ethics

Issues Pertinent to Electing New ATA Board Members

I would like to recognize the hard-working board members of the American Translators Association (“ATA”). Theirs is a thankless job. As volunteers, they contribute valuable time and effort to serve in this position. The position, however, is very important, as it affects the lives of every person in the language profession.

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Seeking Answers to my Workers’ Comp Insurance Company Frustrations

In the workers’ compensation industry, large insurance companies tend to have a policy to hire only national interpreting agencies. These agencies typically contract out to the cheapest unqualified bilingual labor they can find. The agencies do this so that they can reduce expenses and increase profit. The result is an industry rife with untrained, unskilled

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Continuing Education at NAJIT’s Signature Event

What does the word profession mean?  Merriam-Webster’s dictionary lists the following definitions:  a type of job that requires special education, training, or skill; a calling requiring specialized expertise and often long and intensive academic preparation.  Can interpretation and translation claim to be professions?  What say you? Can a regular bilingual person skillfully interpret a week-long trial?  

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How Case Managers Can Work with Interpreters – Part III

This entry will conclude my three-part series on effective relations between the case manager and the interpreter. Role Boundaries:  “The interpreter maintains the boundaries of the professional role, refraining from personal involvement.”  We discussed this a little, but another issue merits consideration.  Some case managers will ask the interpreter to relay messages if the patient

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How Case Managers Can Work with Interpreters – Part II

In Part II of case managers and interpreters working together, I highlight a few misunderstood points. Accuracy: The principle is that “Interpreters strive to render the message accurately, conveying the content and spirit of the original message, taking into consideration the cultural context.”  Some case managers are annoyed and confused when I repeat the same

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How Case Managers Can Work with Interpreters, Part I

Over the years, I have worked with many insurance company and independent case managers. Case managers coordinate medical care for patients that include doctors’ appointments, exams, therapy, surgery, blood tests, transportation, and interpreters. Whatever a patient might need for medical treatment, the case manager takes care of it. Money is a different issue; if a

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Agency work (The nerve of those guys!)

Not long ago, one of our favorite case managers called me in desperation looking for a French-speaking interpreter. She had been using a well-known national agency, and for the third time, the French interpreter was not going to be at the appointment!  The case manager was angry and frustrated; she needed to ensure the proper

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people, man, adult

When an Interpreter´s Ethics are Tested – Part II

My previous blog described a claimant desperately beseeching assistance. I remained strong and reminded myself of the code of ethics and why they are in place. Sometimes following the ethical course feels unethical or wrong; it is a thought-out, logical process that at times conflicts with our feeling of right and wrong. Case Number Two

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potatoes

Who’s Your Potato?

A while back, I attended a seminar and walked by one of the many booths promoting their services. Setting up a booth exhibit is not a cheap endeavor. First, you have to rent the exhibit space. A sign is provided along with a curtain and table, but something has to be done to attract possible

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What I learned last year to make ATA54 work even better!

Last year ATA53 in San Diego was fantastic! I did learn a few things that I believe will make ATA54 in San Antonio even better. I will share with you the blog I published about that experience last year.  Then, I will share a few new thing I plan to do. I can never say

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