Deaf Interpreter

Wendy King

We are having an event next month & the department hosting the event received a phone call from the Deaf Action League inquiring if we were going to have an interpreter at the event. We have never been faced with this question before. Are we under any legal obligation to provide an interpreter at the event if one is requested by an attendee? I don't want to discriminate against this person. Any Suggestions???? HELP!

durasupreme

We provide a sign-language interpreter at company-mandated training, benefit meetings (annually) and year-end plant meetings. Information I received from a MN state agency said, "for mandatory training, it is the employer's responsibility to provide an interpreter, per the ADA." We've found it is a good accommodation to offer for other events as well. I think we pay roughly $75 for a two-hour period.

System

What kind of event?

marc

We are a small shop and frequently have meetings that require public notice so any voter/taxpayer can attend. In the past 5 years, not one of our meetings has required an interpreter.

If it is your employee base that is attending, it seems likely you would know if any need this sort of accomodation.

Dasher

I would tell the Deaf Action League that the company will provide an interpreter if one is requested prior to the meeting by a hearing impaired individual needing this accommodation. Should you get such a request, there are various ways to accommodate at a reasonable price. We use only certified interpreters but you can also contact schools and colleges.

Cheryl S SPHR

In a previous life, I was also an ADA Coordinator. Here is what I suggest -- if you publish notice of the meeting (to your staff or a public newspaper notice), you may want to include a statement to this effect, "If accommodations are required due to a disability, please contact (Name) at (Number) at least 48 hours prior to the meeting." (...or whatever timeframe you think is reasonable to make arrangements prior to the meeting.)

If none are requested, I think you would be ok not to have them available. If you do have staff that you know have a disability, then I think it would be appropriate to automatically provide the requested accommodation without them having to request it each time. If your meetings are open to the public, the upon-request scenario should meet their needs as well as yours.