Interpreter's salary

Reba said:
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.



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.
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How do you get 3 hours out of a 1 hour class????????? Your math is a bit funky. :giggle:
 
Tousi said:
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.
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And you have no proof contray to contradict me nor was you there to see what I am saying. :giggle:
 
Reba said:
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.



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.
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True. Our shortest class is a 1 hour 50 minute class with a 15 minute break at approximately the half way point. Terps are paid for 2 hours. When we schedule terps, we pay the same as the student receives credit hours. The above described class would be held twice a week for a total of 4 credit hours. The terp is paid for 4 hours of interpreting.

Likewise, the student receives 4 credit hours even though they are not actually in class for 4 actual hours a week. Are the students scamming the system?:giggle:
 
I was recently asked to give a quote to a college for interpreting services for certain courses. I was given the days and times. I quoted them the price per hour for class and travel, and explained the cancellation procedure. It was all clear to the college up front, so each party knew exactly what to expect. That is standard practice for anyone who freelances. Plus, interpreters will likely include preparation time in their billing---I had a college statistics course, and if I hadn't prepared dutifully, I would have been paddling upstream all the way!!! Teachers get prep times; so should terps.
 
Actually students do see the time sheet when they have to sign off on them. Thats the way it works here. They need 2 signatures, one from the deaf student and one from the instructor, so whoever said students don't see the time sheets clearly has no understanding of how things work at the college here.
 
I dont know what kind of math you are doing, but 8-11 is 3 hours. Obviously someone did not read my previous posts when i stated the time sheets contained such hours for a 1 hour class.
 
frogsign said:
I was recently asked to give a quote to a college for interpreting services for certain courses. I was given the days and times. I quoted them the price per hour for class and travel, and explained the cancellation procedure. It was all clear to the college up front, so each party knew exactly what to expect. That is standard practice for anyone who freelances. Plus, interpreters will likely include preparation time in their billing---I had a college statistics course, and if I hadn't prepared dutifully, I would have been paddling upstream all the way!!! Teachers get prep times; so should terps.
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There clearly is no standard for the way interpreters are paid across the board. I am happy you were able to get a quota in though, you deserve what you think you do when its fair and not cheating the system -- as you are providing a service for those in need :)
 
jasin said:
How do you get 3 hours out of a 1 hour class????????? Your math is a bit funky. :giggle:
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"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????"

You first mentioned 9-11 (that equals 2 hours) so that's what I responded to. I also said that was a two-hour MINIMUM. "Minimum" means that there could be other fees added to the minimum. Then you went unspecific with "or 8-ll, something like that". I can't reply to each number that you might make up "something like that".

Which is it, 9-11, 8-11 or "something like that"?

Either way, it all depends on the contractual agreement between the terp and the school. If they're allowed travel time then that could be added on.

I suppose if you want to complain about how much the terps are paid you can. I'm sure that will improve the relationship between you and your terps.
 
jasin said:
Actually students do see the time sheet when they have to sign off on them. Thats the way it works here. They need 2 signatures, one from the deaf student and one from the instructor, so whoever said students don't see the time sheets clearly has no understanding of how things work at the college here.
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Then that would be the only college in the country that requires student signatures on employee time sheets. And, if you are required to sign off on the time sheets as you so claim, why are you signing off on time sheets that are not accurate? Are you privy to the contracts held between the terps and the colleges, as well?
 
frogsign said:
I was recently asked to give a quote to a college for interpreting services for certain courses. I was given the days and times. I quoted them the price per hour for class and travel, and explained the cancellation procedure. It was all clear to the college up front, so each party knew exactly what to expect. That is standard practice for anyone who freelances. Plus, interpreters will likely include preparation time in their billing---I had a college statistics course, and if I hadn't prepared dutifully, I would have been paddling upstream all the way!!! Teachers get prep times; so should terps.
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I would love to get paid for prep time; sadly, I don't. I spend several hours each week doing my "homework" for each class, no charge.
 
jasin said:
There clearly is no standard for the way interpreters are paid across the board. I am happy you were able to get a quota in though, you deserve what you think you do when its fair and not cheating the system -- as you are providing a service for those in need :)
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There is a standard for the way terps are paid at the college level. Hours that they will be terping a particualr class for a particular student are predetermined based on the student's schedule prior to the beginning of the quarter or semester.
 
Reba 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????"

You first mentioned 9-11 (that equals 2 hours) so that's what I responded to. I also said that was a two-hour MINIMUM. "Minimum" means that there could be other fees added to the minimum. Then you went unspecific with "or 8-ll, something like that". I can't reply to each number that you might make up "something like that".

Which is it, 9-11, 8-11 or "something like that"?

Either way, it all depends on the contractual agreement between the terp and the school. If they're allowed travel time then that could be added on.

I suppose if you want to complain about how much the terps are paid you can. I'm sure that will improve the relationship between you and your terps.
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Yep, I said 9-11 or 8-11. Funny how you are still ignoring the 3 hour part though. No interpreter deserves to get paid for 3 hours of work working only 1.
 
jasin said:
There clearly is no standard for the way interpreters are paid across the board. I am happy you were able to get a quota in though, you deserve what you think you do when its fair and not cheating the system -- as you are providing a service for those in need :)
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Well, of course the profession is not entirely standardized, although the RID is trying to work toward that. There are standard practice papers on their web site and also a Code of Professional Conduct that give principles and guidelines for the professional interpreter.

I was just trying to say that an interpreter and the college should have some kind of agreement set up, whether it be an hourly one, or by the course, or whatever. I can't speak to your situation, but if a professor cancels a class with less than 24-hours' notice here, it's understood that the interpreter has the right to charge for that block of time.

Also, interpreters usually charge portal-to-portal, meaning their drive time; that whole block of time gets charged to the client. Many maintenance contractors who make housecalls (ie, plumbers, electricians) charge portal-to-portal as well.

Those are standard practices in the PA-NJ-NY area at least.
 
jillio said:
Then that would be the only college in the country that requires student signatures on employee time sheets. And, if you are required to sign off on the time sheets as you so claim, why are you signing off on time sheets that are not accurate? Are you privy to the contracts held between the terps and the colleges, as well?
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Uh oh, that would make Jasin a party to a fraud! :shock:

I've known the college to require a student signature on a "roll" sheet to prove that the parties were present but I've never heard of them signing a time sheet that gets submitted to payroll or for invoicing.

The college is the employer, not the student. The terp's payroll or invoice information is none of the student's business.
 
I think this is a good discussion to have, so everyone gets a clearer picture of how interpreters work, Deaf input, etc.
 
frogsign said:
Well, of course the profession is not entirely standardized, although the RID is trying to work toward that. There are standard practice papers on their web site and also a Code of Professional Conduct that give principles and guidelines for the professional interpreter.

I was just trying to say that an interpreter and the college should have some kind of agreement set up, whether it be an hourly one, or by the course, or whatever. I can't speak to your situation, but if a professor cancels a class with less than 24-hours' notice here, it's understood that the interpreter has the right to charge for that block of time.

Also, interpreters usually charge portal-to-portal, meaning their drive time; that whole block of time gets charged to the client. Many maintenance contractors who make housecalls (ie, plumbers, electricians) charge portal-to-portal as well.

Those are standard practices in the PA-NJ-NY area at least.
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Those are standard practices in the majority of university environments.
 
What these interpreters are doing at the college I goto fits right into the definition of what fraud is.

Fraud: "The intentional use of deceit, a trick or some dishonest means to deprive another of his/her/its money, property or a legal right."

law.com Law Dictionary
 
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