Your Health and Well-Being Is Our Top Priority!


Since the start of the Coronavirus Pandemic, Interpreters United has done everything we can to support interpreters during this time of crisis. Our union's top priorities are your safety, personal well-being, and both your physical and economic health.


That's why Interpreters United has done everything we can to assist interpreters in these dark times, such as by taking the following initiatives:
  • We have organized two Virtual Town Halls with unemployment experts from the Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD);
  • We have made $300 gift cards available for union members to buy groceries and essential supplies for our families;
  • We have produced multiple versions of our Unemployment Application Guide for Interpreters;
  • We have negotiated safer remote appointments paid at in-person rates with hourly minimums;
  • We have created a new law that will allow our union to bargain over State-Funded Healthcare Insurance for Interpreters;
  • We have promoted a long-standing Lost Income Insurance Protection members-only benefit to make up for not being able to work in case interpreters get too sick; and 
  • We are continually advocating to ensure that publicly-funded interpreting appointments are being worked by interpreters in Washington, instead of outsourced to interpreters in other countries/out of state.
We Want To Hear How You Feel About The Coronavirus Pandemic...


As the Coronavirus Panedmic unfolds, we want to hear how this crisis is affecting all interpreters. Governor Inslee recently announced that Washington's healthcare system will be re-opening. Interpreters United wants to hear how you feel about safely working appointments again, including what you think about working in-person versus remotely, whether you have adequate access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and any and all other concerns you have.


Interpreters United advocates for all interpreters in Washington State, and we will use your survey results to make our profession as safe as possible during this public health crisis. To help us continue advocating for interpreters' well-being, please fill out the survey below.

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* 1. What are your top concerns about working as an interpreter during the Coronavirus crisis?

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* 2. What would you change about how the State / clinics / health providers / social workers or other providers are treating interpreters during the Coronavirus crisis?

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* 3. What Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) items do you need to feel safer if you were working an in-person interpreting appointment? (Check all that apply).

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* 4. What Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) do you currently have / have access to? (Ex. your own re-usable masks, single-use masks, gloves, gowns, etc.)

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* 5. Do you have access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when you are interpreting in-person appointments?

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* 6. Do you have to bring your own Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), or do service providers give you PPE (e.g. masks)?

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* 7. If you had the choice, would you prefer to continue working remote appointments paid at in-person rates with hourly minimums, or would you prefer to work in-person appointments again while the Coronavirus Pandemic is still going-on?

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* 8. What is your current Healthcare Insurance coverage as an interpreter?

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* 9. Did you know that our union provides a Lost Income Insurance Protection plan (also known as disability insurance) for interpreters who are union members?

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* 10. This Lost Income Insurance Protection plan is simple: if you register for insurance before you get sick, have an accident, or develop a disability, the plan will kick-in (after the specified number of days that you choose) by providing you with income while you cannot work. Interpreters United's plan provides a minimum of $500 per month in lost income payments, and up to 60% of your income, which can last while you are sick or disabled from anywhere from 6 months to 2 years.

Note: this is not a health insurance plan, nor does this provide you with lost income benefits if you are healthy (i.e. when you are not sick or disabled).

Would you like more information about Interpreters United's Lost Income Protection plan?

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* 11. Is there anything you would like to have our union negotiate with the State regarding Healthcare for Interpreters or any other topic?

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* 12. Please provide your contact information (required).

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* 13. What appointments have you taken in the last year? Please check all that apply (required).

We don’t know how the Coronavirus Pandemic will develop in the months ahead, and remote interpreting as well as Labor & Industries (L&I) appointments could become an important part of our work into the future, so we have to do what we can to keep these jobs in Washington State and to organize L&I appointments.

This is why Interpreters United has created a petition asking Governor Inslee to keep publicly-funded interpreting jobs within our State, and worked by highly qualified, DSHS-credentialed, unionized interpreters in Washington. Over 600 interpreters have signed our petition already, and signing takes less than 2 minutes – you can sign online here:

https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/expand-interpreting-under-covid-19-using-union-interpreters

Interpreters United is also organizing Labor & Industries (L&I) appointments. With the impending launch of a new web portal for L&I jobs, all DSHS-credentialed or equivalent interpreters will be able to take L&I jobs in the future. We need your help to certify Interpreters United as the union for L&I appointments. Here is how to sign a card:

Go to this webpage: http://tinyurl.com/WFSE-LNI-Card

Download the card, print it out, sign it, take a picture, and then text your card to (503) 660-8690, or email it to organize@wfse.org.

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