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Designed to assist CVMA members with workplace safety, legal issues, and laws and regulations that affect the veterinary profession.

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Now You ‘C’ It, Now You Don’t: Defining the Client in the VCPR
The Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship, or “VCPR,” is the Holy Grail of the practice of veterinary medicine. Business and Professions Code section...
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Your Veterinary Premises Has Water Damage: How Would You Respond?
Water can destroy medical equipment, computer/phone systems, records, and supplies, and may cause significant damage to the walls and floors...
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Workplace Violence Prevention Plans Required in California
The passage of SB 553 (Cortese) in 2023 requires nearly all California employers to implement a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan...
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Workplace Policies and Employee Handbooks
An employee handbook is a crucial tool for both employer and employee clarifying organizational policies, ensuring consistency, and communicating expectations....
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Client Drug Consultation Requirement for Veterinarians
California Business and Professions Code section 4829.5 requires that each time a veterinarian initially prescribes or dispenses a prescription medication...
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SAFEGUARDING PAWS AND PEOPLE: A Best Practices Guide to Preventing Employee Slips, Trips, and Falls in Your Veterinary Practice
As you navigate the hustle and bustle of your veterinary practice, it's crucial to address a sometimes silent but significant...
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Preparing for Power Loss in an Emergency
Weather events, wildfires, and power grid problems can leave your veterinary hospital or clinic without power. Continue reading.
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Document, Document, Document: The Importance of Documenting Employee Performance
Most employers generally understand the importance of documenting employee performance. However, the challenge is to appropriately and effectively document employee...
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California Canine Rabies Vaccination Exemption Law
Existing law requires that a dog three months of age or older must be vaccinated against rabies (California Health and...
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Slip-and-Fall Prevention
In veterinary clinics, a slip or fall can happen to anyone at any time. Continue reading.
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Anesthetic Gas Safety in Veterinary Practice
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) enforces regulations that require anesthetic gas monitoring programs for practices in...
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Prompt Injury Reporting: A Winning Strategy for All Parties
It is important that staff and management know ahead of time what to do when an employee sustains an injury....
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Medical Waste Management: Veterinary Practice Obligations
Many veterinary practices find regulated waste statutes and regulations to be confusing, with misconceptions resulting in risk to sanitation workers,...
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Relief Veterinarians: Employee or Independent Contractor?
Traditionally, relief veterinarians and veterinary practices have preferred the classic independent contractor arrangement. However, given recent changes in worker classification...
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Safeguarding Your Veterinary Practice from Water Damage: Mitigation Strategies for Success
Water can destroy medical equipment, computer/phone systems, records, and supplies and may cause significant damage to the walls and floors...
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Did You Take Your Lunch Break? An Overview of California Labor Laws
Does anyone understand the nuances of federal and California wage and hour laws? Employers are responsible for understanding and following...
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COVID-19 Prevention Plans Still Required of California Employers
On February 28, 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation officially ceasing the three-year statewide emergency response to COVID-19...
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Communicate with Your New Employees and Keep Them Safe
Veterinarians must wear many hats to keep their practices running smoothly. One important aspect of running a successful practice is...
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Navigating Medical Leave in the Workplace
Complex state and federal laws provide employees with certain rights and options during medical leave, including pregnancy leave. It is...
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Brushing Up on Continuing Education
Veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians (RVTs) are mandated to complete specified continuing education (CE) as a condition of licensure renewal...
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Record Keeping – But There’s More!
Title 16, California Code of Regulations, Section 2032.3 sets forth the minimum record keeping requirements that are enforced by the...
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Helping to Ensure a Safe Driving Program
Over the past few years, there has been a steady increase in the number of auto accidents and related fatalities...
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Cal/OSHA Requirements for Veterinary Practices
All California businesses with employees are subject to Cal/OSHA regulation and oversight. Continue reading.
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COVID Screening Requirements for Employers
The Department of Industrial Relations Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) sets and enforces regulations pertaining to COVID-19 safety...
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New Laws for 2023
The 2023 legislative cycle is underway. View legislative bills for 2023 here.
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Pharmaceutical Waste Management in California Veterinary Practices
Registered veterinary premises in California must have measures in place to segregate, temporarily store, and dispose of unwanted pharmaceutical waste....
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Understanding Veterinary Medical Board Oversight
The VMB's mission statement illustrates that its primary purpose is to regulate veterinarians and take enforcement actions when standards are...
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Cal/OSHA Requirements for Veterinary Practices
All California businesses with employees are subject to Cal/OSHA regulation and oversight. Continue reading.
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Retail (“Sales”) Tax Exemption for Medications Is for Veterinarians, not Pharmacies
In California, establishing a Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR) allows veterinarians to provide medications to clients without levying retail tax. Continue reading.
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Workplace Security
Violence encroaches on our lives with increasing frequency. Indiscriminate violence has infiltrated workplaces in the form of such acts as...
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Agencies That Supervise the Veterinary Profession
Nearly all businesses in California with employees are regulated by agencies like the Employee Development Department, the Department of Industrial...
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Legal FAQs
The CVMA's Legal Services Program assists members with workplace safety, legal issues, and laws and regulations that affect veterinary professionals....
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Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Regulations
On May 2022, Cal/OSHA updated its COVID-19 Emergency Regulations to accommodate vaccinated individuals in the workplace. Read more here. Read...
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Lesson Learned – Safe Handling of Large Patients
Ideally, no injuries would ever happen at the workplace. However, most professions involve some exposure to work related injuries and...
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Businesses Required to Post Cal/OSHA Form 300A Between February 1 and April 30
