A reminder to all Humboldt County employers, as of January 1, 2017 the minimum wage for all employers with 25 or fewer employees is $10 per hour and $10.50 per hour for all employers with 26 or more employees. The minimum salary thresholds for all exempt employees are also increasing. Check to make sure that all of your current exempt … Read More
“More Money, More Problems”—The New Theme Song at the DOL
A new federal overtime rule from the Department of Labor was set to take effect on December 1, 2016. The rule doubles the current federal salary that must be made by an employee before the employee can be classified as exempt from overtime—known as the executive, administrative and professional exemptions. The new rule requires a minimum salary of $913 per … Read More
Notice: Post Your Notice!
If you’re a physician in California, you must post a Notice of Non-Discrimination for patients who receive “federal financial assistance.” Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act provides that physicians’ offices are required to post notices of non-discrimination and taglines that alert patients with limited English proficiency about the availability of language assistance services. The better practice, of course, is … Read More
Humboldt County Nursing Home Closures
As you may know, three of the five Humboldt skilled nursing facilities (“SNFs”) owned by Brius and managed by Rockport have been given authority by the California Department of Public Health (“CDPH”) to close their doors and transfer residents. Janssen Malloy LLP requested copies of the transfer documentation filed with the CDPH on behalf of the SNFs. If you or … Read More
Cures Registry Update
If you are a physician in Humboldt County with an active California Medical license and a federal DEA registration certificate for Schedule II, III, and IV controlled substances you must be registered with the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System database. According to the Medical Board of California, it will investigate instances of physicians failing to register. It is … Read More
EEOC – Retaliation Complaints Enforcement Guidelines
If you’re an employer in Humboldt County, you’re familiar with your obligations with respect to harassment and discrimination. But, according to the federal governmental agency that oversees such claims, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the number one complaint against employers today is retaliation. Retaliation complaints make up almost half of all complaints received by the EEOC. In response to … Read More
The Times are A Changing
Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services have reminded all states of its commitment to the privacy of nursing home residents. In the wake of recent publicity about nursing home employees posting degrading pictures of residents on social media, the federal entity has added a requirement that nursing homes have and enforce social media policies. In a letter sent this week … Read More
End of Life Option Act
Effective June 9, 2016, California’s End of Life Option Act permits participating physicians to prescribe aid-in-dying drugs to their patients. The law is extensive, requires a number of forms be completed and included in the patient’s medical record, and includes requisite timelines for accomplishing notice to patients and inclusion in the medical records. An excellent discussion and analysis of the Act … Read More
Elder Abuse in Humboldt County
In California, Elder Abuse is both a crime and a civil offense. Unfortunately, it goes unreported for a variety of reasons–embarrassment of the victim, inability of others to identify the issue, or a victim’s desire not to pursue the matter against a family member or loved one. Generally, elder abuse is the physical or financial abuse or neglect or other … Read More
Countdown to a CURES 2.0
If you are a Physician and Surgeon or a Pharmacist in California, you have 17 days in which to apply for registration in CURES 2.0. As you likely know, CURES is the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System. It is the prescription drug database of Schedule II, III, and IV controlled substance prescriptions dispensed in California. California’s Health and Safety … Read More