Gregory A. Hearing - Attorney at Law

Gregory A. Hearing Attorney At Law

Gregory A. Hearing - Attorney at Law

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gregory.hearing@gray-robinson.com

T 813.273.5000
F 813.273.5145
D 813.273.5082
 Tampa 401 East Jackson Street Suite 2700 Tampa, Florida 33602

Focus

Go-to management-side labor and employment civil trial lawyer for private and public companies with operations across Florida and the Southeast. Known for rich trial experience, depth of legal acumen, and expertise in the retail, health care, education, telecommunications, entertainment, transportation, and public sectors. 

Greg Hearing has been fighting for management clients with labor and employment law issues for more than thirty years. He is triple board certified by The Florida Bar and represents a who’s who of both private companies and public entities across the Southeast before courts, arbitrators, and state and federal administrative agencies.

A diligent advisor and artful litigator, Greg’s practice covers all facets of employment law, including wage and hour, sexual harassment, discrimination, ADA, FMLA, Worker’s Compensation, reasonable accommodation, and retaliation claims. Notable corporate client relationships include Verizon Wireless, Werner Industries, Walgreens, Facebook, McKesson Corporation, 20th Century Fox, Sinclair Broadcasting, Telemundo, multiple K-12 and post-secondary educational entities, and some of the state’s largest hospital systems and physician groups. Greg also maintains a traditional labor law practice, with an emphasis on public sector representation, providing counsel on labor union matters, labor management relations, collective bargaining, labor arbitrations, and NLRB proceedings. 

Greg is sought after by clients for his deep knowledge of trends in workplace culture and the ramifications of changing national politics and swings in policy on employment laws and regulations. He has developed a niche in counseling clients on the rising liabilities and claims including those now emerging in a post-pandemic work environment, such as issues related to vaccine and mask mandates, workplace safety, discrimination/accommodation issues, wage and hour claims, leave issues, managing a disjointed/remote workforce, and maintenance of good employee morale.

 


