On February 17, 2022, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposed a rule to update its Agriculture Acquisition Regulation (AGAR), which has not had a major revision since 1996. One component of the proposed...more
An executive order increasing the minimum wage for non-exempt employees working on specified types of federal contracts took effect January 30, 2022. However, recent wage determinations issued by the Department of Labor (DOL)...more
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS -
OHA Confirms M&A-Related Recertification Won’t Impact Contractors’ Eligibility Under Pre-Existing Contracts -
For small businesses, navigating the recertification rules promulgated by the Small...more
LABOR & EMPLOYMENT -
Court Enjoins Vaccine Mandate Nationwide: The Practical Implications for Federal Contractors -
On December 7, 2021, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia (District Court)...more
12/17/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Climate Change ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Cybersecurity ,
Employer Mandates ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Fraud ,
Popular ,
SBA ,
Small Business ,
State False Claims Acts ,
Vaccinations
On December 7, 2021, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia (District Court) issued a nationwide preliminary injunction preventing the federal government from enforcing Executive Order (EO)...more
12/9/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Contractors ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
Injunctions ,
OSHA ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
Once again, the specter of a government shutdown looms over the federal contracting community. The House just passed a continuing resolution that would extend federal funding through February 18, 2022, and avoid a government...more
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS -
GSA Polaris and the New SCRM Requirements: Supply Chain Risk May Put Your Proposal at Risk -
With the release of GSA Polaris around the corner, one looming issue remains: Contractors may lose out on...more
11/23/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Climate Change ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Defense (DOD) ,
Employer Mandates ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Federal Employees ,
General Services Administration (GSA) ,
Infrastructure ,
OSHA ,
Popular ,
SBA ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On November 18, 2021, the Biden Administration announced an executive order (EO) bringing back to life what was formerly EO 13495, Nondisplacement of Qualified Workers Under Service Contracts. The EO establishes that where a...more
LABOR & EMPLOYMENT -
COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing: Critical Implications of OSHA’s ETS for Federal Government Contractors -
On November 4, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published its...more
11/11/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Cybersecurity ,
Department of Defense (DOD) ,
Department of Energy (DOE) ,
DFARS ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
General Services Administration (GSA) ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
OSHA ,
Popular ,
SBA ,
Small Business ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
On November 4, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published its long-awaited COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) for covered private employers, including nearly all...more
11/8/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Federal Contractors ,
Federal Employees ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
Infectious Diseases ,
OSHA ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
LABOR & EMPLOYMENT -
New Vaccine Mandate Guidance Issued for Federal Contractors: 5 Things You Need to Know -
On September 24, 2021, the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (Task Force) issued much-anticipated guidance...more
10/1/2021
/ Buy American Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Defense (DOD) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Federal Contractors ,
General Services Administration (GSA) ,
HUBZone ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
NASA ,
Small Business ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
As of this writing, and in the absence of a continuing resolution being enacted by Congress, there will be a shutdown of most government operations on October 1, 2021. It is not clear whether the House and the Senate will be...more
On September 24, 2021, the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (Task Force) issued much-anticipated guidance (Guidance) regarding President Biden’s Executive Order 14042, Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal...more
LITIGATION & DISPUTE RESOLUTION -
Watch Your Step: Avoiding False Claims Act Violations from Limitations in Subcontracting and Performance of Work Requirements -
Members of the government contracting community are...more
9/24/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Defense (DOD) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Fraud ,
General Services Administration (GSA) ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
SBA ,
Small Business
On September 9, 2021, the Biden Administration announced sweeping updates to its national strategy to combat COVID-19. The updates come less than a month after the Food and Drug Administration fully approved the...more
LABOR & EMPLOYMENT -
What President Biden’s Vaccine Mandate Means for Government Contractors and Private Employers -
Westlaw Today recently published an article by members of PilieroMazza’s Labor & Employment Group. The...more
8/20/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Defense (DOD) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Federal Contractors ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Minimum Wage ,
Vaccinations ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
Join PilieroMazza’s Nichole Atallah and Sarah Nash, partners in the Firm’s Labor & Employment Group, for a 30-minute overview of recent legal developments and trends on vaccine and mask mandates and their implications for...more
8/9/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Policies ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Webinars ,
Workplace Safety
With the rise in COVID-19 cases across the country in the wake of the Delta variant, local, state, and federal officials have been taking steps to revise guidance, update recommendations, and revisit plans and protocols. In...more
An employer’s response to an employee complaint can mean the difference between an employee who files a lawsuit and one who doesn’t, even if they do not always get the answer they want to hear. Determining which complaints...more
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS -
SBA Extends the HUBZone Map Freeze to June 30, 2023 -
Today, the Small Business Administration (SBA) issued a direct final rule extending the HUBZone map freeze from December 31, 2021, to June...more
5/7/2021
/ Amazon ,
Biden Administration ,
Consultants ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Contractors ,
FedRAMP ,
GAO ,
General Services Administration (GSA) ,
Independent Contractors ,
Mentor-Protege Program ,
Microsoft ,
Minimum Wage ,
OSHA ,
Qui Tam ,
Relief Measures ,
Restaurant Industry ,
SBA
LITIGATION & DISPUTE RESOLUTION -
Return to Work: Employer-Mandated COVID Vaccination Policies and Accommodating Employee Disabilities and Religious Beliefs -
With over 50% of the adult population in the United States...more
4/30/2021
/ American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
IRS ,
Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) ,
OMB ,
OSHA ,
Paid Leave ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
SBA ,
Tribal Governments ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
Yesterday, President Biden signed an executive order (Biden Order) that will increase the applicable minimum wage rate to be paid to workers performing work on or in connection with federal contracts from $10.95 to $15.00 per...more
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) into law, providing an estimated $1.9 trillion in stimulus to aid in the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the various relief provisions are updates...more
CYBERSECURITY & DATA PRIVACY -
Virginia Governor Signs Nation’s Second State Consumer Privacy Bill -
The Washington Post reported that Governor Ralph Northam signed data privacy legislation into law, making Virginia the...more
3/11/2021
/ Acquisitions ,
Back Pay ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Cybersecurity ,
Data Privacy ,
Data Security ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Healthcare ,
Medical Equipment ,
Mergers ,
National Security ,
Pay Equity Laws ,
Relief Measures
Lawmakers and Professional Association Call for Extension of COVID Leave Reimbursement Provision for Contractors under the CARES Act -
Government Executive reported that Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Marco Rubio (R-FL)...more
3/8/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
CARES Act ,
Construction Project ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Discrimination ,
General Services Administration (GSA) ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Relief Measures ,
SBA ,
Supply Chain