Advocacy Resources
Discussion group for Oregon interpreters and translators regarding professional issues. This forum is free and open to all those who practice interpreting and translation in Oregon.
Why work with qualified and certified translators and interpreters?
OSTI submitted this document to our Oregon representatives in Washington, DC, in April 2014. Helen Eby is listed as a member of the editorial team.
ATA submitted this response to the Department of Homeland Security’s Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Language Access Plan on November 14, 2014. It was downloaded from the ATA site on February 15, 2017. Helen Eby is listed as one of the authors on page 42.
The Federal Government considers this important enough that it has a TIP Sheet to help a requester identify certified translators and interpreters.
Marjory Bancroft presented this comparative analysis of in person vs online trainings at the 2019 Critical Link conference. We share it here with her permission. CLI 2019 online training Abridged
Groups that represent interpreters and translators in Oregon
Having a job description is essential.
All pay rates are attached to well-defined job descriptions, besides having additional specializations, etc. Please refer to these role definitions for interpreters, translators, translator-transcribers, and terminologists, and send them to your clients. They have been endorsed by highly recognized professional associations. Helen Eby is listed as a member of the drafting and editorial team.
- ATA Position Paper on Remote Interpreting, August 2021
- Descriptions of translators, interpreters and terminologists, supported by over 10 associations
- Spoken Language Interpreter Job Description Nov 23 2020
- Spoken Language Translator Job Description March 10, 2022
- Guidance for interpreters and translators for arrivals from Afghanistan, by the Department of Homeland Security
- The Supreme Court establishes that interpreting and translation are separate professions
- California EEOC: Court interpreters are professionals
- Oregon Interpreting and Translation Needs
- Oregon Judicial Department Best Practices for Working with Interpreters
- Standards of Practice and Ethics for Washington State Judiciary Interpreters
- How did Vocalink Global apply this? They made all on site interpreters employees. This is why. They say: This results in more consistent service from highly-qualified, competent, and compliant interpreters – no matter the language.
What kinds of services do interpreters and translators provide?
The Foreign Language Services Ordering Guide lists the different services the USG needs. The guide also includes a list of contracts the USG has accepted. This response to the Ordering Guide was drafted hoping improvements would be made as it is implemented at the federal or state levels.
The Federal Government has developed some TIP Sheets regarding work with interpreters. They are written for remote interpreting, but the principles in these sheets can be applied to other types of interactions.
Should interpreters, translators, and their professional associations engage in lobbying activities?
- Advocacy 101 for Interpreters and Translators is a guide co-authored by Helen Eby to permissible advocacy activities for interpreters, translators, and their professional associations.
- 2017 NAJIT Advocacy Flyer
- 2017 ATA Advocacy Priorities. October 25, 2017, was the first Advocacy Day in which ATA engaged its members in lobbying the US Congress. 48 members visited 68 legislative offices on the Wednesday before the conference and submitted these legislative priorities to their legislators.
- A review of the Association of Language Companies 2015 survey.
- Translation credentials accepted by the Oregon Department of Administrative Services in 2019