Cal/OSHA Form 300A must be posted in businesses between February 1 and April 30. This form summarizes specified job-related illnesses...
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Legal FAQs
The CVMA's Legal Services Program assists members with workplace safety, legal issues, and laws and regulations that affect veterinary professionals....
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Five Common Regulatory Misconceptions
As the CVMA's Director of Regulatory Affairs, I speak daily with veterinarians and staff about compliance with the various state...
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Be Aware of Prescription Pad and Name Tag Requirements
Practices need to be aware of recent changes to regulations pertaining to controlled substance prescription pads and a new law...
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New Laws for 2022
During the 2021 legislative session, California lawmakers passed two laws that significantly impact the veterinary profession. Read more.
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Legal FAQs
I received a letter from the Veterinary Medical Board (VMB) advising me that is is investigating a consumer complaint about...
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Veterinary Students in Private Practices: What They May Do
Veterinary students often spend time in private veterinary practices as part of a distributive formal curriculum, through employment, or by...
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COVID-19 A Test of Resiliency and Flexibility
COVID-19 has dramatically impacted most businesses. Continue reading.
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Behind the Looking Glass – The Transparency of Employment Records
"Transparency" has been popularized to denote the openness and candor perceived as necessary to create trust and positive communications. Continue...
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Minimum Wage Increase
On January 1, 2021, California's minimum wage increases to $13.00/hour for employers with 25 or fewer employees and to $14.00/hour...
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New Employment Laws for 2021
The following employment laws are effective in California beginning January 1, 2021, unless otherwise specified as an urgency statute. Continue...
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An Ounce of Prevention: Documenting Employee Performance
A mutual goal of employers and employees should be a good place to work. Continue reading.
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Veterinary Medical Record Laws in California
Medical record issues are commonly encountered by the Veterinary Medical Board (VMB) during inspections and investigations, and the consequences of...
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Employee Injury Investigations – What is the Purpose?
When a staff member is injured while conducting their job duties, it is often a very unsettling experience. Continue reading.
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The Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship is Condition-Specific
Commonly, veterinary practices will request that clients bring small animal patients in for an annual exam in order to maintain...
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Animal Health Care Tasks for RVTs
The California Veterinary Medicine Practice Act defines the roles of veterinarians, registered veterinary technicians (RVTs) and veterinary assistants in providing veterinary...
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Improve Your Workplace Safety Culture by Empowering Your Staff
To create the foundation of a strong safety culture, inspire your staff to take action. Read more here.
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Select California City and County Minimum Wage Increase: July 1, 2020
Several California municipalities will increase their minimum hourly wage rate on July 1, 2020. Read more here.
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Cal/OSHA Interim COVID Guidance Requires Update to IIPP
California veterinary practices should update their Illness and Injury Prevention Program (IIPP) policies to incorporate Cal/OSHA’s recent COVID guidance. Read...
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Live Scan Fingerprints and License Renewals
The California Veterinary Medical Board (VMB) is notifying most licensees that Live Scan fingerprints are required as a condition of...
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Whose Pet Is It Anyway?
As most readers of the California Veterinarian know, the law firm at which I work provides 30 minutes of free...
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Families First Coronavirus Relief Act Posting
The United States Department of Labor requires businesses with fewer than 500 employees to post a notice to employees between...
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Cannabis and Industrial Hemp: Still a Sticky Wicket
If you have been closely following the legal landscape attending to the use and discussion of cannabis in a veterinary...
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Veterinary Telemedicine and the VCPR in California: In-Person Patient Exams Required
Websites and apps continue to pop up that offer technology-based online platforms to connect veterinarians to new or existing clients....
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Veterinary Assistant Controlled Substance Permit Q&A
Since 2013, the California Business and Professions Code Section 4836.2 requires veterinary assistants employed in veterinary practices who obtain or...
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It’s Not the Fall That Hurts
Slips, trips, and falls accounted for 25.8 percent of all workplace injuries by eliminating the hazards that can cause an...
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Impact of Changing Laws on Independent Contractor Status in the Veterinary Field
View the changing laws on independent contractors in the veterinary field. Continue reading.
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Update! Sexual Harassment & Abusive Behavior Training Requirement Change
California businesses with five or more employees must provide sexual harassment training to both supervisors and employees. The deadline training...
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Who’s Who in a Veterinary Practice
Understanding who is who in a veterinary practice improves compliance with the VMPA and results in increased consumer protection and...
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Preventing Strains in the Veterinary Practice
Strains rank second in percentage of total loss dollars spent for medical treatment and lost time. Continue reading.
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Radiation Safety in Veterinary Practices
Veterinary practices are subject to numerous radiation safety and health laws. Continue reading.
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Ladder Safety – One Step at a Time
Ladders are useful in many situations and require caution when working with them. Continue reading.
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Workplace Policies and Employee Handbooks
Workplace policies create standards that address employee rights, duties, and obligations with respect to the practice. Continue reading.
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Isoflurane Safety
There is increasing evidence that exposure to isoflurane, the anesthetic gas commonly used in veterinary practice, may pose health risks...
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Active Shooter Incidents
Active shooter incidents can happen anywhere. The highest percentage incidence happens in commercial settings. Prepare your staff for the unexpected. ...
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The CVMA Guide to Cal/OSHA Compliance – Order now!
The new CVMA Guide to Cal/OSHA Compliance is the easiest and most efficient way for veterinary practices to comply with...
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New in 2018
A number of employment-related measures were passed in 2017. The measures become effective on January 1, 2018, unless otherwise specified....
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Exclusive to CVMA Members

CVMA Watchdog is exclusive to active members of the California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA). The CVMA is one of the largest veterinary medical associations in the nation and assumed its leadership position through ambitious, innovative programs.

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