The Fight for Better Language Access Rights
Certified Languages International
Phone and Video Interpreting - On Demand
Laws that affect language access make our ears perk up.?
And while it’s exciting that legislators are taking an interest in helping people, good intentions don’t always result in good policy.
Did you know? More than 75% of interpreters and translators work as independent contractors.??
They provide knowledge-based services that require professionalism, education, and fair compensation. Requiring interpreters and translators to be full-time employees would disrupt language access services across the country.?
Luckily, language industry pros — including our CEO, Kristin Quinlan — are advocating for better laws.
The PRO Act
What it is:?The PRO Act would update labor laws to make it easier for employees and independent contractors to form unions.?
The kicker:?The PRO Act would adopt the ABC test from California’s AB5, which is the employee vs. contractor classification that’s so problematic.?
What Kristin is helping with:?Pushing lawmakers to consider the impact to workers within industries that rely on independent contractors.
Oregon HB 2359
What it is:?Oregon HB 2359 requires interpreters performing work for any Oregon healthcare facility to be certified in Oregon. Certification requires 60 hours of training and a language assessment exam.
The kicker:?This applies to all interpreters who work with Oregon-based healthcare systems, including those who work onsite as well as remote (telephone and video interpreting). This means remote interpreters located out of state will have to go through Oregon-specific certification.
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What Kristin is helping with:?Educating the RAC (Rules Advisory Committee) that it is not practical to expect interpreters outside the state of Oregon to go through the certification process. As a result, remote interpreters are excluded for at least the first year.
It’s Time to Fund Interpreting and Translation in Healthcare
What’s happening:?Language access in healthcare is mandated by Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, but only 11 states provide partial reimbursement for these services.?
In the remaining 45 states and territories, the cost of providing language access falls solely on the medical care provider.?
What Kristin is helping with:?Advocating for a $5 million increase for language access research.
Language Access and Education
What’s happening:?Language access in education is guaranteed through federal law, but no funding or standardization exists.?
Children of parents who speak a language other than English often miss out on educational programs and extracurricular activities. Language access is also critical for children with individual education plans (IEPs) and 504 plans.?
What Kristin is helping with:?Requesting $10 million in appropriations for 2023. The funds will support a pilot program for language access at the school district level.
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