Legal Focus

School bus contractors and school districts are all familiar with the disqulifying offenses listed in 24 P.S. §1-111€ and know that the words of the statute appear to apply a lifetime ban from employment for individuals who have ever been conficted of "enumerated offenses". But, many are not aware that subsequesnt court decisions and guideance published by the Pennsylvania Department of Education now allows for discretion when considering criminal acts from many, many years ago...

It is inevitable that a school bus contractor will receive an inquiry from the media after a notable event. Or perhaps a school bus contractor would like to share a good news story with neighbors and the school community. In both instances, knowing how to present your company in the most postive light is critical.

The PA Public School Code 24 P.S. §111-1 requires background checks for employees and independent contractors employed by public and private schools, intermediate units and area vocational-technical schools. The list of disqualifying criminal offenses includes twenty-six criminal violations with no limit on the lookback period. This article discusses the existing state law and proposed federal legislation regarding DUI convictions that also have an unlimited lookback period.

In September 2017, Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) introduced H.R.3703, the No School Bus Drivers with DUIs Act, aimed at prohibiting state and local education agencies from hiring school bus drivers who have been previously convicted of a DUI. This bill stems from recent national news stories reporting on isolated incidents of poor background check protocols. The NSTA and related trade associations responded earlier this year to news reports circulated by CBS News alleging poor search practices, and ref...

Social media has become an integral part of daily life for most individuals. As a result, it is seemingly impossible to go through the day without utilizing it for any given purpose. From employees to employers, social media affects everyone. This article discusses the use of social media as it relates to school transportation contractors.

Many businesses have started Facebook and LinkedIn pages as part of their marketing campaigns and a recent 2013 CareerBuilder.com survey reports that 39% of employers search social networking sites to screen job applicants. Whether on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, or personal blogs, social networking on the internet is a quickly evolving business risk. The attached article outlines the risks of using social networks and how to protect you and your business.