Laws & Regulations

Every quarter, CDA publishes a Practice Health Check focusing on a different topic related to the business side of dentistry. Alternative Workweek schedules and employee onboarding are the topics in the second quarter of 2024.

The rules for classifying workers in California are already strict — especially after Assembly Bill 5 became law in January…

Employees in California will be allowed to take five days of paid sick leave — up from the current three — beginning Jan. 1, 2024, under legislation signed into law in October. The law applies to employers of every size. Salary, hourly, full-time, part-time and temporary employees are eligible for the leave.

California’s minimum wage will rise again Jan. 1, 2024 – to $16 per hour for employers of every size as a result of inflation. But wages in more than 30 California counties are already higher and most of them will rise again in either January or July.
 

With the holiday season’s arrival, CDA’s employment practices analyst is receiving calls from members who have questions about the laws governing holiday pay. Here she’s assembled some tips to guide California dentists based on her conversations with callers.

A new Los Angeles city ordinance requires employers who hire and retain freelance workers within the city to provide a written contract and timely payment among other things and also established certain rights for freelance workers. 

California employers still can choose to mandate COVID-19 and flu vaccination for their workers with some potential exemptions. A recent California appeals court decision provides guidance for employers who choose to do so.
 

Dental practices must print and display in the workplace six revised posters issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, California Civil Rights Department and Califoria Department of Industrial Relations.
 

Qualified California small businesses and nonprofit organizations that incurred costs for providing COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave between Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2022, can apply now for up to $50,000 through the state's relief grant program. 

CDA encourages its members to take a proactive approach to employee meal and rest break compliance. Doing so requires an understanding of the regulations involved and communicating with employees about them.

The new year always brings new laws for employers in California, and 2023 is no exception for dental practices. The laws run the gamut of employment concerns. Many took effect Jan. 1, while others allow a grace period to fully comply. Many affect employers of every size.

The four-part series explores the crucial stages of finding qualified candidates, successfully integrating new team members into the dental practice and retaining top talent.