Interpreter's salary

inochi said:
I know someone who has an interpreter on contract, is earning about 35,000 a year and only works 30 hours a week. She is on level 4.
Click to expand...
Where is this? That is what I made at the beginning of my career, but then again I live in the DC area. I could see that salary maybe in a very rural area.
 
Reading all of these posts reminds me of an old interpreter joke...

How many interpreters does it take to change a light blub?

25. One to do it and 24 to sit around and say, " I would've done it differently." :lol:
 
Location does make a difference.

I work part time to full time at the college, depending on how many students are attending, and their schedules. The most I made in one year was $12,000. During this summer semester I'm getting about $300 per week, gross, no benefits. Those are weekday hours. When students take evening and Saturday classes, the rate is higher. No mileage or benefits.

Freelance subbing at the public schools used to $50 per day max. I'm now up to $35 per hour there. No mileage or benefits.

Freelance community assignments (medical, VR, job site, etc.) varies, $22 - $50 per hour, plus mileage, no benefits.

With gas prices going up, it would be nice to get mileage for all jobs but it doesn't happen that way. At tax time I claim mileage for the unreimbursed miles.

Starting next month, I will also have to pay for my own liability insurance (if I'm still working).
 
The community college here pays about 30 bucks an hour. Its a huge scam, interpreters scam the system big here. Interpreters here dont even work half the time they get paid for and most put hours down on their time sheets they dont even work. They are all rid certified level 4.
 
jasin said:
The community college here pays about 30 bucks an hour. Its a huge scam, interpreters scam the system big here. Interpreters here dont even work half the time they get paid for and most put hours down on their time sheets they dont even work. They are all rid certified level 4.
Click to expand...

If the interpreters show up and the deaf student doesn't--they still get paid.

And....they have every right to get paid for it.
 
jasin said:
The community college here pays about 30 bucks an hour. Its a huge scam, interpreters scam the system big here. Interpreters here dont even work half the time they get paid for and most put hours down on their time sheets they dont even work. They are all rid certified level 4.
Click to expand...
I see a couple of problems with your statements. First, there is no "RID level 4" certification. Perhaps you are referring to state certification levels, or the defunct NAD system which used Roman numerals. The current certification system from RID only has 3 levels, and it's a pretty new test so I doubt they all have it.

Also, you don't really know the situation for these interpreters, do you? Like Byrdie says, perhaps what you see as "hours they don't work" is actually scheduled classes where the student didn't show up. Or perhaps they bill 2-hr minimums and sometimes an event is less than that. It's possible that there is a bad situation going on, and you may have more info than I do, but I would be inclined to think that whatever is going on may just be unclear to an outside observer.

I'm not trying to defend them if they're doing wrong, but I'm familiar with interpreter billing procedures and I can see how they might be confusing.
 
Byrdie714 said:
If the interpreters show up and the deaf student doesn't--they still get paid.

And....they have every right to get paid for it.
Click to expand...
That's right. Same if the instructor cancels class that day or they dismiss early. That time has been scheduled.
 
Terpreter said:
"Take it up with RID"? Nice attitude. You said a degree is required. It is not, as I stated. My response was not incorrect. It WILL be, yes. You did not say that in the post I quoted.
You also said the friend would need an INTERPRETING degree. Also incorrect.
________________________________________________________
In response to another post, I took the state qualification test and passed at the highest level without interpreting (as a job) a day in my life. A friend took the RID test at 18 as soon as she could, and got certified. I'm just saying..there are exceptions to every rule.
Click to expand...

And the fact that they will be requiring a degree is based on the evidence that those without a degree are not performing up to standard in the majority of cases.

A newbie terp arguing with the veteran terps. What is wrong with this picture?
 
jasin said:
The community college here pays about 30 bucks an hour. Its a huge scam, interpreters scam the system big here. Interpreters here dont even work half the time they get paid for and most put hours down on their time sheets they dont even work. They are all rid certified level 4.
Click to expand...
How do you know all this? Do you have access to their records?

What do you mean that interpreters don't even work half the time? Do you mean that they don't show up, or that they sit on their hands when they're supposed to be signing?

Some colleges require sign-in sheets for the terps. Each class, each meeting, the instructor signs and dates, and the terp signs and dates, to prove that the terp was present.

I don't know how other schools operate but it would be impossible for me to "scam" the school. For one thing, if I don't toe the line, the students are not afraid to complain to the Disabilities Office, and I guarantee you that I would hear about it from the boss. (It never happened to me but it has happened to others.)

If anything, I don't even charge for staying a little overtime for some classes, or showing up a little early so the student can have a few private moments with the instructor, or meet with project team members for discussion.
 
Etoile said:
I see a couple of problems with your statements. First, there is no "RID level 4" certification. Perhaps you are referring to state certification levels, or the defunct NAD system which used Roman numerals. The current certification system from RID only has 3 levels, and it's a pretty new test so I doubt they all have it.

