Spanish New Hire Forms

2995699 · May 2003

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 05-23-03 AT 11:20AM (CST)[/font][p]Are we required by law to provide new hire forms in Spanish?

HRsage · May 2003

Not yet that I know of. But it's a good idea to have some forms and policies in other languages depending on your demographics. I'm in CA too and I'm sure it's just a matter of time before it becomes a law. If you provide policies in a language other than that of the individual, it's going to be more difficult to hold them accountable to the policies. Just my thoughts.

System · May 2003

What forms are you talking about? We have several, and we have translated the application and most of our other new hire forms. I don't think translating your forms, etc., is required by law, but it makes life a lot easier - it speeds up the hiring process, for one, and we are able to provide the same safety training to all our guys now. And HRsage is right, it's hard to hold someone to a policy they can't understand, and translating policies eliminates that as an excuse, too. So, we are translating our orientation packet, training materials, and ultimately our employee handbook. And I get to do all the oral translations, too - olé!

Parabeagle · May 2003

I'm not aware of any law that requires it, but speaking from experience you'll make your life a LOT easier if you do. I actually use a Systran translation program for our Spanish-speaking individuals that does a sort of decent job. Sometimes it's fun to watch the Spanish-speaking employees reading a memo translation and watch them snicker (or laugh out loud).

ladyzuesse · May 2003

>Sometimes it's fun to watch the Spanish-speaking employees reading a memo >translation and watch them snicker (or laugh out loud).

I use one of our trusted employees to "edit" my translations - so they don't laugh so loud or choke on their lunch when I pass out memos. It usually works well - and the only one laughing REALLY hard is my translator.

ladyzuesse
aka
Tammy Colson

MarieA · May 2003

Have you ever read a document that was translated by one of the software programs from Spanish to English? It reads as if the writer was an idiot. We have started sending our forms and policies to be translated in conversational Spanish. That word for word stuff just doesn't work if you expect the Hispanic employees to understand what you mean.

Parabeagle · May 2003

I agree wholeheartedly - but it beats paying the cost for professional translation services (I received a quote of $3,000 to translate our employee policy handbook, which runs about 85 pages). Fortunately, I do have a front desk clerk from Chile who used to be a translator, and she cleans up most of my stuff. My biggest fear is that when I send out a memo without her editing, people think I actually TALK like that and since they don't speak English they'll never know that I'm reasonably articulate. x;-)

Margaret Morford · May 2003

MarieA is right. Use one of your Spanish speaking employees to do it for you and pay them a bonus. If you don't have an employee that can do it, I can refer you to two people who do it regularly for companies - everything from sexual harassment policies to WARN notifications. They charge by the word and will want to know where the majority of you Hispanic employees come from as they will use the converstaional idioms from that area. Apparently there is a difference between the Spanish spoken in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Central America, South America and Cuba. Kinda like the difference between the English spoken in Tennessee, New York, Boston and New Orlenas! Imagine!

Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]

Don D · May 2003

Can someone tell me what's up with the following? To most English speaking people, I think a finger and thumb forming a circle, with the tips touching and with the remaining fingers raised, then presented upwardly on an outstretched hand means something like, "Awright!" or "Hey Hey, good job!" or "Right on" or "Hey, Perfect answer". Am I missing something? Some Mexicans seem to interpret it entirely differently, and I get a snicker or worse, a busting out belly laugh. Where am I going wrong, as O'Reily would say?

CAL · May 2003

I think this is my first post, but I couldn't help but respond to this, Don. I used to work for a company that sent many crews to Mexico on jobs. The gesture to which you are referring implies a sexual act. I'll let you figure out which one. Bet you will be more careful with your "A-OK" sign, now. x:-8

HRsage · May 2003

CAL is right Don. You'd probably be better off using a thumbs up sign. Although I think in some parts that might mean something else too.

CAL · May 2003

I haven't found anything to suggest this is required for new hire paperwork. There is, however, a provision in California that if more than 10% of your workforce speaks a foreign language, then you must provide all your labor posters in that language, as well.

Nina I · May 2003

We've wondered about the posting language issue, too - does anyone know where to get federal and California (no snickers, please x:-) )in Tagallog? We post Spanish and English, of course, but we're worried that this is a problem waiting to happen. In fact, we just finished settling a wrongful term for a Filipino man who didn't understand English well enough to understand why he was being let go. We settled (very small amount) rather than risk being seen as unsympathetic to his language barrier.

CAL · May 2003

Nina - I would try the California Chamber of Commerce - I've only seen the posters in Spanish or English, but they would/should know if you can obtain the information in Tagalog. The number I have for them is 916-444-6670.

Nina I · May 2003

We actually use them already for our compliance posters - they only carry English and Spanish, unfortunately. Any other thoughts?

Spanish New Hire Forms

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