English language proficiency requirements will come in full force later this month: On June 25, CVSA’s Out-of-Service Criteria will formally include ELP.
While many fleets already require ELP for new drivers, all motor carriers will soon face significant pressure to do so. If drivers do not know English well enough to pass roadside inspections, their loads could face major setbacks.
But what will an ELP inspection look like, and how can fleets prepare? Carriers will need to be careful not to run afoul of discrimination laws, warns Steven Moore, a partner at Fox Rothschild LLP and an expert in labor law.
“An employer has to be careful not to go beyond these ELP requirements unnecessarily,” Moore told FleetOwner. “Sometimes, if you go too far with something, you might find yourself in trouble with a different law.”
See also: How to grow a fleet workforce from the bottom up