In the News

How school bus contractors respond when a student acts out on the school bus is a balancing act of knowledge, training, and consistency. School bus contractors are obligated to keep all students safe, and are mandated by state and federal laws to provide a safe environment on the school bus. Parents and school administrators have different concerns and legal obligations than do school bus contractors. Often, this makes it difficult for all three parties to see eye-to-eye, which increases the ne...

How should school bus operators respond when a special needs student acts aggressively on the school bus? Of course, school bus operators want to be sensitive to the special needs of the student who may be exhibiting violent behavior. But, school bus operators must keep all students safe and, as employers, are obligated under OSHA to provide a safe work environment for their workers (29 U.S.C. 29 U.S.C. § 654.)

Living in a diverse country such as America, we encounter people with many and varying religious practices. Currently, state and federal laws require employers to make reasonable accommodations for an employee’s religious practices. But, can an employer or the state DMV require a person to remove religious headwear or face coverings for a driver’s license photo or employee ID badge? Below you will find a discussion of laws related to the removal of religious headwear or face coverings for a dr...

The legal environment for the school bus industry was active in 2016. For a summary of the most talked about legal topics of the past year, contact RC Kelly Law Associates for our article titled "Legal Updates for School Bus Contractors The 2016 Year in Review"

Recently, Pennsylvania state authorities have provided conflicting direction on whether school bus videos must be produced when a copy is requested by a parent or other third party. This article will discuss the conflicting positions and provide practical guidance for contractors.

The Federal District Court in Pennsylvania recently confirmed that drivers, aides, and schools are held to a heightened duty or standard of care when transporting special needs students because such students are more vulnerable to harm. The recent case of K.M. v Chichester School District, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16416, explained that a bus driver’s and aide’s error in leaving an autistic child on the bus at the end of a run and the related lack of appropriate training and policies amounted to “...

Under Title VII, an employer can be strictly liable for workplace harassment if the victim’s harasser is a supervisor; but what is the difference between an employee and a supervisor? Below you will find information about Title VII, the recent case of Vance v. Ball State University 646 F.3d 461 (2013), and how you as a contractor can protect your staff and your business through education.