State of Maryland

A Hearings Interpreter is the full performance level of work interpreting between spoken English and another language in both consecutive and simultaneous modes during administrative and governmental hearings in a State agency.  Employees in this classification also produce translations between English and another language of a variety of forms, documents, reports and correspondence.  The work of the classification requires that interpretation and translation with a high degree of accuracy and speed as interactions occur during legal proceedings where misinterpretations or mistranslations will have adverse consequences.  Employees in this classification act in accordance with professional codes of conduct appropriate to governmental and administrative hearings and other legal proceedings.  Employees in other positions that require the occasional use of bilingual skills typically provide information to the public in a conversational manner by responding to basic questions or requests in one-to-one interactions but do not occur during hearings or in dispute resolution settings involving medical, legal and other technical terminology.  Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from a higher-level officer, administrator or program-level manager.  The work may require that employees travel to regional hearing sites or other settings within the State.   The Hearings Interpreter provides ongoing interpretation and translation services during governmental, quasi-judicial and administrative hearings and other legal proceedings.  Employees are required to provide highly accurate and instantaneous interpretations and translations.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

Interprets between spoken English and another language, in both the consecutive and simultaneous modes, in quasi-judicial, administrative and governmental hearings, dispute resolution events, and other types of legal proceedings;

Sight interprets appropriate non-English language or English documents as required during quasi-judicial, administrative and governmental hearings, dispute resolution events, and other types of legal proceedings;

Produces translations between written English and another language of official forms, hearing-related documents, reports, public signs, notices, posters, form letters and other types of correspondence;

Uses available techniques and equipment to perform interpretations such as note taking, appropriate lag time, and simultaneous interpretation equipment when interpreting;

Provides information, either in person or via telephone, to clients, claimants and other individuals with limited English proficiency regarding the agency’s policies, procedures as well as the status of the client’s claim or dispute;

Adheres to all professional codes of conduct appropriate to governmental quasi-judicial and administrative hearings and dispute resolution events, protects the confidentiality of all privileged and other confidential information and remains as unobtrusive as possible during proceedings;

May access electronic and hardcopy records or files as necessary in order to provide required information to claimants, clients, the public, and other participants of hearings and proceedings;

May file interpreting records or other written materials;

May assist with the scheduling of interpretation and translation services at the agency;

May suggest improvements to the operation of the work unit or in the delivery of interpretation services;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the methods, techniques and specialized equipment or devices used in the interpretation and translation between English and another language;

Skill in interpreting between spoken English and another language in both the consecutive and simultaneous modes during administrative and governmental hearings, dispute resolution events or other legal proceedings;

Skill in producing translations between written English and another language of a variety of forms, documents, reports and correspondence;

Skill in communicating effectively with diverse populations;

Ability to ensure confidentiality of all privileged and other confidential information related to the agency’s hearings;

Ability to learn how to access claimant or client information from the agency’s automated systems;

Ability to adhere to professional codes of conduct appropriate to a variety of hearings and other legal proceedings.

Education:   Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience: Three years of experience providing formal interpretation and translation services between English and a second language. Formal interpretation services may include documented work as a volunteer interpreter for a nonprofit, human service or faith-based organization.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute courses from an accredited college or university, on a year-for-year basis, for up to two years of the required experience.

2. Candidates may substitute additional experience interpreting and translating between English and a second language for the required education.

3. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in interpreter/translator classification or interpreter/translator specialty codes in the foreign affairs field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience. 

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit as indicated by the designation of S (supervisor), M (manager), T (agency head), U (Board or Commission member), W (student), X (excluded by executive order),  or Z (confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and therefore, all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation.  An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime as provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.