April 27, 2021

EMAIL ADDRESS:  TCPJAC_CEAC@JUD.CA.COM

TO: Members of the CEAC Committee

RE: Payment Policies for Independent Contractor Interpreters

Dear Committee Members:

Please allow us to introduce ourselves, we are the American Alliance of Professional Translators and Interpreters (AAPTI). Our alliance represents interpreters across the country that are from all sectors of interpretation including the courts. Our goal is to maintain standards and protocols and to provide quality Language Access to the communities that we serve which includes the courts. Since the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic, interpreters have collaborated with the courts by providing interpreting services via Video Remote Interpreting. It has provided both the courts, the court user and the interpreters continuous language access while in a “safe” environment.

We are writing to you regarding the update on the Payment Policies that are being implemented as of July 1, 2021. While we are very pleased with the raise in the per diem we wanted to point out a discrepancy that we are sure was overlooked. Under Policy III, (B) (c) Hourly Rate, it states that the hourly rate will apply “when services are provided via Video Remote Interpreting or during a night session.” We are assuming that this pertains to night session only and not to the am or pm sessions. We would ask that this discrepancy please be corrected so that it is clear that we will be providing interpretation on a per diem basis and only hourly for the evening sessions.

While we are confident that this was not the intention of the committee we would kindly request that it be clarified so that our members and colleagues can be re-assured. It is our understanding that there is a shortage of Independent Contractor Interpreters in Spanish as well as the languages of lesser diffusion in the California courts. To offer VRI on an hourly basis only would create more of a shortage since this is not a standard of how interpreters work and it would therefore deter recruitment rather that to increase it.

Sincerely,

The American Alliance of Professional Translators and Interpreters (AAPTI)