BLOG: Teva Pharmaceuticals to Pay $54 Million to Settle Healthcare-Based FCA Claims
A qui tam False Claims Act (FCA) action brought by two whistleblowers alleging violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) has resulted in a $54-million settlement from Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. and two subsidiaries (Teva) in the case of United States ex rel. Arnstein and Senousy v. Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. Although it was alleged that the federal government and various state and local governments suffered damages as a result of Teva’s actions, they declined to intervene in the case. Teva’s . . . Read More
What You Need to Know to Prepare for Maryland Sick Leave Requirements
Effective February 11, 2018, Maryland’s Healthy Working Families Act (the “Act”), Maryland’s sick leave law, will go into effect. Although Governor Larry Hogan had vetoed the measure, the Maryland General Assembly overrode the Governor’s veto on January 11, 2018, leaving employers scrambling to prepare for implementation. Following are some of the pertinent, key provisions from the Act that will guide employers in making appropriate policy changes. Does Your Business Have to Comply? The Act covers all employers, but employers with . . . Read More
BLOG: Federal “Ban-the-Box” Law: The Fair Chance Act to Limit Criminal Background Inquiries by Federal Contractors
On December 17, 2019, the Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020, which was subsequently signed by the President. As part of the NDAA, the government enacted the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act of 2019 (the Fair Chance Act or Act), which prohibits federal agencies and federal contractors from requesting criminal background information from job applicants prior to extending an offer, with a few exceptions. The Fair Chance Act goes into effect on . . . Read More
BLOG UPDATE: Default Terminations – ASBCA Lacks Jurisdiction Over Excusable Delay, Constructive Change Defenses Not Presented to Contracting Officer for Final Decision
PilieroMazza previously explained that a termination for default is considered a contracting officer’s final decision, which may then be appealed. While this is still the case, a recent decision from the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA) highlights the importance for prime contractors—especially those who anticipate that their contract may be (or already has been) terminated for default—to preserve all relevant defenses to termination in advance of an appeal to the Board of Contract Appeals or Court of Federal Claims. . . . Read More
BLOG: Important Considerations When Structuring M&A Transactions for Government Contractors: Pre-Transaction Part 1 of a 3-Part Series
M&A transactions involving government contractors carry several regulatory and industry-specific considerations that can materially impact all aspects of the deal—from high-level structuring considerations to risk allocation for compliance issues to additional administrative checklist items. If neglected or overlooked, they can result in major headaches. This three-part series outlines certain key issues to consider before, during, and after transactions involving government contractors. Pre-Transaction: Novation The Anti-Assignment Act (41 U.S.C. § 6305) generally prohibits companies from selling government contracts. However, the Federal . . . Read More
BLOG: The HIPAApotomas in the Room: Signs You May Be a Covered Entity Under This Hefty Healthcare Law
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) establishes certain minimum requirements for the protection of patient health information. So, for example, restrictions on how your doctor keeps electronically stored medical records, and the specific circumstances under which they can disclose that information to a third party, are governed by HIPAA. Unknown to many businesses, however, are HIPAA requirements that often extend beyond a doctor’s office, and can hold a number of other entities accountable (including imposing stiff monetary penalties) . . . Read More
GUEST BLOG: 5 Mistakes Companies Make on Proposals
Guest Blogger: Reena Bhatia , ProposalHelper Contributors: Robert Tucker, ProposalHelper and Meryl Angelicola, ProposalHelper Less than a decade ago, the ratio of contracts to proposals was 1:4. The ratio is now around 1:27. With stakes this high and increasingly limited access to government stakeholders for any real capture, here is a list of five common mistakes government contractors should avoid on proposals. Proposal Library Pastes We understand the adage “don’t reinvent the wheel.” But every proposal is built on a specific bid strategy, . . . Read More
BLOG: Employers: Is Your FMLA Policy DOL Compliant?
The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires employers with the requisite number of employees to provide up to 12 weeks of leave to employees experiencing a qualifying event. Regulations implementing the FMLA require that employers display a poster in a prominent location that summarizes major FMLA provisions and explains how to file a complaint. The regulations also require an employer with eligible employees to provide a general notice to employees in a handbook or other policy document. The general notice . . . Read More
BLOG: Open-Source Software in Federal Procurements: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Part 3 – The Ugly
Concluding our blog series on open-source software in the government market, it is time to turn to the darker side of things. We already discussed the “good” of open-source software for government buyers, and we walked through the “bad,” explaining how some elements may conflict with federal laws or priorities . Now we will look at the “ugly” side of open-source software and how contractors can mitigate associated risks. The Ugly So what is the “ugly” side of open-source code? In a word: malware. Given that neither the government nor the contractor control the . . . Read More
BLOG: 4 Issues That Defined the False Claims Act in 2019
As I wrote two weeks ago, the Department of Justice (DOJ) recently released its annual fiscal year statistics on False Claims Act (FCA) and fraud matters. The report shows Fiscal Year 2019 was another big year for the FCA, as the number of new matters initiated and the amount of monetary recoveries obtained both increased over the previous year. 2019 also brought important FCA decisions from federal courts, including the Supreme Court; potential new avenues for FCA liability; and formal announcements from DOJ. These . . . Read More