News & Insights

While many Contractors understand the importance of safety in their operations, few may actually be maximizing the benefits of Company safety policies and procedures. Did you know that an employer with a Certified Workplace Safety Committee is eligible to receive a five percent (5%) discount on their Workers' Compensation Insurance premium annually? Soliciting the assistance of your staff and developing a Certified Safety Committee will help you identify and correct additional risks you may ...

The beginning of the school year is an appropriate time for School Bus Contractors to review post-trip inspection procedures with drivers and aides. Pennsylvania law does not expressly prescribe a specific post-trip walkthrough or child-check procedure on the bus; however, federal law imposes requirements for post-trip inspections of a school bus. In any case, the Contractor’s written policy, training, documentation, and actual practice are especially important.

The first weeks of school often bring complaints as students, drivers, aides, and school personnel adjust to new routes and schedules. A parent may report unsafe driving, inappropriate language, failure to follow student transportation instructions, or some other interaction on the bus. As with any complaint received by the Contractor, it is important to respond promptly; however, Contractors should be mindful to review all facts and fully investigate the complaint before responding.

Anyone considering the purchase of an existing Pennsylvania business should be aware of Pennsylvania’s “Bulk Sales” laws. These statutes are designed to protect the Commonwealth’s ability to collect unpaid taxes from a business seller, but also provide the buyer with immunity from successor liability for the seller’s unpaid tax obligations to the state. Wise buyers will comply with the pre-close notice requirements to the Department of Revenue and the Department of Labor in order to mitigat...

As school bus operators prepare to review their employee handbooks and policies over the summer months, special attention should be paid to any language in the handbook or separate policy regarding employee benefits and leave. School bus operators often employ both full-time and part-time staff, and like most employers, typically provide benefits to full-time employees that part-time employees do not receive. Additionally, it is not uncommon for employers to have benefits policies that do not ac...

As most school bus operators know, when it comes to human resources, compliance is often the primary focus. However, there are other elements of effective human resources management that extend beyond compliance, such as communication and compassion. School bus operators, like most employers, are frequently faced with workplace issues where clear communication and compassion can make a difference.

In last months issue of Mind Your Business: PA School Bus Edition, we discussed the job duties test as a component of determining whether an employee is exempt from overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). However, the job duties test is only half of the analysis. To qualify for most exemptions under the FLSA, employees must satisfy both the duties test and the salary test.