“False Claims Act cases have been particularly hot in 2015”—so reads the opening line of an opinion in a FCA decision from the past year. This is an apt description for a year that saw total FCA recoveries exceed $3 billion, a sign that the FCA will continue to be the source of government and
Proposed FAR Rule Targets Restrictive Confidentiality Agreements
On January 22, 2016, the FAR Council proposed adding a new rule (link here) prohibiting federal dollars from going to companies that require employees to sign confidentiality agreements that could limit the ability of employees to report suspected fraud and abuse to the government.
The proposed rule comes at a time of increased attention
Sample of What’s to Come: Extrapolation in FCA Cases
On September 29, 2015, the Fourth Circuit agreed to hear an interlocutory appeal in U.S. ex rel. Michaels et al. v. Agape Senior Community, Inc. to address whether the statistical method of extrapolation may be used to prove liability, in addition to damages, under the False Claims Act. The Fourth Circuit will be the first
Not So Fast: Congress Gives DoL the Heisman on “Fair Pay” Funding
The FY 2016 Omnibus Appropriations bill, passed on December 18, 2015, did not appropriate funds to establish an Office of Labor Compliance within the Department of Labor in order to implement the “Fair Play and Safe Workplaces” Executive Order, as requested by the Obama Administration. By declining to appropriate the requested funds, Congress pumped the
Cert for Implied Cert
Last week, in a case that will have a significant impact on the government contracting industry, the Supreme Court granted certiorari in Universal Health Services, Inc. v. United States ex rel. Escobar, a False Claims Act (FCA) case from the First Circuit. By agreeing to hear the case, the Court appears set to resolve a
Save the Date: Final Rule for Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Set For April 2016
On Nov. 19, 2015, OMB released the fall 2015 regulatory agenda of regulations currently under development, listing April 2016 as the target for publication of the final rule implementing the “Fair Pay and Safe Work Places” executive order. The final rule, which is likely to be challenged in court by contractors and industry trade groups,
Nothing to Sneeze at: Obama Administration Issues 13th EO Targeting Federal Contractors
On September 7, the Obama Administration issued a new executive order requiring that federal government contractors provide paid sick leave to employees, the latest in a series of EOs targeting federal contractors, which have to date resulted in 16 new regulations (previously discussed here, here and here). According to the White House,
Comment Period for “Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces” Extended Again
In an August 3 letter to eight committee and subcommittee chairs, the FAR Council and the Department of Labor indicated that the comment period for the “Fair Pay Safe Workplaces” proposed FAR Rule and related DOL Guidance would be extended to August 26 (from the current date of August 11, 2015). On July 15, as
Congressional Committee Chairs Request that OFPP and DoL Withdraw “Fair Pay” Proposed Rule and Guidance
On July 15, 2015, the Chairmen of the House committees of jurisdiction sent a letter to Labor Secretary Tom Perez and OFPP Administrator Anne Rung regarding the “Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces” Proposed Rule and Guidance. Citing the myriad legal, procedural and substantive flaws in the EO and resulting Proposed Rule and Guidance (previously discussed
FAR Council and DOL Extend “Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces” Comment Period
In response to several requests from industry to extend the a 60-day comment period for the proposed rulemaking (NPRM) and guidance implementing the “Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order,” the FAR Council and the DoL have extended the comment period to August 11, 2015 (from the current date of July 27, 2015). As discussed