Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Federal law establishing standards for wage, overtime pay, and employment records that may need to be referenced in employment history portions of the recommendation

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO): Federal regulations ensuring fair treatment in employment practices, requiring the recommendation letter to avoid discriminatory language or bias

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act: Federal law prohibiting employment discrimination, which must be considered when writing recommendations to ensure neutral, non-discriminatory language

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): Federal law protecting patient health information, requiring careful consideration to avoid disclosing any protected health information in the recommendation

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA): Federal law protecting student educational records, relevant if the recommendation includes information about the dental assistant's educational background

State Defamation Laws: Laws governing libel and slander, requiring all statements in the recommendation to be truthful and factual to avoid potential legal liability

State Dental Practice Acts: State-specific regulations governing dental practice, including requirements for dental assistant certification and scope of practice

Written Consent Requirement: Legal requirement to obtain written permission from the dental assistant before writing and sharing a recommendation letter

Documentation Requirements: Legal obligation to maintain proper records of the recommendation letter and related correspondence for potential future reference