Section 71802 Of Chapter 7.5. Trial Court Interpreter Employment And Labor Relations Act From California Government Code >> Title 8. >> Chapter 7.5.
71802
. (a) On and after July 1, 2003, trial courts shall appoint
trial court employees, rather than independent contractors, to
perform spoken language interpretation of trial court proceedings. An
interpreter may be an employee of the trial court or an employee of
another trial court on cross-assignment.
(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a trial court may appoint an
independent contractor to perform spoken language interpretation of
trial court proceedings if one or more of the following circumstances
exists:
(1) An interpreter who is not registered or certified is appointed
on a temporary basis pursuant to Rule 984.2 of the California Rules
of Court.
(2) The interpreter is over 60 years of age on January 1, 2003, or
the sum of the interpreter's age in years on January 1, 2003, and
the number of years the interpreter has provided services to the
trial courts as an independent contractor prior to January 1, 2003,
is equal to or greater than 70, the interpreter has provided services
to the trial courts as an independent contractor prior to January 1,
2003, and the interpreter requests in writing prior to June 1, 2003,
the opportunity to perform services for the trial court as an
independent contractor rather than as an employee.
(3) The interpreter is paid directly by the parties to the
proceeding.
(4) The interpreter has performed services for the trial courts as
an independent contractor prior to January 1, 2003, the interpreter
notifies the trial court in writing prior to June 1, 2003, that the
interpreter is precluded from accepting employment because of the
terms of an employment contract with a public agency or the terms of
a public employee retirement program, the interpreter provides
supporting documentation, and the interpreter requests in writing the
opportunity to perform services for the trial court as an
independent contractor rather than an employee.
(c) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) and (b), and unless otherwise
provided in a memorandum of understanding or agreement with a
recognized employee organization, a trial court may also appoint an
independent contractor on a day-to-day basis to perform spoken
language interpretation of trial court proceedings if all of the
following circumstances exist:
(1) The trial court has assigned all the available employees and
independent contractors appointed pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (4)
of subdivision (b) in the same language pair and has need for
additional interpreters. Employees and independent contractors who
are appointed pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (4) of subdivision (b)
shall be given priority for assignments over independent contractors
who are appointed pursuant to this subdivision.
(2) The interpreter has not previously been appointed as an
independent contractor by the same trial court on more than 100 court
days or parts of court days during the same calendar year, except
that the trial court may continue to appoint an independent
contractor on a day-to-day basis to complete a single court
proceeding, if the trial court determines that the use of the same
interpreter to complete that proceeding is necessary to provide
continuity. An interpreter who has been appointed by a trial court as
an independent contractor pursuant to this subdivision on more than
45 court days or parts of court days during the same calendar year
shall be entitled to apply for employment by that trial court as a
court interpreter pro tempore and the trial court may not refuse to
offer employment to the interpreter, except for cause. For purposes
of this section, "for cause" means a fair and honest cause or reason
regulated by good faith on the part of the party exercising the
power.
(3) The trial court does not provide independent contractors
appointed pursuant to this subdivision with lesser duties or more
favorable working conditions than those to which a court interpreter
pro tempore employed by that trial court would be subject for the
purpose of discouraging interpreters from applying for pro tempore
employment with the trial court. The trial court is not required to
apply the employee training, disciplinary, supervisory, and
evaluation procedures of the trial court to any independent
contractor.
(d) Only registered and certified interpreters may be hired by a
trial court as employees to perform spoken language interpretation of
trial court proceedings. Interpreters who are not certified or
registered may be assigned to provide services as independent
contractors only when certified and registered interpreters are
unavailable and the good cause and qualification procedures and
guidelines adopted by the Judicial Council pursuant to subdivision
(c) of Section 68561 have been followed.
(e) A trial court that has appointed independent contractors
pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) or to subdivision (c)
for a language pair on more than 60 court days or parts of court days
in the prior 180 days shall provide public notice that the court is
accepting applications for the position of court interpreter pro
tempore for that language pair and shall offer employment to
qualified applicants.
(f) Unless the parties to the dispute agree upon other procedures
after the dispute arises, or other procedures are provided in a
memorandum of understanding or agreement with a recognized employee
organization, disputes concerning a violation of this section shall
be submitted for binding arbitration to the California State
Mediation and Conciliation Service.