Greg Hearing received his Bachelor of Arts degree magna cum laude from The University of the South in 1986, and his J.D. degree cum laude from Florida State University College of Law in 1989 where he served on the FSU Law Review.
Greg has over 30 years’ experience in labor and employment law, representing management clients in both public entities and the private sector. His practice has covered all aspects of employment law, including wage and hour, OSHA, worker’s compensation, harassment, discrimination and retaliation claims. Greg has also represented private and public sector entities in labor management relations, union issues including elections, collective bargaining and labor arbitrations. He joined Bush Graziano Rice & Hearing as a partner in 2023.
Greg is triple board certified by The Florida Bar. He is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Middle, Southern and Northern Districts of Florida; the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court.
Areas of Practice
Labor and Employment
Civil Rights
Trade Secret, Noncompete and Unfair Competition
Data Privacy and Security
Education
Religious Organizations Law
Bar Admissions
Florida 1989
U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida
U.S. District Court Northern District of Florida
U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida
U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court
Honors and Awards
- College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, Fellow, 2011-present, Chair of Eleventh Circuit Credentials Committee 2018, 2019 and 2020
- Best Lawyers in America, selected for inclusion, 2006-2023
- 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
- Tampa Magazine, Top Lawyers, 2021-2022
- 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
Professional Associations and Memberships
- 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
Published Works
- “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 , 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, Dec ember 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 Emergence y Paid Sick Leave Ac t ,” 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 , Dec ember 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/Dec ember 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
- “Mc Donald’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
Presentations and Seminars
- Workplace Privacy & Surveillance. The Florida Bar – Advanced Labor Topics. April 19, 2024.
- Top Ten Reasons Why Public Employers Are Sued by Their Employees. 2024 Savannah Conference – NPERLA 53rd Annual Training Conference
- Workplace Privacy & Surveillance. The Florida Bar Labor and Employment Law Section, Ashville, NC, April 18-19, 2024.
