Section 6 - Policies and Procedures (Interpreters and Language/Cultural Consultants)
Feedback and Complaints
ASL encourages constructive feedback. It is through feedback that growth and development can occur. If the feedback is a more formal complaint, ASL undertakes to fully investigate the issue and, if appropriate, to attempt to resolve it. When and where appropriate, feedback will be shared with interpreters and/or LCCs.
Social Media
ASL has a Social Media policy that will be supplied to you on offer of work. It outlines our expectations about your use of social media during the period of time you are engaged by us and in relation to the interpreted production. You are required to sign an acknowledgement form in relation to this policy when you receive your confirmation of booking (i.e. your contract of engagement). This needs to be returned to ASL.
Even outside the terms of your contract of engagement, ASL requests that you respect our Social Media policy.
When there is no Deaf audience (interpreters only)
ASL will promote all interpreted performances as extensively and widely as possible. There is no guarantee that a performance that you are interpreting will have Deaf audience members. It is important to be aware, however, that there may be other interested stakeholders in the audience such as hearing members of the deaf community or producers of other productions who may be considering interpreted theatre for their production. Even in the absence of such potential audience members, it is a great awareness raising opportunity for Auslan in the Arts.
Therefore, you are still expected to interpret the performance. You are also expected to refrain from making any comments to the organisers, production staff or performers about how you may feel about interpreting when there are no known Deaf audience members. This includes speculating about why Deaf people may not be in attendance. You can certainly advise ASL of your concerns and ASL will debrief with the production company regarding this matter after the event. If you decide to not interpret the performance, without the prior agreement of ASL, this will be viewed as a breach of your contract of engagement, and ASL will withhold payment.
Travel and accommodation
Remuneration for any travel will be outlined in your booking confirmation (i.e. your contract of engagement). If travel is included in your booking, rates are based on ATO recommended allowances.
If you are engaged for an interstate production, ASL will usually pay for your travel costs including airfare, accommodation, and taxi transfer to and from the airport in the city of destination. However, we reserve the right to determine the budget and mode of transport and accommodation covered, on a case-by-case basis. For some interstate jobs, you may be asked to cover the cost of travel from your remuneration.
Your transportation in your home town to and from the airport will be at your own cost.
When ASL is covering travel and accommodation costs, we will make bookings for you. You will need to provide ASL with your full legal name, mobile number, postal address and email address. Although you are welcome to provide ASL with details of your preferred airline, ASL cannot guarantee that we will book your preferred airline.
In relation to paid accommodation, ASL will not be responsible for any additional room costs (e.g. additional guests, food and drink, pay-per-view movie or internet access, etc.). These costs will be solely your responsibility unless, in negotiation prior to incurring the cost, ASL agrees to partially or wholly contribute towards the cost.
Interpreters and LCCs may be required to share accommodation. If you prefer not to share, any extra payment will generally be at your own cost; however, this may be reviewed in particular situations (e.g. when your team interpreter is of a different gender).
In relation to airfares, ASL will not be responsible for any additional flight costs (e.g. excess baggage, in-flight refreshments or meals, change of ticket costs – unless ASL initiates the change, etc.). These costs will be solely your responsibility unless, in negotiation prior to incurring the cost, ASL agrees to partially or wholly contribute towards the cost.
As facilities and amenities may vary between performances, your contract of engagement (i.e. the booking confirmation form) will outline in full any relevant payments and their processes.
Cancellations and replacements
ASL expects any interpreter or LCC that it engages to fulfill the contractual agreement between ASL and the interpreter/LCC.
Interpreters and LCCs are asked to think carefully before entering into a contract with ASL. We ask that you consider your existing workload and commitments realistically, and identify any foreseeable reasons that would interfere with your ability to fulfill the agreed contract. In such instances, you should either decline the offer or discuss the issue with ASL as soon as possible. An informed decision can then be made as to whether to proceed with the contract or not.
Similarly, ASL asks that you think carefully before withdrawing from a performance to which you have contractually agreed. ASL accepts that occasionally unforeseen circumstances arise, which require that in an interpreter or LCC withdraw from their agreed engagement. If this happens, ASL requests that you provide as much notice of withdrawal as possible. ASL will then locate a replacement interpreter/LCC and expects you to provide a handover to the replacement interpreter/LCC. Under no circumstances are you to try to find a replacement yourself.
In these situations, ASL reserves the right to determine, on a case-by-case basis, whether any payment is claimable for time spent in preparation. We reserve the right to determine that this amount may be $0.00.
ASL will do everything within its power to ensure that the request for interpreters is not cancelled by the production company. However, due to unforeseen circumstances on either our part or on the part of the production company, it may become necessary to cancel our contractual agreement with you.
If a performance is cancelled, ASL will not usually remunerate interpreters and LCCs for their preparation time - this will be determined by ASL on a case-by-case basis. Usually the only scope for any payment for a cancelled performance is with large scale productions. In such cases, the cancellation rate will be identified in your booking confirmation.
