question about interpreter

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jazzy

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Is it true they get paid alot bucks to do 5 minutes of work when they interpret on the job site for instance traffic stop by police or emergency room?
 
How much do you consider to be "alot bucks"?

Five minutes only in an emergency room, huh?
 
jazzy said:
Is it true they get paid alot bucks to do 5 minutes of work when they interpret on the job site for instance traffic stop by police or emergency room?
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Depends. Some interpreters charge by minute to minute work instead hour to hour work.
 
jazzy said:
Is it true they get paid alot bucks to do 5 minutes of work when they interpret on the job site for instance traffic stop by police or emergency room?
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How is it possible to do the above in 5 minutes? It takes (if they are ready) 5 minutes to get out of the house!;)
 
It is true that interpreters get paid a minimum. This is usually to cover travel expenses, time of getting there, etc. Usually the minimum is 2 hours. Even if the deaf client doesn't show up, you still get paid for those 2 hours. But is it big bucks? Not when you consider how much gas you spent getting there, how much time it took to plan it, etc. The minimum is there for a reason, it's fair compensation, it's not because terps are lucky or something. It's there because it's necessary.
 
jazzy said:
Is it true they get paid alot bucks to do 5 minutes of work when they interpret on the job site for instance traffic stop by police or emergency room?
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1. By taking a job, an interpreter cannot take another job at the same time.
2. In metropolitan areas, freelance interpreters have to drive all over the place, for hours at a time in my area, to get to their jobs.
3. Often they show up and the job has been cancelled.
4. If you want an interpreter to be available for you, he or she has to eat and pay rent, otherwise you get a starving homeless interpreter.
5. Therefore, interpreters usually have a 2-hour minimum to ensure that by taking a job that only ends up taking 5 minutes (or is cancelled without enough warning to get another job), they don't get paid a grand total of six dollars (or zero) for having accepted the job instead of one that really did go for two hours and would have paid for gas, food, rent, and all the other things that most freelancers struggle to pay for.

I'm heartily sick of this stereotype that interpreters are SWIMMING in money for doing very little work and leeching off the deaf community. I have never once met a single interpreter like this. Possibly they exist but never in any of the conventions or workshops or workplaces I have ever been to.
 
Reason I asked about this cuz I recieved an email from someone. It was about a deaf who asked a cop to have an interpter when he was stopped for traffic. This cop complained to this deaf person about how much it costed too much to have an interpter for just five minute. Dont be upset with me because I am taxpayer and I pay them to do the jobs and I like to be know about this instead of being not aware of it.
 
jazzy said:
Reason I asked about this cuz I recieved an email from someone. It was about a deaf who asked a cop to have an interpter instead this cop complained to this deaf person about how much it costed too much to have an interpter. It does not mean deaf people who complain it is hearing who complain about them. Okay. I Just want to know if it is true or not.
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Well, Jazzy, what you said above is from a different perspective. The comment came from a public agency that would have to pay for an interpreter. Does this mean the cop who said that to you means that your rights are not worth protecting? The money is budgeted into their books so why is he/the dept. complaining? It's the law.
 
Interpretrator said:
1. By taking a job, an interpreter cannot take another job at the same time.
2. In metropolitan areas, freelance interpreters have to drive all over the place, for hours at a time in my area, to get to their jobs.
3. Often they show up and the job has been cancelled.
4. If you want an interpreter to be available for you, he or she has to eat and pay rent, otherwise you get a starving homeless interpreter.
5. Therefore, interpreters usually have a 2-hour minimum to ensure that by taking a job that only ends up taking 5 minutes (or is cancelled without enough warning to get another job), they don't get paid a grand total of six dollars (or zero) for having accepted the job instead of one that really did go for two hours and would have paid for gas, food, rent, and all the other things that most freelancers struggle to pay for.

I'm heartily sick of this stereotype that interpreters are SWIMMING in money for doing very little work and leeching off the deaf community. I have never once met a single interpreter like this. Possibly they exist but never in any of the conventions or workshops or workplaces I have ever been to.
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It is hearing who have problem paying them, not me.
 
Tousi said:
Well, Jazzy, what you said above is from a different perspective. The comment came from a public agency that would have to pay for an interpreter. Does this mean the cop who said that to you means that your rights are not worth protecting? The money is budgeted into their books so why is he/the dept. complaining? It's the law.
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I have no idea why he complained but I need to know if it is true or just another story make up by deaf person who was pulled by cop. I never say it was me but I find it odd when I read this email from someone about it. So I question about it. I hate to be lied by someone about it.
 
jazzy said:
I have no idea why he complained but I need to know if it is true or just another story make up by deaf person who was pulled by cop. I never say it was me but I find it odd when I read this email from someone about it. So I question about it. I hate to be lied by someone about it.
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Good girl! Lol, now you have some ammo for that person who e-mailed you.
 
I have heard of doctors and other private places refusing to get an interpreter because it's expensive, but a public place like police station or being arrested? No way! A cop would get in trouble if they said that, so I would be surprised if they did. It's possible but it would be a dumb thing for a cop to do!
 
Etoile said:
I have heard of doctors and other private places refusing to get an interpreter because it's expensive, but a public place like police station or being arrested? No way! A cop would get in trouble if they said that, so I would be surprised if they did. It's possible but it would be a dumb thing for a cop to do!
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It happened to me once when I made an appointment with my doctor. She said she can't provide me an interpreter because too expensive. I told her two choices give me an interpreter or I will call my two lawyers. She freaked out and found me an interpreter right away! After this appointment, she apologized that she didn't realized what she did was very discriminating and she offered me free appointment with her apology. Everything worked it out.
 
This morning I interpreted for three hours, then drove home. After lunch, I drove over 100 miles to an assignment. When I got there, they decided they didn't need a team member, that one terp was enough. So I drove home (another 115 miles in the pouring rain, in the dark).

I was on the road for over 4.5 hours. I signed with the consumer less than 5 minutes. Do I expect to be paid by the hearing client for my time and miles? Yes.
 
Interpretrator said:
I'm heartily sick of this stereotype that interpreters are SWIMMING in money for doing very little work and leeching off the deaf community. I have never once met a single interpreter like this. Possibly they exist but never in any of the conventions or workshops or workplaces I have ever been to.
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Amen.

Dont be upset with me because I am taxpayer and I pay them to do the jobs and I like to be know about this instead of being not aware of it.
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You pay WHO to do their jobs? The police or the interpreters?
 
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