The Court and Administrative Proceedings Certification Law (Act 172 of 2006), amends both the Administrative/Local Agency Law and the Pennsylvania Judicial Code by respectively requiring the Department of Labor and Industry (Department) and the Court Administrator of Pennsylvania (Court Administrator) to establish parallel programs for the appointment and use of certified interpreters for persons with limited English proficiency and persons who are deaf and hard of hearing in administrative and court proceedings. To avoid the duplicity and expense of establishing parallel programs, the Department and the Court Administrator signed a letter of understanding on July 2008 whereby interpreters duly certified by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC) under 42 Pa. C.S. Ch. 44 shall be granted automatic certification for the purposes of, and use in administrative proceedings in accordance with 2 Pa. C.S. §§ 562, 582.
Which interpreters must be certified?
All foreign and sign language interpreters who work in administrative hearings conducted by the various state and local agencies throughout the state must be certified. Specially interpreters working in the following types of hearings and appeals:
- Workers’ compensation
- Disability
- Unemployment compensation
- Welfare benefits
For a complete list of the agencies holding hearings, refer to the Interpreter’s Law Guide in the Department’s Web site.
What is the certification process?
Administrative proceedings interpreters must comply with identical requirements and follow the same process as judicial interpreters in order to become certified by the Interpreter Certification Program (ICP). This means:
- Registering with the ICP;
- Attending an orientation workshop;
- Passing the written and oral examinations;
- Undergoing a background check; and
- Complying with all additional requirements.
For more detailed descriptions and requirements of the ICP certification process, go the Program Description and Pennsylvania Certification pages of this Web site.
Where can I find more information about the law and how it applies to administrative hearings interpreters?
For additional information about the Department of Labor and Industry guidelines for interpreters, go to the Department Guidelines for Certified Interpreters Law page.
The Department has also put together a reference guide intended to provide interpreters with helpful background information about the many types of administrative hearings conducted by the various state and local agencies. It contains a brief description of each agency, the types of hearings it conducts, and a glossary of terms commonly encountered in the agency’s administrative proceedings. This useful tool for interpreters is found at Interpreter’s Law Guide.