Title
Title
Court Interpreters | Payment Policies for Contract Court Interpreters (Action Required)
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Summary
Summary
The Judicial Council is charged with setting compensation rates and policies for court interpreters. In April 2018, the Court Executives Advisory Committee (CEAC) voted to form a working group to review and update the Payment Policies for Contract Court Interpreters (Payment Policies). The Judicial Council’s Executive and Planning Committee approved the formation of the CEAC Ad Hoc Working Group on Interpreter Payment Policy in December 2018. CEAC is recommending an increase to the daily compensation rates, standardized travel reimbursements rates in accordance with the Judicial Council Financial Policies and Procedures Manual, a change to the policy title, as well as other changes.
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Recommendation
Recommendation
The Court Executives Advisory Committee recommends that the Judicial Council, effective July 1, 2021, adopt revisions to the Payment Policies as follows:
1. Revise the title of the current policy to Payment Policies for Independent Contractor Interpreters.
2. Establish the requirement of a written agreement between the court and an independent contractor interpreter.
3. Increase and standardize the daily compensation rate for certified and registered independent contractor interpreters as follows:
|
Time |
Current Rate |
Increase Rate |
|
Half-day |
$156 |
$175 |
|
Full-day |
$282 |
$350 |
|
Hourly |
N/A |
$44 |
4. Increase and standardize the daily compensation rate for noncertified and nonregistered independent contractor interpreters as follows:
|
Time |
Current Rate |
Increase Rate |
|
Half-day |
$92 |
$110 |
|
Full-day |
$175 |
$220 |
|
Hourly |
N/A |
$28 |
5. Establish a standard hourly compensation rate if an independent contractor interpreter is required to work between the hours of 12:15 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. or after 5:15 p.m. until the conclusion of the afternoon session:
• Certified/registered: $44
• Noncertified/nonregistered: $28
6. Clarify that business-related travel expenses must be addressed in a written agreement between the court and the independent contractor interpreter. Approved business-related travel expenses must be made in accordance with the judicial branch travel guidelines (see FIN 8.03) with the exception of sign language interpreters.
7. Clarify requirements for negotiating compensation rates above those established by the policy.
8. Provide the optional Independent Contractor Interpreter-Payment Rate Authorization Form (Attachment A) to document efforts to locate available interpreters and the court’s approval of a higher payment rate prior to the commencement of work.
9. Incorporate minor revisions to language and formatting.
In addition, the committee has learned that a number of trial courts have negotiated existing, sometimes multiyear, agreements with nonemployee interpreters for services under the current provisions of the Payment Policies. The committee recommends, if these recommendations are adopted by the Judicial Council, that any existing agreements be renegotiated consistent with the new guidelines recommended in this report as soon as practical.
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Speakers
Speakers
Mr. Michael M. Roddy, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of San Diego County