Interpreter Policy Manual

29 March 2018

Interpreters who provide their services to Choice Of interpreters Inc. are expected to abide by these general policies and procedures.

Interpreters shall: 

1. Accept assignments using discretion with regards to the interpreting skills required, the setting in which services will be performed and the needs of the Deaf service user involved.

2. Refrain, if possible, from interpreting in settings where the involvement of family member, personal friends or close professional associates may affect the quality of the service. Such bookings will require pre-approvals.

3. Perform their duties in accordance with the Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Professional Conduct as per the Canadian Association of Sign Language Interpreters (CASLI).

4. Abide by the dispute Resolution Process of the Association as outlined on the CASLI website, www.avlic.ca.

5. In cases where information from an interpreted situation becomes public knowledge, refrain in discussing same.

6. Ensure that they are comfortable and confident in their abilities to meet the communication of the Deaf service user; this may require conversations prior to the onset of the appointment.

7. While working from spoken language to a signed language, communicate in the preferred language of the Deaf service user receiving the service.

8. Acknowledge that any assignments for interpretation must go through Choice Of Interpreters Inc. Individual interpreters are not authorized to accept assignments directly nor provide services without Choice Of Interpreters Inc. booking the assignment.

9. Understand that all bookings are fulfilled by booking coordinators based on the following hierarchy:

   1. • specific request or previously provided preference of the service user,

      • continuity of interpretation: using consistent interpreters wherever possible,

      • suitability of interpreter per the experience and qualifications required of the assignment.

10. Understand that all requests by service users for specific interpreters, will be honoured, provided:

• • • that the service user indicates their preference at the time of requesting an interpreter (prior to sending out for fulfillment), and

    • that the requested interpreter is available, able, and accepts the assignment.

11. Accommodate service users that may choose to schedule future appointments in this manner:

• • • the service user submits the request to the interpreter directly (as the interpreter is aware of the intended request their acceptance should be assured), or

12. The Deaf service user and the interpreter immediately contact Choice Of Interpreters Inc. together, with the interpreter interpreting the request from the service user to the booking operator,

13. Interpreters will not make a booking on behalf of a service user. If a service user makes this request, the Interpreter should either:

• • • refer the service user to this policy and provide them with the appropriate contact information for a booking operator; or,

    • facilitate the booking process by providing interpretation (i.e. by phone) for a Deaf service user to communicate directly with Choice Of Interpreters Inc.

I hereby acknowledge that I have read the above policies, and agree to abide by them. In the event that I do not abide by these policies, I understand that I will be working outside of the expectations of Choice Of Interpreters Inc. and their agreed provisions for interpreting services. This action will result in the termination of my contractual agreement with Choice Of Interpreters Inc.