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Scott Atwood

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From complex labor and employment counseling and litigation to general business matters, Scott has been representing the interests of entrepreneurs, public entities, and businesses of all sizes throughout the United States, including Florida and Georgia, for nearly 25 years.

More specifically, Scott has extensive experience in all aspects of employment law, including Title VII, ADA, ADEA, and Section 1983 discrimination, harassment, and retaliation matters, FMLA leaves issues, and FLSA and state law wage situations. He also assists his clients in whistleblower claims and non-compete, non-solicitation, trade secret, and contract disputes. With regard to general corporate matters, he prepares employment agreements, operating and shareholder agreements, restrictive covenant (non-compete, non-solicitation, confidentiality) agreements, and business contracts.

Scott also brings his expertise as a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator to facilitate a resolution as an alternative to lengthy and expensive litigation. As a member of the Executive Council of the Florida Bar's Labor and Employment Section, Scott is extremely active in helping formulate and implement legal policy on both the state and local level. He is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in Florida and Georgia, including U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida.

Scott has been recognized as a Florida Super Lawyer in labor and employment law. Previously, he was recognized by Atlanta Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in labor and employment law. While attending law school, Scott was elected Editor-in-Chief of the Florida Journal of International Law and was awarded the President's Award for outstanding service to the University. He now serves on the College of Law's Alumni Council.

Scott has two children, Caroline and Laura. They both attended Fort Myers High School’s IB program, and Caroline is now attending Scott’s alma mater, Dartmouth. Scott is married to Kristalyn Loson Atwood, who is also an attorney. When not working, Scott enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, and watching New England sports.

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It took a little longer than expected, but the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the “Act”) is now law. Initially expected to go before the Senate on Monday, the House bill met with much industry resistance. The House then made some “minor technical corrections” (if 75 pages of corrections is minor) on Monday before sending it to the Senate on Tuesday. On Wednesday, March 18, the Senate approved the Act 90-8 (two Senators, one of whom was Sen. Rick Scott, were missing from the vote — self-quarantined due to possible exposure) and the President signed the Act into law a few hours later.

The final Act differs quite a bit from the initial House bill. Below is a summary of the major provisions that apply to employers.

March 20, 2020 Update

On March 20, 2020, the U.S. Treasury Department, IRS, and the U.S. Department of Labor officially announced that small and midsize employers can begin taking advantage of the two new refundable payroll tax credits immediately. This relief would allow these employers to be fully reimbursed, dollar-for-dollar for the cost of providing Coronavirus-related leave to their employees.

The Act becomes effective April 2, 15 days from the date it was signed into law. There are two subsets of the Act:

  1. The Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act; and
  2. The Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act.

Continue Reading President Signs Emergency Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employment Laws

If you are an employer wondering what’s going to happen as a result of the coronavirus, be prepared for some potentially big changes.

On Monday afternoon, March 16, the Senate will consider the House’s emergency bill to temporarily expand the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). If passed — and the general consensus is that it will pass with minor modifications on March 16, and be signed into law the same day – it will significantly expand FMLA coverage for the short term.

Please remember this is only a bill, not a law yet. We will update you when the President actually signs the bill into law (likely tonight), and let you know the final provisions of the law.Continue Reading Employers – Get Ready for Emergency Coronavirus Employment Laws

New DOL Rule Increases Salary Basis Threshold

Employers may need to give some exempt employees a raise come 2020. This week, the federal Department of Labor (“DOL”) released its new Final Rule on the minimum salary an employer needs to pay an exempt employee in order to satisfy the “salary basis” test.

Currently, an employer must pay an exempt employee a salary of at least $455 per week ($23,660 annually).  Effective January 1, 2020, that level increases to $684 per week ($35,568 annually). That’s nearly a $12,000 increase, which would be about a 50% raise for an exempt employee who current makes the minimum threshold salary.

The new Rule, however, pales in comparison to what the DOL proposed, and was about to implement in 2016, before a court put a hold on that Rule (the DOL ultimately withdrew the Rule).  That Rule sought to more than double the current threshold, and increase the minimum salary to $47,476.

Critics (mostly on the employer side) argued that the rationale used to justify such a significant jump in the salary basis was flawed, and that its effect would be to hurt businesses and employees alike.  The new Rule took most of those concerns into account, inasmuch as there is much more consensus among business and employee advocates as to the propriety of the new Rule. To that end, although there is certainly a possibility that a court could hold up implementation of the Rule, there is less chance that an advocacy group will seek to stop this Rule.

What Should Employers Do Now?

Continue Reading Show Me The Money: Some Exempt Employees Due a Raise in 2020