Legal obligation to provide for Continuing Education ?

Princess Leia

It does sound legal (unfortunately). The employer isn't required to pay for any CME classes or provide any paid time off for the time (unless the employer has a collective-bargaining agreement [union agreement] that provides for such a benefit and the prospective employee would be a member of said union.

Information re: CMEs in CA can be found here:
http://www.medbd.ca.gov/licensee/continuing_education.html

A FAQ:
What if I cannot afford the cost involved in taking CME courses?

Hospitals have lunch meetings that are approved for Category 1 credit and offered to all physicians. Physicians having trouble finding Category 1 courses may call the CMA for assistance at (415) 882-5183. (An article with suggested CME opportunities is available upon request.)

Also, can any of the CMEs be self-study? If so, perhaps the candidate can do some of those.

See:
http://www.medbd.ca.gov/licensee/continuing_education_options.html

For attorneys, 1/2 of the hours can be self study and for pharmacists, apparently all the hours can be self-study.

The paid CME and/or paid time off to attend a CME would be a good benefit for the candidate. Have you thought about negotiating for it?

FYI - many law firms do not offer to pay for MCLEs for their attorneys or pay for membership to local county bar associations where they can get the MCLEs for free. Fortunately, there are local law libraries which have MCLEs for free.

So, perhaps, the candidate is already a member of a local medical association that offers these for free and/or reduced cost.

Hope this helps....

leysarob

But it's your license that benefits you as well ... if the hospital pays for the education and you leave for another job they are out that money. You got ahead on them ...

Just my opinion, though, I don't know about the laws in California which are generally very pro-employee. Check with the state's Department of Labor website to be certain.

hugsandhissyfits

My hubbys place of work does not pay for it either.He tends to send away for the free test.Also online offers a ton of free ones.
Plus there are tons of ce courses at the beach you can write off family vacation.Destin,Fl usually offers Classes/drug reps poor by the truck load to give freebies in may memorial day weekend where you can go for few days and knock out a ton of hours.
You can find better offers though.If you work in the hills of wva etc..it will normally pay off school loans also.If you like working in the country...lol
I know school loans add up!!

Pyar

I don't believe they have a legal obligation here. That does not mean it's ethical.
I would suggest you bring this to the attention of an attorney.

Phoenix Princess of Darkness

Since you haven't gotten any other answers, I'll give my thoughts as a former HR rep for an internal medicine dept. An employer certainly doesn't HAVE to pay for your training. It might benefit them to do so if you are a valuable employee. It is allowing you to maintain a job to pay for your own CMEs, so it is to YOUR benefit, more so than the employer. You can always be replaced with someone who has maintained their training.

In our dept. (NOT in CA), we did not pay for the courses, but allowed paid time off for them. It's completely up to the employer in the states I'm familiar with, but you'll have to check with CA's licensure board. The employer IS responsible for making sure their employees stay licensed while practicing in their clinic.

robert w

legal?
employer does not have to provide time or money for CE . there is not 'laws' that say it is needed.
if doc accepts, contract it is legal.
that is doc's call. so don't worry.
allowance may be built into contract.

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