1. Home
  2. |Insights
  3. |Department of Labor Institutes New Pilot Program to Expedite Processing of Discretionary Suspensions and Debarments

Department of Labor Institutes New Pilot Program to Expedite Processing of Discretionary Suspensions and Debarments

Client Alert | 1 min read | 04.04.19

On April 2, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced a new pilot program for discretionary suspensions and debarments in an effort to decrease DOL’s processing time of these actions “from months to days.” As part of the program, DOL’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) will include in its referrals to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management (OASAM) information based on indictments or convictions, with the hope that such information will allow OASAM to process these actions more quickly. Because of the unique nature of DOL debarments – which are largely imposed as a collateral consequence of labor violations – the pilot program increases risk to government contractors under scrutiny by DOL and its components/programs. This development emphasizes the importance of hiring counsel with capabilities to address the full spectrum of risks, including a proactive approach to suspension and debarment defense. 

Insights

Client Alert | 4 min read | 08.29.25

Gender-Affirming Care Targeted for Potential False Claims Act Enforcement

On August 19, 2025, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) informed insurers participating in the Federal Employees Health Benefits or Postal Service Health Benefits programs that gender-affirming care would no longer be covered for federal workers starting in 2026. This coverage decision is the Trump Administration’s latest action stemming from Executive Order 14187 which aims to prevent certain treatments, such as gender-affirming hormone therapy, surgeries, and puberty blockers for those under the age of 19. As previously discussed, the Administration has also signaled its intent to use various law enforcement tools against gender-affirming care, including  Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act to police false or unsupported claims by medical professionals about gender-affirming treatments....