When the third-largest city in the United States can’t even keep its buses running because so many bus drivers called in sick that there wasn’t enough left to drive the ones that were operational, you know something is amiss. When that city is also home to one of the busiest airports in the world, and thousands of passengers are stranded without a reliable way to get to their final destinations, you know things have gone from bad to worse. And while nobody likes being stranded at an airport with no easy way to get home, there’s still something rather amusing about all of this. After all, if you asked almost any random person on the street whether or not a bus driver is a federal employee, they would probably say no – and they would be wrong.
Are Bus Drivers Federal Employees?
No, bus drivers are not federal employees. However, they do often have federal employee benefits. Generally, the federal government does not employ bus drivers. However, the federal government may provide benefits for some bus drivers. This is often true for those employees who work for private bus companies.
Why Are Bus Drivers Federal Employees?
1. School Bus Drivers Are Not Employees Of The Government
When people think of federal employment, they think of people working for a branch of the government. For example, they think of someone working for the Department of Defense (DoD) or someone working for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). They also think of people working for federal agencies, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Many people think bus drivers are federal employees because they have positions that are related to the government. As we mentioned above, only about 20% of people who work for the government are federal employees. The rest work for state and local governments, or are contractors working for the government.
2. The Flsa And Federal Employees
Another reason why many believe that school bus drivers are not federal employees is because of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The FLSA is a federal law that establishes minimum wage, overtime, and other labor standards for employees in the United States. The assumption is that if bus drivers were federal employees, they would be covered by the FLSA. However, the FLSA specifically excludes people working in a government agency or government facility. Therefore, bus drivers who are not federal employees are not covered by the FLSA. Although this may not necessarily mean that they’re not getting paid a fair wage, it does mean that they are not subject to the same labor laws as federal employees.
3. School Buses Are Privately Owned And Operated
Another major reason why many people believe that school bus drivers are not federal employees is that school buses are privately owned and operated. School buses are not owned by a branch of the government, nor are they owned by a government agency. Rather, they are owned and operated by private companies. School buses are privately owned and operated in the same way that privately owned taxi cabs are. This means that school bus drivers are not federal employees. Even if school buses were owned and operated by the government, it does not automatically mean that the drivers would be federal employees. This is because many government agencies hire private contractors to provide services for them. Therefore, being owned by the government does not always mean that individuals are federal employees.
How To Know If You’re A Federal Employee?
- The answer to this question is a bit more complicated. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is in charge of classifying federal employees and their job duties. There are five categories of federal employees, and each has different benefits, rights, and responsibilities.
- The first classification is called General Schedule (GS) employees. Federal employees who are GS employees are paid according to a salary schedule that’s based on their job duties and location. GS pay grades range from 1 through 15, with higher numbers representing higher levels of pay for the position. Most bus drivers fall into the GS-2 or GS-3 level, depending on the region they work in.
- The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is responsible for classifying federal employees. OPM has a classification system that includes more than 50 classifications. Each classification is based on the duties and responsibilities of the job, not on the title of the job or position. In addition to classifying jobs, OPM also determines which benefits are available to each category of employee. Benefits vary depending on the classification, but may include retirement benefits, health insurance programs, and leave time (vacation time and sick leave).
- Federal employees who drive buses are classified in one of two ways: as either “General Schedule” (GS) or “Non-GS” employees. They receive different pay rates and different benefits depending on their classification; this is true for all federal employees regardless of what agency they work for or what their job title is.
What Is The Problem With Being A Federal Employee?
- There are plenty of good reasons to be a federal employee, but there are also a few things to be wary of. One of the primary downsides to being a federal employee is that your pay and opportunities for advancement may be limited. While some federal agencies offer excellent benefits and high salaries, others are not as generous – and, unlike in the private sector, there’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to work your way up the ladder and make more money.
- There are two main problems with being a federal employee: the pay and benefits are not as good as they are for other types of federal employees, and there is less job security. The pay and benefits of federal transportation workers are similar to those of state government employees, but they don’t compare favorably to the compensation offered by private-sector bus companies.
How Does Being A Federal Employee Affects Pay And Benefits?
- The specific benefits that federal employees receive will largely depend on which agencies they work for and which classification of federal employees they are. Typically, federal employees of all types receive excellent health care and retirement benefits. Federal employees also receive paid time off for vacations and sick days.
- Federal employees are covered by workers’ compensation insurance, which insures them if they are injured on the job and unable to work. They are also covered by Social Security and Medicare, which provide them with health care in retirement.
- Federal employees are not paid based on their job titles. Instead, they’re paid according to the General Schedule (GS) – a complex pay scale that breaks down salary by grade level, along with a number of other factors. If you’re a federal employee in the lowest GS grade, you start at $19,074 per year. If you’re in the highest GS grade, you can make up to $164,200 per year. These figures are only estimates; actual salaries will vary depending on where you work and what your job is.
- Many federal employees receive benefits such as health insurance and retirement savings plans (although some do not). These benefits are often very generous – much more so than those offered by private companies. For example, federal workers usually receive full health insurance coverage for themselves and their family members without having to pay anything out-of-pocket. This means that they don’t have to worry about paying monthly premiums or co-pays or deductibles like most people who have private insurance do.
- Retirement savings plans are also generally more generous than those offered by private companies; many federal workers receive pensions after 20 years of service instead of 401(k)s or 403(b)s that employees at most companies get after five years of employment.
Bottom Line
In general, there are many benefits to being a federal employee. At the end of the day, there are many reasons why school bus drivers are not federal employees. If you are currently working as a school bus driver, or are interested in a career in this field, this information can help you. School bus drivers may not be federal employees, and it doesn’t mean that they are not getting a fair wage or working in a safe environment.
