§ 2.30.050. Translation of materials.

A.

The City Manager shall establish an in-house translation service with court certified or American Translators Association accredited translators for the purpose of translating written materials for city departments and providing translations for public meetings as needed or professional services may be contracted out to an accredited translation contractor.

B.

Tier 1 departments shall translate the following written materials that provide vital information to the public about the department's services or programs into the language(s) spoken by the substantial number of limited-English-speaking persons group(s):

1.

Written materials disseminated to the public including, but not limited to, brochures, outreach materials and;

2.

Applications or forms to participate in a department's program or activity or to receive its benefits or services;

3.

Written notices of fines or rights to, determination of eligibility of, award of, denial of, loss of, or decrease in a benefit, city service or program, including the right to appeal any department's decision;

4.

Written tests that do not assess English-language competency, but test competency for a particular license or skill for which knowledge of written English is not required;

5.

Notices advising limited English-proficient persons of free language assistance;

6.

Materials explaining a department's services or programs;

7.

Complaint forms; or

8.

Any other written documents that have the potential for determining eligibility for, or access to, services from, or participating in, a program of a city department.

C.

Tier 2 departments shall translate all publicly posted documents that provide information (1) regarding department services or programs, or (2) affecting a person's rights to, determination of eligibility of, award of, denial of, loss of, or decreases in benefits or services into language(s) spoken by the substantial number of limited-English-speaking persons group(s).

D.

Departments required to translate materials under the provisions of this section shall post notices in the public areas of their facilities in the languages of the substantial number of limited-English-speaking persons group(s) indicating that written materials in the languages, and staff who speak the languages, are available. The notices shall be posted prominently and shall be readily visible to the public.

E.

Departments required to translate materials under the provisions of this section shall ensure that their translations are made by a certified translator and that materials are accurate and appropriate for the target audience. Translations should match literacy levels of the target audience. Departments are encouraged to solicit feedback on the accuracy and appropriateness of translations from bilingual staff at community groups whose clients receive services from the department.

F.

Departments shall comply with the requirements of this section within one hundred eighty (180) days of the enactment of this chapter.

(Ord. 12324 § 2 (part), 2001)