January 1, 2021: The Paid Family Leave benefits expanding
The program is expanding to offer benefits to any employee who takes time off to attend to situations (qualifying exigencies) related to the covered active duty status of the employee’s spouse, registered domestic partner, child or parent who is a member of the U.S. Armed Forces. This new law does not create a right to take a protected leave of absence, merely the ability to collect PFL benefits (after Jan. 1, 2021) if the employee does take the time off.
January 1, 2021: Controlled substances prescription form must have a unique serial number
Prescribers in need of new controlled substance prescription forms should ensure they order from an approved printer listed on the DOJ website. New prescription forms with serial numbers formatted in the manner prescribed by SB 149 may be available by early to mid-2020. Confirm with the printer that the form meets California’s serial number requirements for 2021 before ordering forms. Consider moving to e-prescribing for controlled substances which is expected to be mandatory January 1, 2022.
December 1, 2020 Small Business Hiring Tax Credit application portal opens today
The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) began accepting applications today for a small business hiring credit against California state income taxes or sales and use taxes. Qualified business employers who employed 100 or fewer employees as of December 31, 2019; and suffered a 50% decrease or more in income tax gross receipts when comparing second quarter 2020 to second quarter 2019, may apply between Dec. 1, 2020 through Jan. 15, 2021 to receive a credit of $1,000 for each net increase in qualified employees from April 1, 2020 through June 30, 2020. The credit reservations will be allocated to qualified small business employers on a first-come, first-served basis.
Employers should be prepared with all the required information to start their online application. Visit https://www.cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/SB1447-tax-credit.htm for details.
October 12, 2020: Submit compliance report for amalgam separators
Dental practices, including those that are exempt or want to claim an exemption to the requirement to install an amalgam separator, must submit a one-time compliance report to their local control authority. The report is available in most areas from the local sanitation agency. If a sanitation agency does not have a pretreatment program, then the dental practice must submit the report to the California State Water Resources Board.
Read more in this news article.
July 1, 2020: Paid family leave extended from six to eight weeks
The benefit available through California’s State Disability Service program provides wage replacement to workers who take time off from work for an ill child, spouse, parent, grandparent, sibling, or domestic partner, or to bond with a child within one year of birth or adoption. Employers should update practice policies to reflect the increase.
April 1, 2020: Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) notice
On or before April 1, 2020, employers must post or provide the new Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) notice to employees.
Each covered employer must post a notice of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) requirements notice in a conspicuous place on its premises. An employer may satisfy this requirement by emailing or direct mailing this notice to employees, or posting this notice on an employee information internal or external website.
Download the notice on the DOL website.
January 1,2020: Expanded lactation accommodation requirements
All employers must provide a private lactation location other than a bathroom, near the employee's work area. This new law requires the location to have certain mandatory features, requires employers to have a written lactation accommodation policy, changes the ability to claim an exemption, and expands the available penalties.