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The Language Industry Battle: Contractors vs. Employees

The latest round of the battle waged by U.S. language companies comes down to this basic question. Are translators and interpreters contractors or employees?

Many U.S. language companies prefer
to pay most translators and interpreters as contractors. Two losses on that battlefield: Language Services Associates (LSA) and CP Language Institute (CPLI), both of New York.

For LSA, an initial New York Department of Labor ruling that LSA contractors should be classified as employees was upheld on many grounds, including these:

LSA records and monitors telephone interpreting to ensure adequate performance.
Interpreters receive instructions from LSA on how to improve services.
Interpreters are given an evaluation rating that can affect future LSA assignments.

A similar loss for CPLI mentioned these grounds, among others:

An interpreter is required to submit a resume and obtain an adequate language proficiency test score.
CPLI maintains a file of interpreter qualifications that includes a resume, reference letters, proficiency exam and availability.
CPLI guidelines address punctuality, attire, performance and conduct.
Once an assignment is accepted, the interpreter must notify CPLI if s/he becomes unavailable; CPLI (not the interpreter) provides a substitute.
Interpreters can work for other language agencies subject to a 12-month non-compete clause following termination of the CPLI relationship.
CPLI provides a picture identification badge with CPLI's name

None of these requirements are unusual for the language industry. Stay tuned for the next salvo!

Help an Interpreter

This story is sad, but it ends on a happier note.

The sad part. An interpreter (and trainer of interpreters) in Santa Barbara, California, José Saleta, was experiencing some odd symptoms and exhaustion. After weeks of tests came the tragic news: a diagnosis of ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis).

ALS is a degenerative disease. As it progresses, ones loses the ability to move. By the end, ALS shuts down vital functions like breathing. There is no cure.

The happy part. José wrote a moving piece to help raise money so that his family could remodel their house to accommodate a wheelchair and future medical needs. The fundraiser so far is a smash success!

José is one of our licensed trainers, but I hope we would be sharing his story no matter what. He is an interpreter and a wonderful human being. He deserves our support!

April 15, 2016

IN THIS ISSUE

Help an Interpreter

On the Calendar

Get the Numbers Right: Immigrants in the U.S

CCC Corner

Culture & Language Press

QUICK LINKS

CCC News and Events

The Voice of Love

Intersect Back Issues

CONTACT US

Address:
Cross-Cultural Communications
10015 Old Columbia Road
Suite B-215
Columbia, MD 21046

Phone: 410.312.5599

Email: Click here

BOOK(S) OF THE WEEK

Translation and Interpreting: The International Journal of Translation and Interpreting Research

Ignacio García and Mustapha Taibi (Eds).
2016, Volume 8, No. 1

This week's "book" is the current volume of a valuable online journal. It's free, it's deep and it's solid. It also boasts an Editorial Board and International Advisory Board packed with some of the biggest names in the field. (Its founding editor was Sandra Hale.)

Here are just some of the articles in the current volume:

Is grit the X-factor for interpreters leaving the profession?

Jamie L. McCartney

A case study of improving and evaluating consumer survey translation

Mandy Sha, Jennie Lai

Hybrid modelling of intelligence and linguistic factors as predictorsof translation quality

Reza Pishghadam, Shaghayegh Shayesteh, Fatemeh Heidari

Review:

Legal interpreting at a turning point
Jim Hlavac

ON THE CALENDAR

Help RID Update Its Certification

The National Interpreter Certification (NIC) of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) seeks input. RID has a Job Task Analysis survey. It is not only for ASL interpreters. RID seeks input from the Deaf community, hearing consumers and other stakeholders too. (Good for RID!) The deadline is April 27, 2016.

RID members should already have a personal invitation by e-mail. Non-RID members can use this survey link to access the survey. It takes about 25 minutes. It can be taken in ASL and English.

Pass it on!

Get the Numbers Right: Immigrants in the U.S.

Here is the latest round-up of figures based on U.S. Census Bureau data. Migration Policy Institute has a terrific article that summarizes key facts. For example:

In 2014, the U.S. foreign-born population was 42.4 million (13.3% of the U.S. population).
The increase over 2013 was 1 million (2.5%).
India was the leading country for new immigrants to the U.S., followed by China, Mexico, Canada, and the Philippines.
Add in U.S. born children and you have 81 million people.

In other words, one quarter of the U.S. population is either an immigrant or an immigrant's child.

CCC CORNER

The Next Training of Trainers for The Community Interpreter®

Come find out what the buzz is all about. Join our team of licensed trainers for the leading national program for medical interpreting--and for educational and social services interpreting.

Our next Training of Trainers will be held July 11-16 in lovely Columbia, Maryland. Why re-invent the wheel? If you need to teach a quality 40-hour program, this one comes with the works:

FREE licensing.
A dynamite textbook (by five authors with credentials).
A workbook packed with role plays and activities.
The best trainer's guide in the country for interpreting programs.
The trainer's guide and slides for a one-day medical terminology workshop.
Professionally designed PPT slide kits that you can adapt to your group.
A licensed trainers' website where you can download everything you need, including the PPTs, handouts, templates for activity cards and MUCH more.
Warm and friendly support from CCC!

If you are a trainer, set your mind at ease. This is the program that you can make your own. It's fun to teach, and solid to the core. It will help you shine!

Medical Terminology and Note-Taking Program: Don't Miss Them

It's less than a month until the most dynamic, engaging one-day workshop in the country for medical terminology--don't miss it! Coming May 6 in Columbia, Maryland, it's a meaty workshop for interpreters--and a treat.

Join the fun, and get a lovely published handbook on medical terminology for free! (It will cost you $40 to order off our website.) Hank Dallmann leads the show. A veteran interpreter trainer, Hank sits on the faculty of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

As for Note-Taking for Interpreters, on May 20, this one-day workshop is the brain-baby of the brilliant Katharine Allen, Co-President of InterpretAmerica. She is a national figure in the field.

A crash course on how to take effective notes while you interpret, this single day could transform your work. It will make you more accurate, and you will be able to interpret longer stretches. Come learn it from the best!

Check out our spring-summer training calendar for the logistic details such as cost, hours and address. And other workshops!

CULTURE & LANGUAGE PRESS

For a LOOK INSIDE all our publications visit our sister website: thecommunityinterpreter.com and go to Books and Products.

For more information about Cross-Cultural Communications, please go to our website at: www.cultureandlanguage.net

For more information about The Community Interpreter®, please go to our website at: www.thecommunityinterpreter.com

Sincerely,

Marjory A. Bancroft

Marjory A. Bancroft, Director

Cross-Cultural Communications, LLC

10015 Old Columbia Road, Suite B-215

Columbia, MD 21046

Phone: 410.312.5599, Fax: 410.750.0332

www.cultureandlanguage.net