With many people working to overcome financial setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, more employers have been focusing their efforts on helping employees improve their financial wellness and save for the future.

A new state law will increase wage transparency for California job applicants and current employees beginning Jan. 1, 2023, with resulting new job-posting, pay scale disclosure and records-maintenance requirements for covered employers. 

The decision to classify your employee as exempt or nonexempt should not be taken lightly. The distinction between the two is significant, and the two are also managed very differently. Therefore, employers should understand not only how to determine an employee’s classification but how to follow appropriate pay requirements as well.

A California Supreme Court ruling in 2018 that created a stricter standard for determining who meets the definition of “employee” applies retroactively, the Ninth Circuit held in a May 2, 2019, ruling. The decision means the “ABC” test created last year by the California Supreme Court will be applied to cases going forward, as well as to disputes dating back to before the new test was enacted.

As the competition for talent escalates, the need for practice owners to show that they value their current employees has become more important than ever. Stay up to date on upcoming employee appreciation weeks.

The current hiring market is very competitive, with a shortage of candidates to fill open positions. CDA Practice Support analysts offer their expert guidance to help guide dental practice owners through the process of recruiting, hiring and retaining employees.

Outside the workplace, romance may know no bounds. But, if an office romance ends badly, the collateral damage could be much more than you or your practice’s reputation can afford. See case studies and get guidance.

With an increasing demand for dental assistants throughout California, CDA is encouraging member dentists to consider transferable skills while recruiting and hiring. Smile Crew CA aims to create a pool of qualified candidates by targeting job seekers who have been displaced from service roles with adaptable skills that would make them a viable dental assistant.  

After a slight decrease in patient volume in November and December, a recent survey by the American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute reveals a recovery for dental practices in the new year.

Employers often struggle to balance the need for expanded practice hours to accommodate patient schedules and the costs associated with nonexempt employee overtime. In California, employers have the option to greatly reduce overtime costs by adopting an alternative workweek schedule. What exactly is an alternative workweek schedule, and is it good news for employees and employers?

Prioritizing job duty training over educating new employees about crucial office policies can lead to miscommunication and increased risk of misconduct. Minimize risk by documenting your practice’s employment policies, with resources from CDA and TDIC.

When it comes to your dental practice, one of the most important documents in your HR toolkit is your employee manual. Not only can definitive employee policies resolve disputes, but they can thwart issues before they arise, protecting both the employer and the employee from any sort of misperception and the potential for litigation.

Health experts are urging people to get the COVID-19 bivalent booster and a flu shot this season to protect themselves as well as people who are more vulnerable. Some local health departments mandate flu vaccination for health care workers, including dentists and dental staff.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission last December issued guidance indicating that employers may encourage or possibly require COVID-19 vaccinations, but policies must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Dental practice owners should be prepared for major changes to the California Family Rights Act. The changes take effect Jan. 1, 2021, and will impact very small businesses who will soon be required to provide 12 workweeks of job-protected unpaid family leave benefits to eligible employees annually. 

With so much emphasis on the need for employers to establish written policies mandated by federal, state and local laws, it’s easy to overlook the important day-to-day employee management policies on everything from hygiene and smoking to use of personal electronic devices. Discussed below are four areas of employee conduct and attire expectations that you might consider addressing through a workplace policy, if you don’t already have one in place.

Guidelines for behavior should exist when practice team members interact with one another outside of the office. TDIC’s Risk Management analysts encourage dentists to promote high standards of behavior inside and outside of the office by clearly defining professional boundaries.

Many employers fear that allowing employees to work from home will result in lowered productivity and misrepresented time sheets. However, studies have shown that allowing employees to work from home on occasion has numerous benefits, including improved morale and better employee retention. But employers are often uncertain about their responsibilities for managing risk. Who is responsible if an employee becomes injured on the job? What about HIPAA considerations?