Mesa Community College Interpreter for the Deaf Handbook

MCC Interpreting Guidelines

Mesa Community College (MCC) is committed to providing quality interpreting services and expects all interpreters to follow the guidelines set forth by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) Code of Professional Conduct. Please refer to the RID website, www.rid.org, for more information.

All Sign Language Interpreters working in Arizona interpreting are required to be licensed by the State. A copy of your current license must be on file in the DRS office. It is your responsibility to ensure that your license is current. If your license expires during the course of your employment, your classes will be reassigned.

Communication

Communication is an essential part of the DRS Interpreting Services. The Coordinator and Interpreters work together interdependently. You are expected to refer any of your concerns or questions to the Coordinator of Interpreting Services.

Contact Information

Please provide us with your current contact information, including phone number, email address, cell number, etc. This may be done online by filling out the Interpreter Contact / Availability Form.

Please update your information as soon as there are any changes to ensure that the information is current. In the event your address changes, please fill out a “change of address” form in the Human Resources office.

Interpreting Hours & Responsibilities

The standard workweek begins on Saturday at 12:00 a.m. and ends on Friday at 11:59 p.m. During the summer, campus is closed on Fridays.

Scheduling

Interpreters may be asked to work a variety of hours from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Schedules may occasionally include weekend classes. At the start of each semester, interpreters are asked to fill out the “Interpreter Contact/Availability Form” to indicate their scheduling needs and preferences by filling out the bottom portion of the electronic form. Keep in mind that schedules will be built according to student needs and available hours. While every effort is made to accommodate interpreter requests for schedules, there is no guarantee of hours. Furthermore, interpreters’ schedules are fluid throughout the semester, as classes may be added and dropped. The Coordinator will keep interpreters informed of any changes. In the event that scheduling changes occur, interpreters should adjust hours accordingly; the actual time worked should be reflected by reporting hours within the Time & Labor HRMS system.

Schedules are built in such a way that there will be a maximum one-hour wait in between scheduled classes. When scheduling changes cause a two-hour or longer wait between classes, the Coordinator and the interpreter will discuss scheduling, and a new schedule will be constructed that benefits both MCC and the interpreter. Interpreters should not attempt to coordinate assignments directly with Deaf and Hard of Hearing students without the approval or prior knowledge of the Coordinator.

Scheduling changes

Any changes occurring in a class, such as room reassignment, change in class time, a cancelled class, or a scheduled exam, must be reported to the Coordinator of Interpreting Services by filling out the Interpreter Schedule Change Form.

This form should be filled out as soon as possible to assist the Coordinator in filling special requests and uncovered assignments. All reported scheduling changes are kept in an electronic file for auditing purposes.

If a student cancels interpreting services or a teacher cancels a class meeting more than 24 hours in advance, this is considered official notice of cancellation. Please document these changes by submitting the Interpreter Schedule Change Form. Please check with the Coordinator for reassignment. If no reassignment is available, billing is not permitted.

Student No Shows & Late Notices

If a student is not present at the start of a class, please wait a reasonable amount of time for the student to arrive. A reasonable amount of time is defined as 15 minutes for the first hour, and an additional 5 minutes for every hour the class is scheduled, to a maximum of 45 minutes, unless you are advised otherwise that special circumstances exist.

If a student does not show up to class, contact the Coordinator right away by email, instant message, or phone for possible reassignment, and fill out the Student No-Show for Interpreting Services form online. Even if you inform the office verbally of a student no show, please fill out this form, as it will be kept on file for future auditing purposes.

Students are required to contact the Coordinator of Interpreting Services if they plan to be absent in a class. In the event that a student will not be attending class, the Coordinator may reassign you.

Leave Policies and Procedures

In the event that you are sick, or experiencing an emergency, and you are unable to come to work for a same-day or next-day assignment, please email, instant message, or phone the Coordinator immediately. Please also fill out the Substitute Request Form online at your earliest convenience. Please provide specific information about classes that need covering, including student, time, class, team, any tests, alternative meeting places, etc. These forms are kept in an electronic file for future auditing purposes.

For scheduled absences, or requests for time off in advance, please submit the Substitute Request Form a minimum of two weeks prior to your absence.

Dress Code

Interpreters are professional and are expected to use professional discretion when determining appropriate attire. Solid and contrasting colors should be worn for Deaf students’ ease of visibility.

Clothing should appropriately match the situation. Please consult class guidelines and instructors regarding appropriate attire, bearing in mind assignments as diverse as labs, formal meetings, field trips, etc. Examples include the following: closed-toed shoes must be worn in automotive labs; goggles or other protective eyewear must be used in chemistry labs.

