Revised June 2020
I. General Policy
The interpreter shall be paid the applicable prices for services actually provided.
b. In the event the interpreter’s services are required for less than the minimum hourly period for attending any scheduled interpreting assignment as requested and authorized by a court, the interpreter shall be paid for their minimum hour(s) of service as listed in the above table.
c. Upon completion of the specific interpreting assignment, the interpreter shall invoice the court that has received the service. The invoice must include the following:
d. In the event of a dispute regarding hours invoiced occurs, the court shall determine the appropriate invoicing amount (hours to be invoiced). The interpreter shall agree and understand that the court’s determination shall be final and without recourse.
e. Final invoices are due by no later than thirty (30) calendar days after a contracted assignment. The court/OSCA shall have no obligation to pay any invoice submitted after the due date. If a request by the interpreter for payment or reimbursement is denied, the court/OSCA shall provide the interpreter with written notice of the reason(s) for denial.
f. Other than the payments and reimbursements specified in this policy, no other payments or reimbursements shall be made to the interpreter for any reason whatsoever including, but not limited to taxes, travel expenses, insurance, interest penalties, termination payments, attorney fees, liquidated damages, etc.
g. Notwithstanding any other payment provision of the contract, if the interpreter fails to submit invoices when due, the court/OSCA may withhold payment or reject invoices under the contract.
h. If the interpreter is overpaid by the court/OSCA, upon official notification by the court/OSCA, the interpreter shall provide the court/OSCA (1) with a check payable as instructed by the court/OSCA in the amount of such overpayment at the address specified by the court/OSCA or (2) deduct the overpayment from the monthly invoices as requested by the state agency.
The interpreter shall be paid the applicable prices for services actually provided.
a. The interpreter shall be paid on an hourly basis for which services have been provided with a two hour minimum. The hourly price shall begin at the scheduled time of the interpreting assignment as requested and authorized by the court, (provided the interpreter is present at the scheduled time), and shall be prorated to the quarter hour to correspond to the actual time of delivered service. The applicable hourly price chargeable shall be based on the time for the assignment of service. The minimum hours of service is determined by one-way distance traveled.
| Mileage One Way | Minimum Hours Paid |
|---|---|
|
0-50 miles |
2 hours |
|
51-150 miles |
3 hours |
|
151-250 miles |
4 hours |
|
251+ miles |
5 hours |
The Office of State Courts Administrator or its designee may set a higher hourly minimum in circumstances in which there are very limited numbers of interpreters available for less common languages.
b. In the event the interpreter’s services are required for less than the minimum hourly period for attending any scheduled interpreting assignment as requested and authorized by a court, the interpreter shall be paid for their minimum hour(s) of service as listed in the above table.
c. Upon completion of the specific interpreting assignment, the interpreter shall invoice the court that has received the service. The invoice must include the following:
1. Name of the interpreter(s) providing service;
2. Agency name, if applicable;
3. Tax payer identification or social security number;
4. Invoice number;
5. Invoice date;
6. Mailing address;
7. Case number;
8. Language in which the interpreting services were provided;
9. Dates/times the interpreting services were provided;
10. Itemized applicable charges/costs for services as well as travel; and
11. All applicable travel receipts.
2. Agency name, if applicable;
3. Tax payer identification or social security number;
4. Invoice number;
5. Invoice date;
6. Mailing address;
7. Case number;
8. Language in which the interpreting services were provided;
9. Dates/times the interpreting services were provided;
10. Itemized applicable charges/costs for services as well as travel; and
11. All applicable travel receipts.
d. In the event of a dispute regarding hours invoiced occurs, the court shall determine the appropriate invoicing amount (hours to be invoiced). The interpreter shall agree and understand that the court’s determination shall be final and without recourse.
e. Final invoices are due by no later than thirty (30) calendar days after a contracted assignment. The court/OSCA shall have no obligation to pay any invoice submitted after the due date. If a request by the interpreter for payment or reimbursement is denied, the court/OSCA shall provide the interpreter with written notice of the reason(s) for denial.
f. Other than the payments and reimbursements specified in this policy, no other payments or reimbursements shall be made to the interpreter for any reason whatsoever including, but not limited to taxes, travel expenses, insurance, interest penalties, termination payments, attorney fees, liquidated damages, etc.
g. Notwithstanding any other payment provision of the contract, if the interpreter fails to submit invoices when due, the court/OSCA may withhold payment or reject invoices under the contract.
h. If the interpreter is overpaid by the court/OSCA, upon official notification by the court/OSCA, the interpreter shall provide the court/OSCA (1) with a check payable as instructed by the court/OSCA in the amount of such overpayment at the address specified by the court/OSCA or (2) deduct the overpayment from the monthly invoices as requested by the state agency.
