Harford County Public Schools Announce Pay Raise, Bonuses For Bus Drivers & Cafeteria Workers

ABINGDON, Md. (WJZ) — Harford County Public School officials connected Tuesday announced a three-part program for hiring and retention incentives for their school’s autobus drivers, attendants and cafeteria workers. The incentives see wage raises, retention bonuses and sign-on bonuses to capable vacancies.

The region said it is not lone facing trouble staffing and retaining autobus drivers and attendants, but besides cafeteria workers and different enactment staff.

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HCPS Superintendent Dr. Sean Bulson announced the schoolhouse strategy has approved a one-time 8% rise to the salaries of its autobus drivers, autobus attendants and nutrition workers, effectual Dec. 26, 2021.

Harford County Executive Barry Glassman announced a $2,000 retention outgo for each schoolhouse autobus drivers, autobus attendants, and cafeteria workers. This one-time outgo volition use to some schoolhouse strategy and autobus contractor drivers. It volition besides service arsenic a signing bonus to capable vacancies.

The backing of the retention payments volition full $2.3 cardinal dollars, wealth that comes from Harford County government’s information of the national American Rescue Plan Act share.

“Like our chap ‘Big 8’ counties successful Maryland, Harford is facing idiosyncratic shortages successful these areas,” Glassman said. “This backing volition assistance enlistee and clasp the dedicated unit of autobus drivers, attendants and nutrient work workers who instrumentality attraction of our children successful school.”

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The announcement comes arsenic schoolhouse systems successful the portion reckon with autobus drivers taking steps for amended wage amid a nationalist shortage of drivers.

On Monday, 77 Baltimore County autobus drivers called out. The determination comes arsenic autobus drivers request wage raises portion the county’s leaders contemplate incentives to support their workforce happy.

Bus drivers successful Howard County besides refused to enactment past Monday morning, disrupting astir 100 routes, and causing region leaders to allocate $2 cardinal for bonuses.

In Anne Arundel County, drivers with Annapolis Bus Company unionized aft going connected onslaught successful October.

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CBS Baltimore Staff