  • Notable Work
    • Represented Walgreens in a retaliation claim alleging violations of Florida’s Private Whistleblower’s Act and the Florida Civil Rights Act, as well as interference and retaliation claim in violation of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), prevailing on summary judgment; the case is currently pending appeal
    • Represented Verizon Wireless in interference and retaliation claim in violation of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), as well as disability discrimination, including failure to accommodate disability, prevailing on summary judgment
    • Representation of KnowBe4, the world's largest integrated platform for security awareness training, in various labor and employment matters, including breach of contract, discrimination, and other EEOC investigations
    • Represented Local Seafood in breach of employment agreement claim, prevailing on summary judgment; the appellate court subsequently affirmed the lower court’s decision
    • Represents one of Florida’s largest hospital systems in all labor union matters as well as defense of equal employment opportunity claims brought in federal and state courts
  • Recognition
    • Best Lawyers in America, selected for inclusion, 2006-2023
      • Lawyer of the Year, Litigation - Labor and Employment, 2021, 2023
      • Lawyer of the Year, Management Labor and Employment, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2021
    • Chambers Global, Labor and Employment, 2020-2022
    • Chambers USA, Labor and Employment, 2007-2023
    • Florida Trend, Legal Elite, Hall of Fame, 2005-2011, 2013-2023
    • Florida Super Lawyers, 2006-2022
      • Top 50 Lawyers in Tampa Bay, 2022
      • Top 100 Attorneys in Florida, 2018 and 2022
    • Tampa Magazine, Top Lawyers, 2021-2022
      • Employee benefits (ERISA) law
      • Employment law (management)
    • Lawdragon, 500 Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers, 2020-2022
    • Who's Who Legal
      • Global Leader, Labour and Employment, 2020
      • National Leader, Labour and Employment, 2020-2021
  • Insights
    • “When Does Eccentric Become Dangerous? Using Fitness-for-Duty Exams to Address Mental Illness in the Workplace," Florida Public Employer Labor Relations Association Annual Conference, February 7-8, 2023
    • "THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: LESSONS LEARNED FOR LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT PRACTITIONERS," The Florida Bar Journal, January/February 2023
    • "Post-Covid Organizing Efforts: What Are Hospitality Industry Employers to Do?" Hotel Business Review, December 11, 2022
    • "Union Avoidance," Associated Builders and Contractors Gulf Coast Chapter Union, September 14, 2022
    • "Controversial Speech in the Workplace: What to do in These Turbulent Times?" 2022 HR Florida Conference and Expo, August 30, 2022
    • "Know your rights as an employer in terms of legal marijuana use," Hotel Management, August 24, 2022
    • "Top Ten Reasons Why Public Employers Are Sued by Their Employees,” PRIMA 22, June 7, 2022
    • "Viewpoint: Top 10 Reasons Why Employees Sue Their Employers," SHRM, May 2, 2022
    • Co-Chair, "Advanced Labor Topics," The Florida Bar Labor and Employment Section annual seminar, April 7-8, 2022
    • "Understanding the Limitations of Public Employee Free Speech Rights in Turbulent Times," Florida Public Employer Labor Relations Association (FPELRA), February 8, 2022
    • "Birds, Knees and Tweets: Understanding When Public Employees May Limit Employee Speech When Charged Speech is the Norm," National PELRA's 50th Anniversary Annual Training Conference, November 7, 2021
    • "Taking a Knee to Free Speech: Understanding When Public Employers May Limit Free Speech," National NPERLA Conference, November 2, 2021
    • "The Next Frontier in Public Employment Litigation," Florida Bar’s Annual Public Employment Labor Relations Forum, October 14, 2021
    • "Top 10 Reasons Why Employers Are Sued by Their Employees," 27th Annual HFTP Florida Regional Conference, July 22, 2021
    • "Reefer Madness: Legalized Marijuana and the Workplace," Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel Speakers’ Bureau, June 16, 2021
    • "The Pro Act - How to Keep Unions Out of Your Work Place," ABC Florida Gulf Coast Webinar, May 26, 2021
    • "The Legal, Philosophical, and Ethical Considerations of the COVID-19 Vaccine," 2021 Resilient Together Webinar, February 9, 2021
    • "Human Resource Issues, Dilemmas, and Solutions Surrounding the COVID-19 Pandemic," Behavior Analyst Leadership Council’s (BALC) COVID-19 Panel, February 4, 2021
    • "Construction Industry Best Practices During A Pro-Union Administration," Associated Builders and Contractors, FL Gulf Coast Chapter Webinar, January 14, 2021
    • “Employee Free Speech Rights in the Aftermath of the US Election,” Hotel Executive, December 2020 
    • "Reopening the Workplace: Are You and Your Employees Prepared?," COVID-19 Conversations Webinar Series, June 8, 2020
    • "Government Employees and Social Media: Are Posts Protected Speech?," American Bar Association’s (ABA) Virtual State and Local Government Law Spring Meeting, May 20, 2020
    • "COVID-19: Returning to Work," Baldwin Krystyn Sherman Partners, May 13, 2020
    • "COVID-19: Returning to Work," Associated Builders and Contractors Florida Gulf Coast Chapter, May 6, 2020
    • "Families First Coronavirus Response Act and the CARES Act – What You Need to Know Now," Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida, April 17, 2020
    • "Managing Employees During A Crisis," Associated Builders and Contractors Gulf Coast Chapter’s "ABC’s 3 Quick Things," April 17, 2020
    • "Taking a Knee to Free Speech: Understanding When Public Employees May Limit Free Speech," National Public Employer Labor Relations Association Training, April 17, 2020
    • "COVID-19 Impact on Employers and Employees: Just the Facts," Thursday, March 26, 2020
    • "Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act and the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act," Associated Builders and Contractors, Tuesday, March 24, 2020
    • National Academy of Arbitrators Southeast Region Program, February 29, 2020
    • "The Seven Deadly Sins of Just Cause – Arbitration Update," American Forest and Paper Association Employee Relations Program, September 26, 2019
    • "Grievance Handling and Arbitration Simulation," Florida Public Employer Labor Relations Association, Florida Certified Labor Relations Professional Program, September 13, 2019
    • "Diversity Programs, EEO Reporting, and the Real World," Florida Department of Health, June 26, 2019
    • "Taking a Knee to Free Speech: Understanding When Employers May Limit Employee Speech," PRIMA Annual Conference, Orlando, Florida, June 9-12, 2019
    • "Advanced Labor Topics" Program Co-Chair, Labor and Employment Law Section, The Florida Bar, April 2019
    • "Federal COVID-19 Action Plan Update," GrayRobinson Labor and Employment E-lert, September 13, 2021
    • "Employee Free Speech Rights in the Aftermath of the US Election," Hotel Executive, December 2020
    • "Social Media and the Progressive Limitations on Public Sector Employees’ First Amendment Right to Free Speech," The Florida Bar Journal, Volume 94, No. 6, November/December 2020
    • "Guest Column: Protecting Confidential Business Information in Remote Work Environments," Tampa Bay Business Journal, November 2020
    • "Know Your Rights as An Employer in Terms of Legal Marijuana Use," Hotel Management, April 2020
    • "Reducing the Risk of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace," Tampa Bay Business Journal, December 2019
    • "Relaxed Enforcement of Workplace Rules May Lead to Increased Employment Claims," Hotel Executive, December 2019
    • "McDonald’s CEO Firing, is Office Romance Policy a Necessity for Employers?" Newsradio 970 WFLA, November 2019
    • "Don’t Take a Knee to Employee Free Speech in the Workplace," The HR Digest, August 2019
    • "Taking a Knee to Free Speech: Understanding When Employers May Limit Employee Speech," Hillsborough County Bar Association Lawyer Magazine, March-April 2019 issue
  • Affiliations
    • College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, Fellow, 2011-present, Chair of Eleventh Circuit Credentials Committee 2018, 2019 and 2020.
    • Member, Academy of Florida Management Attorneys since its inception
    • Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel Member, 2018-present
    • The Florida Bar
      • Executive Council, 2001-present; Chair 2012
      • Labor and Employment Law Section Member, 1989-present
    • Florida Board of Bar Examiners, 2012-2016; Chair 2015-2016
    • American Bar Association Fellow, 2014-present
    • Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida, Labor and Employment Law, Vice-Chancellor, 1991-present
    • Kiwanis Club of Tampa Bay, 1990-2020
    • St. John’s Episcopal Day School Board of Trustees, 2012-2021
    • St. John's Episcopal Church, Tampa
      • Senior Warden, 2019-2021
      • Vestry, 2018-2021
    • The University of the South
      • Trustee, 2012-2015 and 2019-2022
    • Boys and Girls Club of Tampa Bay, Inc., 2008-present, Chair of Board, 2012-2013
  • Credentials
    • J.D., Florida State University College of Law, 1989, cum laude, Law Review
    • B.A., The University of the South, 1986, magna cum laude
      • Phi Beta Kappa
      • Omicron Delta Kappa
    • Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Labor and Employment Law since 2000
    • Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Civil Trial since 2007
    • Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Education Law since 2012
  • Admissions
    • Florida
    • U.S. District Court for the Southern, Middle, and Northern Districts of Florida
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
    • U.S. Supreme Court