Translation Services for Personnel Manuals

• Translation Services: English to Spanish and Other Languages

  Translating personnel manuals into Spanish and other foreign languages spoken by employees is one of the most valuable communication tools within your company. It ensures that employees who speak foreign languages understand the expectations, rules and proper procedures for following a company policy such as FMLA leave or an anti-harassment claim.

  U.S. companies that have multilingual workforces and multinationals in particular must have accurately translated manuals for employees. This includes having codes of conduct and other key workplace communications translated for every employee’s understanding. Failing to translate these sources of information may cause your company to violate language laws abroad, leaving you vulnerable to expensive lawsuits.

  Once you consider the potential costs and risks for not translating manuals and other pertinent materials for effective employee communications, the benefits of hiring our translation services become crystal clear. Whether your current need is for a single or multi-language translation, we are here to assist you before a lawsuit arises.

  

• Translation is the Legal Thing to Do

  Because laws may vary on translating company communications in the workplace, you want to know you have the best professional service that is aware of those laws. Requirements may differ based on the law such as federal laws requiring workplace notices. Each one such as the National Labor Relations Act for federal contractors and subcontractor, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Immigration and Nationality Act and the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act, require employers to post these notices in the native language spoken by every employee.

  Workplace safety rules and regulations are also very important to be current and accurate. Many personnel manuals include this information and should be in the languages spoken by your employees. Using our professional translation services will help your company properly convey information that is vital and will hopefully result in fewer workplace accidents.

• Keep All Employees on the Same Page

  Not only does the personnel manual serve as an introduction to your company, but it also explains everything new hires and current employees need as they continue their career. Whether you have multiple branches throughout the country and around the world, or you have a single location with a linguistically diverse staff, your manual communicates to all employees so that everyone is on the same page from day one.

  You want all employees to receive consistent and accurate communication. This is very important so that all employees receive the same information, which helps them remain focused and productive. Employees are better equipped when they know what is expected of them and what they can expect from their employer. All employees work efficiently when they know they are on the same team despite any language barriers. When it is time to translate your personnel manual, you want to feel confident that everyone receives the same information.

  For this reason, you want to rely on our professional translation service for your manual. Not only are we able to oversee the production of every language, but our agency can also localize services and adapt manuals regionally.

• Should Your Employment Policies Be Translated?

  “Comprenden sus empleados las políticas de empleo?” Do you understand what it says? As an employer, in California and other states, having Spanish speaking employees in your company, it is critical, if not detrimental that you take notice of a recent decision by a Federal Court judge.

  An employer was sued by his former employee for alleged unpaid wages. Since the employee had signed an agreement, at the start of his employment, stating that any disputes related to his employment would have to be arbitrated, it was no surprise that the employer asked the court to send the case to arbitration.

  The employee contended that the arbitration agreement cannot be enforced because the employer committed fraud by refusing his requests for: 1. Providing a version of the agreement in Spanish, although he was given other documents in Spanish except for the agreement; 2. An explanation of the agreement in Spanish; 3. Taking the time to review the agreement at home.

  The federal court was in agreement with the employee that he was deceived by the employer and the judge’s ruling was that since the employee’s requests were denied, the arbitration agreement was null and void. The judge also wrote that the policy favors arbitration over litigation and that a party’s inability to understand English generally will not allow that party to get out of the contract. However, in this unique circumstance, where the employee has clearly shown that he was denied any assistance in understanding the agreement and was not allowed to review the agreement at home, the judge found that the employee not to be bound by the agreement.

  In another unrelated consumer case, the Florida Supreme court’s decision in Basulto v. Hialeah Automotive brought out that an arbitration agreement in English cannot be enforced against any party that does not speak or understand English.

  Most employers try to take a safe approach and have at least the critical documents translated into other languages especially Spanish! A few translate the entire handbook or translate critical employment policies (e.g., equal employment opportunity, anti-harassment, discrimination, and retaliation policies).

  The first sentence translated means: Do your employees understand the employment policies?

  The information above is taken from an article by Bayardo Aleman.