower during the first few months of support raising)
• You are an international missionary

You might NOT want to start as Associate IF:

• You need benefits coverage through Reliant right away
• You need to receive a paycheck (even if not a full one) right away
• You want to be able to receive backpay in the future for the hours you are working during support raising
  
  

Actual Hire date

Provisionally Accepted missionaries with Reliant who have not yet attended a training or completed the necessary employment paperwork cannot yet receive an official hire date.

• Depends on:
  • Completing your training requirements (listed on your offer)
  • Completing necessary employment paperwork (whether at training, or remotely if not attending training)
  • No other disqualifying factors come up before your hire date. Potentially disqualifying factors include (but not limited to):
    • You or the church feel led in a different direction
    • There is a change in your moral conduct or background check
• Can be as early as the first day of the training you attend OR 10 business days after you accept your offer (if not attending training)

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