Scott Hetrick is the Labor and Employment Team Leader at Adams and Reese. Scott leads a team of labor and employment attorneys across 20 offices who represent private and governmental employers in all federal, state, and local issues, and advises employers on the legal ramifications and potential exposure that may impact their business and operations.
Practicing law for 30 years, Scott is a management rights advocate who represents employers with federal and state labor and employment law compliance and dispute resolution.
Scott counsels employers with an eye to preventing claims arising from day-to-day employment decisions, particularly terminations of employees and large-scale layoffs.
Scott also represents insurers with analysis of their defense and coverage obligations under a wide variety of insurance policies, including commercial liability, errors and omissions, property and casualty and liquor liability, in a wide range of third-party claims against their insureds.
Human Resources Policies and Procedures
An important component of Scott’s practice involves drafting and revising employee handbooks, personnel policies and procedures (attendance/payroll, leave of absence, conduct, etc.), background check disclosure and consent agreements, and employment contracts, including non-compete agreements, trade secret agreements and arbitration agreements.
Scott advises employers on individual employee discharges (of employees at levels from the CEO on down), mass layoffs of numerous employees, employee requests for accommodations and leaves of absence, appropriate levels of discipline, etc. He drafts and reviews termination letters, requests for medical information letters, and similar communications from employers to employees related to personnel issues. He also advises on severance and release agreements at termination of employment.
Scott coordinates employer obligations and best practices under federal disability/medical leave laws and state workers’ compensation laws while, at the same time, advising on how to navigate conflicting obligations under those laws to avoid litigation.
Scott works with employers across all industries to tailor their human resources policies and procedures specific to their line of business and operations. He helps employers to run their companies in compliance with labor and employment laws by providing training to managers, supervisors and employees on discrimination and harassment prevention.
Defense of Employers Against Federal and State Agencies
Scott defends employers and management decisions against legal challenge covering a wide array of claims pending with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National Labor Relations Board, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Mobile County Personnel Board, the Alabama Department of Labor, and in state and federal courts.
He assists employers with investigations and audits of wage and hour law compliance by the U.S. Department of Labor and litigates discrimination and retaliation lawsuits and minimum wage and overtime law claims in federal and state courts.
In addition, Scott has extensive experience with assisting United States government contractors and subcontractors with their affirmative action plans and responding to compliance audits of those plans by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). He has prepared more than 200 affirmative action plans and defended against more than 15 OFCCP compliance audits.
Published Author and Frequent Speaker on Employment Law
Scott speaks frequently on employment law and human resource management issues at seminars for personnel managers and business owners. He has also published numerous articles on employment law topics.
Most recently, Scott wrote a three-part series on Paid Family Medical Leave, analyzing the states that have mandatory PFML laws and those that have voluntary PFML laws in place.
Scott has also written on overtime rules, employee accommodation requests, discrimination rulings, and compliance with federal and state agencies. His articles have been published by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), HR Daily Advisor, Salary.com, JDSupra, Birmingham Business Journal, among other national, local publications, and labor and employment media.
Education
Bar Admissions
Court Admissions
Community Involvement
Scott is a long-time member of the Board of Directors of the South Alabama Volunteer Lawyers Program, Inc. (SAVLP) and served as SAVLP’s President from 2013 to 2015. In addition to his commitment to pro bono legal services, Scott further helps the community through his membership in the Knights of Columbus in which he also has held several leadership roles.