II. Cancellation fees
a. Interpreters traveling by land
1. In the event an assignment is cancelled by the court with at least 24 clock hour notice (excluding weekends and holidays) of a cancellation or rescheduling to the contractor, no payment is due.
2. In the event an assignment scheduled for one day is cancelled by the court with less than 24 clock hour notice (excluding weekends and holidays) of the cancellation, court/OSCA will reimburse the interpreter for their minimum hour(s) of service as listed in the above table plus non-refundable expenses incurred.
3. In the event an assignment is scheduled for more than one day:
2. In the event an assignment scheduled for one day is cancelled by the court with less than 24 clock hour notice (excluding weekends and holidays) of the cancellation, court/OSCA will reimburse the interpreter for their minimum hour(s) of service as listed in the above table plus non-refundable expenses incurred.
3. In the event an assignment is scheduled for more than one day:
- If cancellation is received with less than 24 hour notice and services have already begun, court/OSCA will reimburse the interpreter for the number of hours worked or scheduled that day plus up to their minimum hour(s) of service as listed in the above table for the next day if 24 hour notice is not received.
- Example 1: An interpreter is scheduled for 3 days from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If on day 1 at 5 p.m. the service is cancelled for days 2 and 3, interpreter will be paid for hours worked on day 1 plus their minimum hour(s) of service as listed in the above table for day 2 (less than 24 hour notice), and no fees for day 3 (more than 24 hour notice).
- Example 2: An interpreter is scheduled for 3 days from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On day 2 at 8 a.m. the service is cancelled for days 2 and 3, court/OSCA will pay for hours worked on day 1 plus full day for day 2 (same day of service), and no fees for day 3 (if more than 24 hour notice).
- If cancellation is received with less than 24 hour notice and no services have been provided, court/OSCA will reimburse the interpreter up to the minimum hour(s) of service listed in the above table.
- Example 3: An interpreter is scheduled for 3 days from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. At 4 p.m. the day before assignment begins the request for services is cancelled. Court/OSCA will pay interpreter for the minimum hour(s) of service listed in the above table for day one (less than 24 hour notice), and no fees for days 2 and 3 (more than 24 hour notice).
- If cancellation is received with more than 24 hours’ notice, no payment is due.
b. Interpreters traveling by air
1. In the event an assignment is cancelled by the court with at least 7 days’ notice of a cancellation or rescheduling to the contractor, no payment is due.
2. In the event an assignment is cancelled by the court with less than 7 days’ notice of the cancellation and the interpreter is not in route to the assignment, the interpreter shall be paid for non-refundable expenses incurred (refer to section III - Travel and Related Expenses) and the minimum hour(s) of service listed in the above table for each day the interpreter was scheduled.
3. In the event an assignment is cancelled by the court while the interpreter is in route to the assignment, the interpreter shall be paid for non-refundable expenses incurred and the total hours scheduled for the assignment, not to exceed 16 hours.
4. In the event an assignment is cancelled by the court while the interpreter is at the court, the interpreter shall be paid for the time worked plus the minimum hour(s) of service listed in the above table for each day the assignment was scheduled or a minimum of 16 hours, whichever is more.
2. In the event an assignment is cancelled by the court with less than 7 days’ notice of the cancellation and the interpreter is not in route to the assignment, the interpreter shall be paid for non-refundable expenses incurred (refer to section III - Travel and Related Expenses) and the minimum hour(s) of service listed in the above table for each day the interpreter was scheduled.
3. In the event an assignment is cancelled by the court while the interpreter is in route to the assignment, the interpreter shall be paid for non-refundable expenses incurred and the total hours scheduled for the assignment, not to exceed 16 hours.
