Employee Expectations

Employee Expectations

JBU is an intentional Christian educational community, and we affirm that Scripture is our authority for our collective faith and life together. JBU clearly communicates its Christian mission, statement of faith, and expectations to all potential employees, and all employees voluntarily and regularly affirm that statement and expectations as part of being employed at JBU.  Scripture teaches that all work is given by God as a Christian calling, so we consider all of JBU’s employees to be role models for students. JBU also affirms that all people are created in the image of God, loved by God, and should be treated with love, respect, grace, and dignity, and we seek to honor this fundamental scriptural principle in implementing any of our employment policies. JBU recognizes the freedom of conscience concerning Christian conduct in those things not expressly addressed in Scripture, but JBU does expect its employees to follow JBU’s standards for conduct in the following areas:

• To refrain, for example, from anger, drunkenness, jealousy, occult practices, profanity, pornography, sexual immorality, theft, gossip, bullying, violence, greed, gambling, and dishonesty and to act with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, generosity, stewardship, forgiveness, reconciliation, justice, and self-control.
• To adhere to the laws of the nation, state, and local community, except in the rare occasion when obedience to civil authorities would require disobedience to the moral law of God, then respectful, peaceful civil disobedience is permitted. However, individuals must be prepared to submit to the penalty for such behavior.
• To support the University policy of discouraging traditional undergraduate students from using tobacco products and alcoholic beverages.
• To abstain from the use of illegal drugs. (Due to the University's legal requirement under the Drug Free Workplace Act, employees convicted of a violation of a criminal drug statute occurring in the workplace must notify the Human Resources Department within five days of the conviction, and the University, independent of the Act, requires immediate notification of any criminal charge or arrest both within and outside the workplace.)
• To exercise wise judgment based upon Scriptural standards in making choices about viewing and participating in all forms of media, including film, television, and social media.
• To participate actively in a local church.
• To live with integrity and congruence between one’s birth sex and one’s gender identity in keeping with God’s wisdom and benevolent design in creating human beings as male and female. JBU recognizes that an employee could find it difficult to live out this ideal, and such an employee should contact Human Resources to discuss whether and how JBU might be able to accommodate, if possible, their concerns.
• To steward God’s gift of human sexuality through fidelity in marriage and chastity in singleness in accordance with Scripture’s teaching that sexual intimacy is reserved for marriage and that a Christian marriage is a lifelong commitment between one man and one woman. Scripture recognizes divorce as a falling short of God’s intended ideal for a Christian marriage; however, it also recognizes human fallibility and allows for divorce and remarriage under certain circumstances. Any employee contemplating divorce should contact Human Resources to discuss how JBU might be able to support him or her with counseling and guidance.

JBU considers seriously any act taken by an employee that contradicts or undermines these ideals. JBU reserves the right to reassign, suspend, dismiss, or take other appropriate action with respect to a faculty or staff member involved in taking action that contradicts or undermines these ideals. JBU also recognizes that everyone falls short of God’s ideals, so, in any employee decision, JBU seeks to reflect both God’s redemptive grace through confession, repentance, and restoration and God’s truth about how we should live. Every employee decision will be made on a case by case basis considering all of the facts and circumstances of the situation and seeking to treat all people involved with truth, love, respect and dignity because all people are created in God’s image.                                                                   

Employees, by virtue of their employment, agree to live within the framework of the University's expectations and to serve as role models for students of scriptural ideals for the Christian life. While some may not have personal convictions in exact accord with all of these standards, JBU expects an employee to honorably adhere to them. Behavior or advocacy that indicates that an employee has disregard for the spirit of the standards may result in disciplinary action, including termination.  Employees are encouraged to ask their supervisor or Human Resources if they have any questions about any aspect of these provisions.