Why technicians should know employment law

In an exclusive interview with dvm360 ahead of her session, "Law for Veterinary Support Staff," at the Fetch dvm360 Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Andrea Pace, CVT, VTS (ECC), training mentor for the emergency department at Mount Laurel Animal Hospital in New Jersey, explained why everyone should be aware of basic employment and contract law.

Additionally, she discussed the role of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in veterinary clinics, misconceptions commonly held by veterinary professionals, and explained legal protections that are in play when raising workplace concerns.

Below is a partial transcript

Andrea Pace, CVT, VTS (ECC): One thing that I bring up in my presentation is the fact that I was fired for talking about my salary once, and that is wholly illegal. A lot of people think, "Oh, you can't talk about salary. This is something that is a huge taboo." But, honestly, it's something that may be looked down upon, because we don't talk about money very much in the United States, but really it's the employers that are keeping us away from talking to each other about what our benefits are, what some people may have, that others may not, and being able to talk with our coworkers and other employees in other practices, we're able to realize, you know, we can better ourselves and make sure that we are receiving fair compensation compared to everyone else.