Volume 6 - Issue 1    |   May 2010
In This Issue
GINA Title II
California Labor Regulations
VMC School of Veterinary Practice Managment
Our Next Session is scheduled for
October 18-22, 2010
Attendance is limited.

Click for More Information
Upcoming Seminars
It's What's Up Front That Counts... And More!
  • 5/16/10 - Los Angeles, CA
  • 5/23/10 - Seattle, WA
  • 6/6/10 - Milwaukee, WI
  • 6/13/10 - Philadelphia, PA
  • 6/23/10 - Salt Lake City, UT
Dealing With Difficult Clients (& Team Members)
  • 7/11/10 - NYC Area, NY
  • 8/15/10 - Chicago, IL
Principles of Veterinary Practice Management
  • 5/26/10 - Minneapolis, MN
  • 6/16/10 - Charlotte, NC
HR Boot Camp
  • 5/19-20/10 - New Orleans
  • 6/9-10/10 - Portland, OR
  • 12/8-9/10 - Atlanta, GA
Financial Boot Camp
  • 9/8-9/10 - Philadelphia, PA
  • 9/22-23/10 - San Diego,CA
Our Personal Best XXI
  • 11/11-14/10 Amelia Island, FL
To Contact Us:
VMC, Inc.
30792 Southview Drive
Suite 200
Evergreen, CO 80439

Phone: 303-674-8169
Fax: 303-670-3899
email:
vmc@vmc-inc.com

Website:
  www.vmc-inc.com
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 News from VMC, Inc.

Mark 2008 Red Flag

 

Red Flag for the new Red Flag law, it has been postponed again! The FTC has again extended the deadline for enforcement of the "Red Flags Rule". The FTC has delayed enforcement until June 1, 2010. However, the real news is that Veterinary Medicine might become exempt. On March 30, 2010 the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3763, proposing to exempt certain businesses (including veterinarians) with less than 20 employees from having to comply with the "Red Flags Rule". This bill replaces H.R. 2345 and now goes to the U.S. Senate. At this time, this bill has not been passed into law and veterinarians are still expected to comply with the Red Flags Rule before the current enforcement date. The AVMA and three other national medical associations petitioned the FTC to exclude health professionals from the Red Flags Rule, based on a recent court opinion that the Rule does not apply to attorneys. The FTC is appealing that decision and, on March 25, 2010, it responded negatively to requests from AVMA and the other medical associations.

Also, the FTC has a "do it yourself" program for businesses with low risk. Click here for a link to the program. And the AVMA has provided a step by step guide for veterinary practices  - click here.

Seems like the Red Flags Rules are a moving target. I'm not sure if we will have to follow them or not, but the intent of the law is good, identity protection. So, even if we don't have to follow the rules, you might want to see how confidential information is being handled in your office. Do you have social security numbers and drivers' license numbers in your medical records for all to see? One practice I consulted with had a recipe box on the reception counter that had client's names, addresses, phone numbers, driver's license info, social security and credit card numbers on a card! Wow! What if someone walked off with that box? Even if we do not legally have to follow these laws, we might want to do a better job in protecting our client and employee information. We will continue to keep you informed as this issue develops.

O.P.B. XXI

O.P.B.! For those of you who have not heard of this before, it stands for Our Personal Best. I call it a Gathering of the Eagles. It is a weekend practice management conference where the best of the best get together for three days of intense up-to-date practice management knowledge and interaction. VMC used to do this meeting yearly but, due to the complexities of the meeting, we now do it every five years. This is the year! Mark your calendars: November 11-14.

OPB has the reputation of being the highest quality meeting with cutting edge information. Our meeting will be held at the Ritz Carlton Hotel located on Amelia Island, Florida. Not a bad location or venue! This is the meeting where I charge my batteries and you can, too, while taking part in a valuable and practical practice management experience. The meeting will be kicked off by our keynote speaker, Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald and soar on with great interactive sessions and even one-on-one round table discussions to talk directly with the speakers and other attendees to help answer your individual questions. The conference agenda and registration form for the conference are now available at the VMC web site. Early registration is suggested. This meeting will sell out. Hope to see you there!
Mark Opperman
President, VMC Inc.

Let us hear from you - tell us what you'd like to see in future issues. You can contact us at vmc@vmc-inc.com
GINA Title II
by Sheila Grosdidier, BS, RVT, PHR
The Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) approved Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA).
 
What practices are prohibited by GINA Title II?
Title II of GINA prohibits use of genetic information for making decisions related to any terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, prohibits covered entities from intentionally acquiring genetic information, requries confidentiality with respect to genetic information (with limited exceptions,) and prohibits retaliation.

Who must comply with Title II of GINA?
Title II applies to private and state and local government employers with 15 or more employees, employment agencies, labor unions, and joint labor-management training programs.

Why is GINA needed?
GINA was enacted, in large part, in recognition of developments in the field of genetics, the decoding of the human genome, and advances in the field of genomic medicine. Genetic tests now exist that can inform individuals whether they may be at risk for developing a specific disease or disorder. But just as the number of genetic tests increase, so do the concerns of the general public about whether they may be at risk of losing access to health coverage or employment if insurers or employers have their genetic information.

Congress enacted GINA to address these concerns by prohibiting discrimination based on genetic information and restricting acquisition and disclosure of such information, so that the general public would not fear adverse employment or health coverage related consequences for having a genetic test or participating in research studies that examine genetic information.
California Practices - Are You Abiding by this Regulation? 
by Sheila Grosdidier, BS, RVT
 
Click for a PDF version of the California Industrial Welfare Commission " Wages, Hours and Working Conditions in the Personal Service Industry"

Commissioned Employees - California
  1.  The employee's hours must be tracked.
  2. The employee must have earned at least minimum wage for all hours worked when the wages are calculated at the end of each week.
  3. The employee must take breaks as per California labor laws.
  4. The employee must take the lunch break as per California labor laws. If the employee works 6 hours or less, they may waive the meal break as long as there is documentation in writing and signed by the employee that they waived the meal break.
  5. If the employer requires them to attend any meetings, they must be paid minimum wage for the time the meeting occurs since they cannot earn their commission during that time. This means that they are paid additional money for attending the meeting.
  6. There are additional rules if a commissioned person works overtime.