Areas of Practice
Acknowledgements
- Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year - Mobile Employment Law - Management, 2019
- Best Lawyers® - Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Leadership Mobile, Class of 2012
- Lorman Education Services Distinguished Faculty
Professional Affiliations & Memberships
- Alabama State Bar Association
- American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section
- Mobile Bar Association
- South Alabama Volunteer Lawyers Program, Board of Directors; President (2012-2015); Treasurer (2011-2012)
- Society for Human Resource Management, Mobile and Baldwin County; Past President of Baldwin County Chapter
- Knights of Columbus, Current Financial Secretary for Council 13125; Former Grand Knight and Financial Secretary for Council 13163; Former District Deputy
Related Knowledge
News
Related Events
- "What Can Employers Ask Military Veterans During Job Interviews?" Adams and Reese Vets to Ventures Series, October 2024
- "Mandatory PFML Requirements for Employers in the "Swamp" and "Rocky Mountain High," PFML Laws Series, Part 3 of 3, July 2024
- "Insurance-Based Paid Family Medical Leave Options for Employers in the 'SEC'" PFML Laws Series, Part 2 of 3, June 2024
- "Does Your State Have Laws About Paid Family Medical Leave?" PFML Laws Series, Part 1 of 3, May 2024
- "No Magic Words Required: Sixth Circuit Rules Context Clues Are Important to Recognize Employee Accommodations Requests," Adams and Reese Labor and Employment Client Alert, May 2024
- "DOL Announces Final Rule on Overtime Exemption Salary Thresholds," Adams and Reese Labor and Employment Client Alert, April 2024
- "Understanding the Employee's FMLA Notice Duties: Key Takeaways from Recent Legal Ruling," Adams and Reese Labor and Employment Client Alert, March 2024
- "Potential Significant Increases in Salary Minimums for 'White Collar' Overtime Exemptions are on the Horizon," Adams and Reese Labor and Employment Client Alert, September 2023
- "Liquor Liability Insurance Reform in Alabama - Dram Shop Liability Act Applies to Policies After Aug. 1," Adams and Reese Alcohol and Hospitality/Insurance Client Alert, August 2023
- "U.S. DOL Wins Latest Battle in War with Restaurant Associations Over the Tipped Employee '80/20' Rule," published in HR Daily Advisor, July 2023
- "New Protections in 2023 for Pregnant and Nursing Employees," Adams and Reese Labor and Employment Client Alert, January 2023
- "Bias Suit Ruling Offers Disability Accommodation Guidelines," published in Law360, November 2022
- "What Can Employers Do Now While OSHA's COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Rules are Temporarily Suspended?" Adams and Reese Labor and Employment Client Alert, November 2021
- "Nonprofit Employer Benefits and Obligations Q&A," South Alabama Volunteer Lawyers Program (SAVLP), April 2020
- "Management Best Practices for ADA/FMLA Compliance in 2020," Seminar, March 2020
- "1.2 Million Workers Could Be Reclassified Under DOL Overtime Rule Change; Employers Should Audit Exempt Employees' Compensation and Duties Now," Adams and Reese Labor and Employment Client Alert, September 2019
- "Yes, It Really Happened! Employment Cases You Won't Believe and the Legal Solutions for Each," Mobile SHRM Gulf Coast HR Conference, November 2019
- "Wage & Hour: Employment Law Update for Nonprofits," South Alabama Volunteer Lawyers Program, June 2019
- "Legal Considerations of Paid and Unpaid Employee Leave," Greater Pensacola SHRM Legal Conference, May 2019
- "Application (Misapplication) of Overtime Exemption," Inaugural Wage & Hour ExecSummit, Uncasville, Connecticut, November 2018
- "The Road to Termination: Practical Tips for Avoiding Costly Litigation," Alabama Association of Regional Council Conference, October 2018
- "Lunch and Learn on Americans With Disabilities Act," City Club Birmingham, September 2018 (View event photos)
- "Is Your Business Conducting Self-Audits? Now's the Time to Ensure Compliance with Three Changes to the FLSA," Adams and Reese Labor and Employment Client Alert, June 2018
- "Inside the Minds: Government Contracts Compliance - Leading Lawyers on Navigating Evolving Requirements, Developing Compliance Programs, and Collaborating with Government Agencies," Aspatore Books©, 2010
- "The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Play Act of 2009 and Your Business," Mobile Bay Business Journal, March 2009
- "The Fair Labor Standards Act," Cumulative Supplement, Contributing Editor, 2008
- "Alabama Municipal Employees' Rights to Paid Military Leave," The Alabama Lawyer, vol. 64, p. 65, November 2003
- "The Employer's Duties Regarding Communicable Disease in the Workplace," 24:1 American Journal of Trial Advocacy, 35, Summer 2000
- "Employee Head Knowledge and The Alabama Trade Secrets Act," 47 Ala. L. Rev. 513, 1996