Advocacy Resources
Discussion group for Oregon interpreters and translators regarding professional issues
Why work with qualified and certified translators and interpreters?
OSTI submitted this document to our Oregon representatives in Washington, DC, in April of 2014. Helen Eby is listed as a member of the editorial team.
ATA submitted this response to the Department of Homeland Security’s Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Language Access Plan on November 14, 2014. It was downloaded from the ATA site on February 15, 2017. Helen Eby is listed as one of the authors on page 42.
The Washington State Interpreters Union published a review of 621,659 interpreters appointments from 2014 to 2016. The results? 0.63% complaint rate that required discipline. 14 interpreters were terminated from the statewide contract and referred to the State’s certifying body for certification. All these interpreters were either state certified or authorized according to Washington State’s standards. 91% fill rate. Check pages 4, 5 and 6 in this report.
The Federal Government considers this important enough that it has a TIP Sheet to help requesters identify certified translators and interpreters.
Having a job description is essential.
All pay rates are attached to well-defined job descriptions, besides having additional specializations, etc. Please refer to these role definitions for interpreters, translators, translator-transcribers, and terminologists, and send them to your clients. They have been endorsed by highly recognized professional associations. Helen Eby is listed as a member of the drafting and editorial team.
- California EEOC: Court interpreters are professionals
- Oregon Interpreting and Translation Needs
- Oregon Judicial Department Best Practices for Working with Interpreters
- How independent contracting works for translators and interpreters in Oregon
- How did Vocalink Global apply this? They made all on site interpreters employees. This is why. They say: This results in more consistent service from highly-qualified, competent, and compliant interpreters – no matter the language.
- How to work with an interpreter – written by Helen Eby for OSTI in January of 2015
What kinds of services do interpreters and translators provide?
US GSA page on Language Services. Here you will find descriptions of the language services the Federal Government (USG) contracts for.
The Foreign Language Services Ordering Guide lists the different services the USG needs. The guide also includes a list of contracts the USG has accepted. This response to the Ordering Guide was drafted hoping improvements would be made as it is implemented at the federal or state levels.
The Federal Government has developed some TIP Sheets regarding work with interpreters. They are written for remote interpreting, but the principles in these sheets can be applied to other types of interactions.
Should interpreters, translators, and their professional associations engage in lobbying activities?
- Advocacy 101 for Interpreters and Translators is a guide co-authored by Helen Eby to permissible advocacy activities for interpreters, translators, and their professional associations.
- 2017 NAJIT Advocacy Flyer
- 2017 ATA Advocacy Priorities. October 25, 2017, was the first Advocacy Day in which ATA engaged its members in lobbying the US Congress. 48 members visited 68 legislative offices on the Wednesday before the conference and submitted these legislative priorities to their legislators.
- A review of the Association of Language Companies 2015 survey.
Language access and civil rights
Helen wrote this overview of language access and civil rights while she was President of the Oregon Society of Translators and Interpreters on June 7, 2015. In conversations with some government agencies, she has found that this material is relevant and necessary for them.