Availability and Acceptance of Assignments
While we strive to meet the needs of the local community as completely as possible, requests for interpreters are not guarantees of service. Requests are supplied based on the availability and expertise of interpreters. Whiptail reserves the right to decline service requests that present ethical conflicts or require skill sets, certifications, or expertise beyond the agency’s ability to provide.
Hours and Rates
Business hours are 9:00am-5:00pm, MT, Monday through Friday. Assignments falling outside business hours are billed at a higher rate. Assignments scheduled with less than 24 hours’ notice or falling on holidays are also billed at a separate rate. See our Rate Sheet for details. A separate Rate Sheet applies for services in legal settings.
Base Fee
The base fee for all local, in-person assignments can be viewed on our Rate Sheet. This fee includes scheduling, travel time, arrival 15 minutes before scheduled start time (except for urgent calls), invoicing, and up to two hours of interpreter availability following arrival, after which the subsequent hourly rate will be charged in half-hour increments. The base fee does not apply to legal work, which is billed under a separate rate structure. New Mexico Gross Receipts Taxes corresponding to the location in which services are delivered will be applied to all invoices.
Earlier arrival times may be requested to ensure sufficient preparation for the interpreter, including any coordination or set up needed at the assignment venue. Earlier arrival times will be added to the total billed time.
Expected Duration
Expected duration should be estimated as accurately as possible by the requesting party. Services cannot be guaranteed to continue outside the requested time. However, if the interpreter is available and willing to continue the assignment, any extension may be charged at short-notice rates.
Number of Interpreters
Due to the physical and mental demands placed on the interpreter when providing services, as well as the specific needs of the consumers involved, a team of two or more interpreters may be required. Hourly rates are per interpreter.
Travel
In-person assignments outside the Roswell area may be subject to additional charges for travel time and/or mileage. Travel time is billed at the same rate as services provided, and mileage is charged at the IRS mileage rate for the current year. Should assignments outside the Roswell area result in costs for accommodations, etc., all such costs shall be reimbursed by the party requesting services.
Short-Notice Requests
As noted above, all assignments requested with less than 24 hours’ notice are billed at a higher rate. See our Rate Sheet for details.
Cancellation
Assignments cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice, for any reason – including if the Deaf consumer does not show up – will be billed for the full scheduled time and associated costs.
Convenience Fee
A convenience fee of 4.0% will be applied to all payments made via credit card or online service. Payments may be made by check or ACH at agency discretion.
Late Fees
Invoices are to be paid within 30 days of receipt, unless otherwise negotiated. Invoices more than 30 days past due will be assessed a $50 late fee payable with the invoice. Additional late fees may be assessed every subsequent 30 days of non-payment. After 90 days, further services may be denied until outstanding invoices and late fees are paid in full. Parties with a history of late payments may be required to pay for services before they are rendered.
Sign language interpreting during medical services may be partially reimbursed by insurance companies. Invoices are expected to be paid in full regardless of reimbursement. Small businesses may be eligible for a “Disabled Access Tax Credit” for expenditures made for the purpose of complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which includes interpreting services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. It is the payee’s responsibility to explore reimbursements and tax credits related to interpreting services.
Disclosures
The agency and its interpreters are trained in, and bound by, HIPAA requirements, as well as the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf Code of Professional Conduct. To prevent ethical conflicts and ensure that interpreters can provide appropriate services, the name(s) of any consumer(s) for whom services are being requested, as well as the general nature of the assignment, must be disclosed prior to the agency assigning an interpreter. In the event this information is not provided, the agency and/or the interpreter may decline the assignment if ethical conflicts are identified upon arrival. This will be considered a billable cancellation subject to the relevant terms described herein.
Remote Services
In-person interpreting services are typically preferred by Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing consumers and are frequently better suited to meeting consumers’ needs. However, in-person services are not always feasible depending on the location of the assignment and the availability of interpreters. Remote services may be available for such circumstances. The initial fee for remote services is equivalent to one hour at the applicable rate, or the estimated duration, if longer. The one-hour equivalent includes the interpreter logging in 15 minutes before scheduled start time to ensure successful connection and allow time for troubleshooting, if needed. Whiptail Interpreting can provide a videoconferencing platform for remote assignments, if needed, for an additional fee. The same terms apply for remote services as for in-person services.