Also, you don't really know the situation for these interpreters, do you? Like Byrdie says, perhaps what you see as "hours they don't work" is actually scheduled classes where the student didn't show up. Or perhaps they bill 2-hr minimums and sometimes an event is less than that. It's possible that there is a bad situation going on, and you may have more info than I do, but I would be inclined to think that whatever is going on may just be unclear to an outside observer.

I'm not trying to defend them if they're doing wrong, but I'm familiar with interpreter billing procedures and I can see how they might be confusing.
Click to expand...

We pay $25.00 an hour and under the same guidelines as you have outlined. I don't see any "scamming of the system" going on at all.
 
Reba said:
How do you know all this? Do you have access to their records?

What do you mean that interpreters don't even work half the time? Do you mean that they don't show up, or that they sit on their hands when they're supposed to be signing?

Some colleges require sign-in sheets for the terps. Each class, each meeting, the instructor signs and dates, and the terp signs and dates, to prove that the terp was present.

I don't know how other schools operate but it would be impossible for me to "scam" the school. For one thing, if I don't toe the line, the students are not afraid to complain to the Disabilities Office, and I guarantee you that I would hear about it from the boss. (It never happened to me but it has happened to others.)

If anything, I don't even charge for staying a little overtime for some classes, or showing up a little early so the student can have a few private moments with the instructor, or meet with project team members for discussion.
Click to expand...

The scamming they have done to me. That's how I know that. At first I was not even aware they were doing it.

As far as the salaries go, that was disclosed to me by an interpreter who is a friend of mine.
 
jasin said:
The scamming they have done to me. That's how I know that. At first I was not even aware they were doing it.

As far as the salaries go, that was disclosed to me by an interpreter who is a friend of mine.
Click to expand...

How are they scamming you? You don't pay for the terp.
 
Reba said:
How do you know all this? Do you have access to their records?

What do you mean that interpreters don't even work half the time? Do you mean that they don't show up, or that they sit on their hands when they're supposed to be signing?

Some colleges require sign-in sheets for the terps. Each class, each meeting, the instructor signs and dates, and the terp signs and dates, to prove that the terp was present.

I don't know how other schools operate but it would be impossible for me to "scam" the school. For one thing, if I don't toe the line, the students are not afraid to complain to the Disabilities Office, and I guarantee you that I would hear about it from the boss. (It never happened to me but it has happened to others.)

If anything, I don't even charge for staying a little overtime for some classes, or showing up a little early so the student can have a few private moments with the instructor, or meet with project team members for discussion.
Click to expand...

**nodding agreement** And it has been my experience that the terps we use are every bit as ethical as you.
 
Reba said:
How do you know all this? Do you have access to their records?

What do you mean that interpreters don't even work half the time? Do you mean that they don't show up, or that they sit on their hands when they're supposed to be signing?

Some colleges require sign-in sheets for the terps. Each class, each meeting, the instructor signs and dates, and the terp signs and dates, to prove that the terp was present.

I don't know how other schools operate but it would be impossible for me to "scam" the school. For one thing, if I don't toe the line, the students are not afraid to complain to the Disabilities Office, and I guarantee you that I would hear about it from the boss. (It never happened to me but it has happened to others.)

If anything, I don't even charge for staying a little overtime for some classes, or showing up a little early so the student can have a few private moments with the instructor, or meet with project team members for discussion.
Click to expand...

What do you call it when an interpreter interprets for a deaf student in a class thats from 9-10 am and then writes in on their time sheet 9-11 or 8-11, something like that???? I call that scamming the system!! I can see when extra times are being written in on time sheets and I know how long my classes are for. I am deaf not blind, come on now!!

Btw, they are probably technically not scamming me per-say even though I said they are .. their probably scamming the educational system, the disability support system, and the college its self. That's who their really scamming.
 
jasin said:
The scamming they have done to me. That's how I know that. At first I was not even aware they were doing it.
Click to expand...
How are they scamming you? You don't pay them.

If they aren't providing service to you, then you need to report them to the college.

As far as the salaries go, that was disclosed to me by an interpreter who is a friend of mine.
Click to expand...
Who told you that they were charging for hours that they didn't interpret?
 
Reba said:
How are they scamming you? You don't pay them.

If they aren't providing service to you, then you need to report them to the college.


Who told you that they were charging for hours that they didn't interpret?
Click to expand...


Exactly. Students don't see the time sheets filled out by the terps. And it depends on the agreement. Some agency terps get paid for travel time.
 
jasin said:
What do you call it when an interpreter interprets for a deaf student in a class thats from 9-10 am and then writes in on their time sheet 9-11 or 8-11, something like that???? I call that scamming the system!! I am deaf not blind, come on now!!
Click to expand...
I call that a two-hour minimum, which is a standard rate for the profession.

I would like to know how and why you have access to the interpreters' time sheets.


Btw, they are probably technically not scamming me per-say their probably scamming the educational system, the disability support system, and the college its self.
Click to expand...
The college office knows how many hours are alloted to each student for service. Believe me, the college isn't going to pay more than what they have contracted for.
 
Well, given what I have seen so far, I'll stick my neck out and say he's caught in a corner and is blatantly lying over saying a terp is scamming the system.
 
Back
Top