The Team Concept

The DRS office takes a proactive stance toward team interpreting. Each class is teamed unless it is determined that only one interpreter is needed. The Coordinator will work together with the team of assigned interpreters to make this determination. Advantages of team interpreting are improved accuracy of the message conveyed, and the reduction of injury and fatigue to the interpreter. The team concept emphasizes communication and support between team interpreters. When working with your team, please consider the following:

Teaming

• Adhere to the National Standard Guidelines set forth by the National office on teaming. Standard Practices Paper (SPP).
• Inform Coordinator of Interpreting Services and team if you will be late to class.
• Provide at least 24 hours notice to the Coordinator of Interpreting Services and your team if you plan on being absent from class.
• Share any class-appropriate signs already established with sub interpreters.
• Keep in mind that your student is an integral part of your team.

In the Classroom

• Determine appropriate seating arrangements based on input from the student, instructor, and team.
• Use professional discretion when accessing hand held devices while in the support chair.
• Attend to the class while in the support chair. Be prepared to feed or switch with the ‘on’ interpreter when necessary.
• Determine with your team who will cover test days and who will fill out the Schedule Change Form.
• Do not engage in conversation with the student while the instructor is teaching.
• Both interpreters should remain for the duration of the class unless otherwise informed by the Coordinator. If both interpreters are not needed, please check with the Coordinator for reassignment.

No Team

• Occasionally, a situation will arise when a team does not show up. Inform the Coordinator about the situation, class time and location immediately. Be sensitive to the student’s needs. If a team cannot be found, consider the following alternatives:
• Interpret the class on your own. In certain circumstances, you may be eligible for additional compensation.
• Interpret the first hour. If the class is long, arrange with the student for down time. For example, take a 5-minute break every 20 minutes.
• Meet with the teacher to obtain important information and summarize the class session for the student.
• If you have contacted the Coordinator of Interpreting Services during evening assigned hours, you may not receive a response immediately. Please move forward in taking care of the student’s needs using the above suggestions and your professional discretion until the Coordinator is able to contact you.

Grievance Procedures

Problems within interpreting assignments may arise that cannot be resolved by the parties involved. Interpreters should first speak with the Coordinator of Interpreting Services. You are encouraged to set an appointment to meet with Coordinator by sending an email. Every effort will be made to respond immediately or within a twenty-four hour work period. If the situation cannot be resolved, a meeting will be set up with the Director of Veterans Services & Services and the Coordinator of Interpreting Services.

Throughout the grievance process, please use discretion when consulting with peers to maintain confidentiality and professionalism.

Student Feedback

Students are considered to be an integral part of the interpreting “team.” As such, each month students fill out an online Services Feedback Form. This feedback is used to provide recommendations to interpreters for improvement. A copy of student feedback is available upon request; however, all of the student’s personal information will remain confidential.

Payroll Procedures

Interpreters are required to complete new hire paperwork, E-Verify I-9 and the FERPA tutorial with Human Resources. A break in service is defined as an employee being unpaid for over 6 months and if their I-9 is older than 3 years. When there is a break in service, the employee shall be sent to Human Resources with a signed referral form, employee will be informed what information needs to be updated.

Billing Procedures

In order to log into the Human Resources Management System (HRMS) and report your hours in Time and Labor, you must have an MEID number. All new sign language interpreters must report to the Human Resources Department (with a referral form signed by the designated Director.) to fill out a new hire packet before starting work. As soon as the paperwork has been completed, your Supervisor will receive an email informing you of your Employee ID and MEID. Upon receipt of this email, the Supervisor will forward the information to you. After you receive your employee ID and MEID, go to www.maricopa.edu. Click on the HRMS link. If you ever need to retrieve your Maricopa Enterprise ID (MEID), click on one of these links on the HRMS login page to find your MEID or to reset your password:

Forgot your MEID? *or* Forgot your password

For security reasons, the HRMS may only be accessed within the Maricopa firewall; however, HRMS can be accessed from any college within the Maricopa system. To enter your hours:

1. Go to www.maricopa.edu and click on the “Employees Tab” at the top of the page
2. Click on the HRMS login and the MCCCD Human Resources Management System login page will appear
3. Enter your MEID # and your password to sign in
4. On the left side, click on: Main Menu >> Time Reporting >> Report Time/Punch Web clock. Then click on your name in the middle of the page.
5. Click the Punch In button.
6. For unpaid lunches and dinners, log back into the HRMS following steps 1 -4 above, and click the Meal button to clock out. Upon return from your meal, click the ‘in’ button
7. At the end of your shift, follow steps 1 to 4 and click the Punch Out button.
8. Be sure to sign out completely every time you enter hours into HRMS.

If you are unable to access a campus computer, please contact the Coordinator of Interpreting Services. Arrangements will be made so that access to the HRMS is permitted. Interpreters will need to access the HRMS prior to and at the end of each assignment. If you forget to punch in, please access the system as soon as possible. Punch in, and document your scheduled hours in the message section. The Supervisor of Interpreting Services/Coordinator of Interpreting Services will review your messages and update any missing punches or update the punches to report your time accurately.

Interpreters receive an hourly rate based on their certifications and qualifications. The Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) “Temporary Pay Rates” establishes hourly, nonexempt, temporary rates.