4. In the event an assignment is cancelled by the court while the interpreter is at the court, the interpreter shall be paid for the time worked plus the minimum hour(s) of service listed in the above table for each day the assignment was scheduled or a minimum of 16 hours, whichever is more.
III. Travel and Related Expenses
The interpreter shall invoice and be reimbursed for actual and reasonable travel related expenses pursuant to the OSCA Contractor Travel policy. The complete OSCA Contractor Travel policy can be reviewed at https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=37235. In addition, it is the interpreter’s responsibility to be familiar with and comply with the Contractor Travel policy as state rates are subject to change during the contract period.
The interpreter shall invoice and be reimbursed for actual and reasonable travel related expenses pursuant to the OSCA Contractor Travel policy. The complete OSCA Contractor Travel policy can be reviewed at https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=37235. In addition, it is the interpreter’s responsibility to be familiar with and comply with the Contractor Travel policy as state rates are subject to change during the contract period.
IV. Miscellaneous Provisions
a. In the event the interpreter is asked to interpret an event for more than two hours, the court should make reasonable efforts to schedule a second interpreter to allow for breaks.
b. Interpreters should always check in and out with the court's designated point of contact so the court knows the interpreter has arrived or departed as scheduled.
c. OSCA does not pay for time an interpreter spends interpreting for an attorney- client conference outside a court proceeding or translating a form outside a court proceeding. If an interpreter is asked to perform this or other work outside a court proceeding, the interpreter must advise the requester that the interpreter's time will be billed separately to the requestor.
d. Interpreters may check the status of reimbursement requests at the following website: https://www.vendorservices.mo.gov/vendorservices/Portal/Default.aspx. If a reimbursement request cannot be found, interpreters may contact the OSCA Fiscal Office at (573) 751-4377.
e. Assignment is defined as a request for interpreter services regardless how many days services are needed or how many cases will be heard during that time. (For example, an assignment may be one day or three days.)
b. Interpreters should always check in and out with the court's designated point of contact so the court knows the interpreter has arrived or departed as scheduled.
c. OSCA does not pay for time an interpreter spends interpreting for an attorney- client conference outside a court proceeding or translating a form outside a court proceeding. If an interpreter is asked to perform this or other work outside a court proceeding, the interpreter must advise the requester that the interpreter's time will be billed separately to the requestor.
d. Interpreters may check the status of reimbursement requests at the following website: https://www.vendorservices.mo.gov/vendorservices/Portal/Default.aspx. If a reimbursement request cannot be found, interpreters may contact the OSCA Fiscal Office at (573) 751-4377.
e. Assignment is defined as a request for interpreter services regardless how many days services are needed or how many cases will be heard during that time. (For example, an assignment may be one day or three days.)
V. Court Responsibilities
a. The court is responsible for scheduling interpreters.
b. The court must notify the interpreter of the scheduled assignment.
c. The court must communicate the terms of the assignment in accordance with this policy. This includes notifying the interpreter before the assignment is accepted of the payment and cancellation terms set out in this policy.
d. The court that hires an interpreter on terms not consistent with this policy is responsible for paying any fees incurred in excess of those permitted under this policy.
e. The court must complete the OSCA Form GN65 (Request for Interpreter Payment/Reimbursement), not the interpreter. Once the court completes the GN65 and obtains the judge’s signature on the form, it shall be forwarded to OSCA with the interpreter’s invoice and receipts.
b. The court must notify the interpreter of the scheduled assignment.
c. The court must communicate the terms of the assignment in accordance with this policy. This includes notifying the interpreter before the assignment is accepted of the payment and cancellation terms set out in this policy.
NOTE: If the interpreter is unwilling to accept these terms, the court must inform the interpreter that the court cannot employ them to interpret. The court must then locate another interpreter.
d. The court that hires an interpreter on terms not consistent with this policy is responsible for paying any fees incurred in excess of those permitted under this policy.
e. The court must complete the OSCA Form GN65 (Request for Interpreter Payment/Reimbursement), not the interpreter. Once the court completes the GN65 and obtains the judge’s signature on the form, it shall be forwarded to OSCA with the interpreter’s invoice and receipts.