With a Government Shutdown Looming, There are a Few Things Contractors Should Know The failure of Congress to reach an agreement on a short-term spending bill before the end of the day will cause the United States to start the weekend with a government shutdown. Needing 60 votes to advance the spending bill in the Senate, Republicans face opposition to … Read More
What’s Next For Federal Contractors?
A special guest post by Lewis Thomason employer lawyer Janet Hayes. When it comes to signing Executive Orders, President Barack Obama proved there is no shortage of ink in the presidential pen. Obama’s sweeping executive actions frequently targeted federal contractors. While President Trump’s agenda is vastly different from his predecessor, he has already proven he shares Obama’s love for the … Read More
DOL Expands Definition of Joint Employment
On Wednesday, January 20, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage & Hour Division issued Administrator’s Interpretation No. 2016-1 that expands and explains the “joint employer” standard under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). Joint Employer It has been long established that an employee can have two or more employers for the work that he or she is performing under … Read More
OSHA Penalties to Increase Dramatically
The new bipartisan budget passed by both the House and Senate, and signed by President Obama on November 2, 2015, will increase the penalties issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for the first time in over 25 years. Typically, federal agencies are able to raise their fines every year to keep pace with inflation but there was … Read More
New Pay Transparency Rule for Federal Contractors
Does your company have a policy that prevents your employees from discussing or disclosing their own pay or the pay of their co-workers? If you are a federal contractor or subcontractor, you better be aware of the new pay transparency rule that takes effect on January 11, 2016. This new rule comes from the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs … Read More
New Executive Order Establishes Paid Sick Leave for Federal Contractor Employees
On Labor Day last week, President Barack Obama signed an Executive Order establishing paid sick leave for employees of Federal contractors. Under this Executive Order, certain Federal contractors will be required to provide to their employees up to 7 days of paid sick leave per year. Federal contractors performing procurement contracts for services or construction will be required to follow this … Read More
False Claims Act liability doesn’t stop on the whistle
Failing to ensure certified payrolls are correct lead to a contractor owing three times the amount paid by the government under a construction contract. The False Claims Act imposes liability on persons and companies that defraud the government. Under the FCA, a “whistleblower,” frequently a current or former employee, may file a lawsuit on behalf of the government when someone … Read More