Non-Attendance Protocol for Interpreters
If you are unable to attend your confirmed case, please fill out the Non Attendance Form below.
It’s fast and easily found under the Interpreter tab.
If your case is within 72 hours, you will also need to call the agency.
Emergencies
We understand that emergencies unfold for all of us. We’re always happy to support you during these times and take the lead in finding a replacement. We want you to feel supported and have one last thing to worry about.
Non-Emergencies
We appreciate that other professional opportunities and personal events surface. The vast majority of our requests for non-attendance are not emergencies and are a result of honest mistakes, double-bookings, accepting cases directly or with other agencies that are viewed as more favorable, a spontaneous vacation, needing a mental health day, wanting to help out a colleague or family member, and a lot of other reasons. Many of these are last minute.
Interpreters having a conversation by phone and seeing how we can work together as a team in finding a replacement goes a long way. Unfortunately, that rarely happens in today’s fast-paced & electronic culture. After-hour texts and emails are common, and often no explanation is given for the non-attendance. Fortunately, we have recently seen a drop in the daily volume of non-attendance requests as we’ve been honest with interpreters about the concerns for customers, consumers, teammates, and how stressful it has been for the agency.
Our shared customers and consumers rely on interpreters following through on their commitments. The serious shortage of interpreters nationally is a crisis. No fill rates continue to rise in Minnesota. The days of finding an interpreter easily and quickly are mostly gone. It’s now exceptionally more challenging, stressful, and time consuming. We now have a new phenomenon- no fill rates on cases that were previously confirmed, but the interpreter cancelled their commitment, and no other interpreter was found. Customers are asking agencies to have contract terms of a 48-hour cancellation with interpreters. The fees interpreters pay would be shared with the customer and agency.
Working Together
We believe we can work on this trend together and make progress. Our relationship is built on two-way communication, trust, and a spirit of teamwork. We are in this together – to ensure that our shared customers and consumers have access to the best possible interpreter experiences. That means we’ll ask that you be involved in securing a replacement interpreter and communicating with all parties impacted. Asking a colleague to stand in for you is often the most effective and quickest route. Interpreters want to have each other’s backs in time of need, appreciating that one day they will also be in need. Communicating with your site contact and teammates is also what’s needed; and the consumer as well, if prudent. In partnership, we’ll continue to send out replacement interpreter needs via email, texts, and phone calls.
Thanks for your cooperation. Please let us know if you have other helpful ideas.
