HARRIS COUNTY BILINGUAL PAY POLICY
Purpose
Harris County is one of the most diverse counties in the United States and recognizes that employees with proficiency in a language other than English improves the quality of service provided to our community. To enhance Harris County’s ability to assist all constituents we serve, this policy encourages and incentivizes employees to communicate in the languages that represent our communities.
Objective
The objective of this policy is to establish uniform guidelines and criteria for additional compensation for employee bilingual skills including eligibility requirements, testing and compensation.
Scope
This policy applies to regular position employees, as defined in the Harris County Personnel Policies & Procedures, who meet the eligibility requirements. Department Heads and Elected Officials are excluded from receiving Bilingual Pay unless grandfathered prior to adoption of this policy.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for bilingual pay, employees must work in a capacity where bilingual skills are necessary in the performance of their job duties or are considered beneficial in the department’s delivery of service. Not all employees with bilingual skills will be eligible for bilingual pay.
Proficiency in any language, including American Sign Language (ASL), can be considered for purposes of bilingual pay certification so long as it is determined to be necessary and valuable to the performance of job functions. Department Heads shall determine which languages and skills (speaking and/or writing) are necessary in the employee’s performance of their job duties or are deemed beneficial in the department’s delivery of service.
In order to receive bilingual pay, an eligible employee must first demonstrate an ability to proficiently communicate in a language other than English by achieving the required minimum score through a vendor as determined by Harris County. Employees who fail to achieve the required minimum score on their initial test or want to attain a higher-level proficiency may retest after 60 days with Department Head approval but may not test more than twice in a calendar year per qualifying language. Employees are only eligible to receive bilingual pay for one language, including ASL.
Employees unable or unwilling to use bilingual skills in the performance of County work may have bilingual pay revoked.
Employees certified with American Sign Language skills should only communicate for informal purposes, i.e., greetings, directions, phone numbers, or other general information. All formal sign language communication needs, especially those in court proceedings, must be routed to the department’s Americans with Disability Act (ADA) Coordinator to schedule a certified interpreter through the County’s approved vendor.
Similarly, foreign language interpretation in court proceedings require a licensed interpreter through the Texas Judicial Branch Certification Board. Foreign Language interpretation requests should be coordinated with the Harris County District and the Harris County Criminal Courts at Law.
Testing Format and Compensation
The Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) is the standard international framework used to describe achievement of language proficiency. Language testing will include the following:
• The Simulated Oral Proficiency Interview (SOPI) is a computer-based speaking proficiency test that measures a candidate’s oral communicative ability.
• The Written Proficiency Exam (WPE) measures a candidate’s writing proficiency by completing tasks that are authentic to a professional setting.
• The Interactive Spoken Communication Exam for ASL involves an interactive conversation in sign language between the candidate and the vendor’s evaluator.
Employees are eligible to receive compensation for achieving certain proficiency levels.
Compensation paid for bilingual skills is separate from the employee’s base compensation and cannot be paid retroactively.
Employees are not eligible to receive bilingual compensation for more than one language including ASL. If an employee is multi-lingual and the department determines more than one language is required in the delivery of services, the employee should be compensated for the language in which the highest proficiency level is attained.
Recertification and Discontinuation
To continue bilingual pay, employees must recertify proficiency as required by this policy. Recertification is required three (3) years from the date of initial certification, and for every three (3) year period thereafter.
Bilingual Pay must be discontinued by the department if an employee’s certification expires, the employee is reassigned to a position where such bilingual skills will not be used, the functions of their position no longer meet the qualifying criteria, or the employee is transferring to another County department.
Notice
Harris County reserves the right to amend, change or delete any of its personnel and compensation policies including bilingual pay at any time, with or without advance notice.
For information or assistance regarding the Bilingual Pay Policy, please contact Human Resources & Risk Management at (713) 274-5404.