...can William clock in when he's there to play?

It makes perfect sense. If Peter clocks in when he is not actually working, then he is falsifying labour records. That is a crime in most jurisdictions. The technical name for it is likely different in the USA - but fundamentally it is still telling lies about who is doing the actual work.

The liability issue comes in around insurance, labour law and suchlike. If William is on the premises, then he needs to be covered if he falls over and hurts himself. Attendance records need to be kept in case a vulnerable person makes an accusation of some kind of abuse. Also, there are sometimes laws about the number of hours that people can work for. For all of these reasons, record, clock-records etc need to be accurate. Allowing "B can clock in when A is actually doing the work" situations breaks this, and causes problems.

I know it was a handy arrangement for your family - and it being in the family, the risks would be managed to a great extent. But allowing that kind of behaviour overall causes problems.

Now if Peter and William attend together, both go to the loft and Peter stays the whole time but William actually plays ... I cannot see any problem with Peter clocking in, because he was actually there to do the work if needed.

Now if Peter and William attend together, both go to the loft and Peter stays the whole time but William actually plays ... I cannot see any problem with Peter clocking in, because he was actually there to do the work if needed.

They are there together the whole time, and always have been every time William plays instead of Peter.

Why can't they give William a stipend for playing? Do they not want him to play?

Thank you for your replies. I think I understand better what's going on now. Automatons is right on the mark. At least that's the most charitable explanation.

The parish has no arrangement for substitutes because our pastor has no interest in the organ being played anyway. (If Peter is absent on one of his Sundays to play, they have no music.) Before he came five years ago, the organ was played every Sunday with a choir of 12, men and women. Now there are two organ Masses per month, having given way to "LifeTeen Mass" for 2nd Sunday and "Contemporary Mass" for 4th Sunday. The "choir", which last year was three older ladies (volunteer) and an older lady director (paid), now consists of one older lady plus my 17 yo daughter, Sarah, who decided to help out because her brother plays the organ and she has training in sacred music which she offers as a gift to the parish. Many parishioners genuinely appreciate the music when my children are there and, for their sake, Peter and Sarah wish to continue. However, I can't imagine our pastor letting the choir continue and pay a choir director for what it is now so I expect some changes are coming soon. During the summer when the choir was not singing, Peter played the organ and Sarah served as cantor which was a very fine arrangement and we would be happy to see it return to that and save the embarrassment of the "choir".

BTW, we live in the rural South where there are few Mass/parish options. We would have to travel 2.5 hours either to Memphis or Nashville to find a parish that is, how do I say--more concerned about sacred liturgy.

Unfortunately, there are other issues at work that preclude doing anything that makes sense, as above. The only way to "win" in this situation is follow the letter of the law laid down. The alternative is to leave the parish. Peter has one more year before going off to college, then we will depart the premises.

It truly is amazing how few "youth" want the "Youth Mass" music.

Charles,

I watched the moon landing from my mother's lap, being just a yearling at the time, so I'm quite some time from retirement yet. Since I'm that far away, I will keep working to help spread good music.

I can't see Chris at Walmart. Chris to customer: So, you think you are one of the true shoppers. You didn't handle that cart reverently when you pulled it from the rack. You're a heretic. Sacro-rollback smiley face said you must respect and acknowledge the pride of place of carts in the shopping experience. I would have to sell my Walmart stock since it would rapidly become worthless. LOL

my comment about Walmart was not for Chris it was for the OP and her quandaries

You were not clear on that. I had to go back to see who the original poster was. Her parish doesn't sound like an ideal place to be, but so many of them are not anywhere. Yeah, Chris is definitely NOT Walmart material. LOL.

I, Chris, would take that to be a fine compliment -
of the sort that people often make to me
when they say 'you don't sound like you're from Texas'.

aha... another Walmartian sighting!

Plus there's the anti-nepotism clauses in some diocesan employee handbooks.

Maybe William should get a substitute-organist engagement somewhere when he comes home for Christmas. (There are churches that run simultaneous Masses on Christmas Eve and Day.) He can charge extra for it, and then both he and Peter can be paid for their work that day.

Organs, and hence the need for organists, are extremely rare in these here parts, actually non-existent in Catholic parishes within a 60-75 mile radius from our parish. There are a few keyboards about but not organs. I think William will probably just play some pre- and post-Mass music on our parish organ when he's home for Christmas, just to keep up with his practice. He'll be back at ND next semester (he's in Athens for study abroad right now) and will carry on with organ lessons and real opportunities for playing at Mass.

It's not that big of a deal, just a departure from what we were originally told and I wondered about the change. Makes ridiculous sense now.