This is the current pay grid, effective July 1, 2013, as posted on the Temporary Pay Rates page:

*Provisional License as granted by Arizona Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

MCCCD issues payroll on a bi-weekly basis. Your paychecks will be mailed to you. You may also elect Direct Deposit. In this case, pay stubs are available online through HRMS.

Payroll deadlines are posted in the office; please be sure to follow the deadlines unless otherwise noted.

Two Hour Minimum

If you receive an assignment which is less than two hours in duration, and you have no other assignments within 3 hours of this assignment, you will receive a two-hour minimum as set forth by the district on the temporary rate sheets. If any other situation arises in which you feel you may be entitled to a two hour minimum, please consult with the Coordinator to determine whether the two hour minimum applies. Please bear in mind that the two-hour minimum cannot be logged directly into the HRMS system. When you are eligible for the two-hour minimum, please leave a message in the message board, and the Coordinator will adjust your time accordingly.

Additional Compensation

When an assignment requires two interpreters, and you end up alone in that assignment, you may be eligible for additional compensation if you choose to stay in the class alone. If the assignment is a stand-alone assignment, and the additional compensation would push your hours above the two hour minimum, send a request for additional compensation to the Coordinator via email, and the interpreting office will adjust your time accordingly in the HRMS.

In the following situations, additional compensation will not apply:

• Only one interpreter shows up for a class that turns out not to require two interpreters for that day. For example, in a regular class requiring two interpreters, the professor decides to have the students do reflective writing for the duration of the class period. Subsequently, you are informed that your team will not come to class. Knowing the hands-on writing assignment only requires one interpreter, you must submit regular hours, not the additional compensation.
• You are interpreting an assignment which lasts less than one hour, and you are already receiving a two-hour minimum.
• The instructor dismisses class significantly earlier than the scheduled end of class.
• If any other situation arises in which you feel you may be entitled to a two hour minimum, please consult with the Coordinator to determine whether the two hour minimum applies.

Affordable Care Act

In order for us to continue to utilize the valuable services of our dedicated temporary employees and adjunct faculty in a fiscally responsible way and comply with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), MCCCD will implement a policy effective July 1, 2013 that limits the number of hours temporary employees may work to a maximum average of 25 hours per week. In addition, we will strictly enforce our long-standing load limit of 9 hours per term (with a limited exception of an additional 3.0 load hours in certain circumstances) for adjunct faculty. For those who serve as an adjunct and perform other temporary work, the maximum permissible work hours per week will be 25, calculated by multiplying the load hour x 2, plus any temporary hours per week, to total no more than 25 hours per week. We are establishing this policy now because provisions of the Affordable Care Act become effective January 1, 2014, and will look back one year to establish workers' eligibility for employer-provided health insurance.

Effective July 1, 2013, MCCCD will allow each temporary employee an allotment of 1300 hours over a twelve (12) month period. The twelve (12) month period is determined by the employee's first day of work for MCCCD. If the employee was already working for MCCCD as of July 1, 2013, their twelve (12) month period will begin as of July 1, 2013. If the employee is hired after July 1, 2013, their twelve (12) month period will begin as of their hire date. The 1300 hours is equivalent to an employee working an average of 25 hours per week for 52 weeks.

Total hours between assignments and locations cannot exceed the 1300 hour limit. The 1300 hour allotment resets every year on the employee’s anniversary date. If the employee has a break in service of less than 26 weeks, the allotment does not reset. If the employee has a break in service of 26 or more consecutive weeks, the allotment will reset.

Professional Development

Professional development is a continuing goal for interpreters working for MCC. To accomplish this goal, workshops are available throughout the community periodically and are posted on the Arizona RID website at: www.arizonarid.org. Information about workshops, conferences, and other professional opportunities may be posted on the bulletin board in the interpreter’s office as well.

Interpreters are encouraged to hold membership with Arizona RID. Please visit http://www.arizonarid.org/ for more information. All interpreters working in Arizona are required to be licensed by the state of Arizona. Please visit www.acdhh.org for more information.

The Hourly Interpreter

• Must fill out a new hire packet prior to receiving hours.
• Are paid an hourly rate based on certification, licensure, and education.
• Will have taxes deducted from each paycheck.
• May have fluctuating hours depending on student demand.
• May have schedules changed by the Coordinator for any reason.
• Are expected to adhere to MCC’s policies and procedures, as well as the policies and procedures in the MCC Interpreter Handbook.
• Do not receive benefits such as health insurance or paid time off.
• Are not eligible for tuition waiver.

Interpreter Contract

Interpreters must indicate they have read the DRS Interpreter Handbook and specifically agree to the following:

• General Interpreting Guidelines
• Interpreting Hours & Responsibilities
• Team Concept
• Payroll Procedures
• Professional Development
• The Hourly Interpreter
• Contract

"I have read the Interpreter Handbook and I understand the required policies and procedures."