Feb 26, 2019 | Employment Law
On February 22, 2019, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking announcing its intention to update its online charge system. The 60-day public comment period has begun, and stakeholders will have until April 23,...
Jan 28, 2019 | Employment Law
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) is a federal statute that makes it illegal for an employer to discriminate against its employees on the basis of age. Specifically, the ADEA prohibits employers from providing disparate treatment to employees who are 40...
Jan 28, 2019 | Health Care
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights recently announced that Pagosa Springs Medical Center (“PSMC”) in Colorado has agreed to pay $111,400 to resolve allegations that it potentially violated HIPAA’s Privacy and Security Rules. OCR...
Jan 28, 2019 | Health Care
On January 23, 2019, a former director of a Florida hospital pled guilty to one count of conspiring to defraud federal healthcare programs by paying and receiving kickbacks as part of an alleged $1 billion healthcare fraud. The case, U.S. v. Esformes et al., is in the...
Dec 27, 2018 | False Claims Act
On December 20, 2018, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida announced that a Fort Meyers-based pain doctor had agreed to settle a False Claims Act investigation. Dr. Jonathan Daitch agreed to pay over $1.7 million to resolve allegations that he...
Dec 27, 2018 | Employment Law
On December 20, 2018, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced that a Louisiana credit union will pay $110,000 to settle allegations that it violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The suit was brought by Connie Fields-Meaux, who was the...
Dec 27, 2018 | Health Care
In a recent Cybersecurity Newsletter, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) published guidance on basic cybersecurity safeguards for healthcare organizations to implement in order to promote cyber resilience and mitigate the impact...
Dec 27, 2018 | False Claims Act
In October 2018, the Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act of 2018 (“EKRA”) became effective. EKRA will have an immediate and significant effect on the marketing and sales activities of clinical laboratories, clinical treatment facilities, and recovery homes. EKRA, in...
Nov 22, 2018 | Employment Law
On October 31, 2018, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released final fiscal year 2018 data showing increases in various actions alleging sexual harassment. Specifically, the EEOC’s data shows a 13.6 percent increase in charges of discrimination...
Nov 22, 2018 | Health Care
The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals recently issued an opinion affirming a district court’s ruling that a civil whistleblower was not entitled to an award arising from criminal forfeiture proceedings where the government decided to criminally prosecute the...
