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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 two revised posters issued by the U.S. Department of Labor. One poster pertains to lactation accommodation and the second to the Employee Polygraph Protection Act. 
 

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.

Every quarter, CDA publishes a Practice Health Check focusing on a different topic related to the business side of dentistry. Employee meal and rest breaks, leaves of absence, and other employment matters are the focus during the first quarter of 2023. CDA members are invited to take the Q1Practice Health Check consisting of just three questions.

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.