866: Hourly vs. Salary: The Legal Do’s and Don’ts Every Dentist Must Know – Alan Twigg

Should you pay your team hourly or salary? Before you decide, there are some important things to know and consider! In this episode of Practical Solutions Day, Kirk Behrendt brings in Alan Twigg, co-owner of Bent Ericksen & Associates, to demystify the key differences and explain the most surprising misconceptions of paying a salary. To find out which one is right for your practice, listen to Episode 866 of The Best Practices Show!

Learn More About Alan:

• Give Alan a call: (800) 679-2760
• Send Alan an email: alan@bentericksen.com 
• Join Bent Ericksen on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BentEricksenAssociates
• Learn more about Bent Ericksen: https://bentericksen.com

More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:

• Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen
• Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa
• Download ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360
• Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_US
• Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt
• See the ACT Dental/BPA Live Event Schedule: https://www.actdental.com/event
• Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine
• Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218

Episode Resources:

• Watch the video version of Episode 866: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos
• Study the Department of Labor’s exemption categories: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/17a-overtime

Main Takeaways:

• Think about your intention with salary. Who will benefit?
• Don't assume that paying a salary will make your life easier.
• Paying a salary does not mean you can do whatever you want.
• Understand common salary misconceptions to stay out of trouble.
• Be aware of the administrative burdens that come with going salary.
• Know the difference between exempt and non-exempt classifications.
• Laws and requirements differ by state. Know which ones apply to you.

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

2:29 Alan’s background.

3:40 The biggest misconceptions about salary.

13:20 Do you pay extra for CE, team meetings, and other special events?

15:03 Time off with pay, explained.

19:23 Does your team have to take vacations when you do?

23:22 Utilize a vacation request form.

25:43 Daily salary, explained.

28:03 Trends and best practices for new associates.

30:42 Working interviews, explained.

33:58 Skills assessments, explained.

37:03 Should everyone be hourly or salary?

40:07 Misconceptions about breaks, lunches, huddles, and staying over.

45:59 Final thoughts.

47:39 About Bent Ericksen and how to get in touch.

Alan Twigg Bio:

Alan Twigg is the co-owner of Bent Ericksen & Associates. For over 10 years, he has guided thousands of clients and consultants through the ever-changing world of HR and employment compliance. He is a speaker, consultant, and author who is passionate about bringing education and peace of mind to such a confusing topic.

As a strong proponent of symbiotic employer-employee relations, Alan is passionate about teamwork and positive work cultures, with an emphasis on long-term personnel retention and employment compliance, where his solutions-oriented outlook excels.