MULTILINGUAL PAY POLICY 03-21-2018.PDF

MARICOPA COUNTY INTERNAL POLICY
Policy Number: HR2477
Policy Title:
Current Adoption
3-21-2018
MULTILINGUAL PAY Date:
Current
3-26-2018
Implementation Date:
Board Agenda
Approved by: C-31-18-032-6-00
Number:
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Original Adoption
12-15-2010
Date:
I. PURPOSE
To provide a mechanism under which multilingual pay may be used for eligible employees who provide sign
language or Non-English language services in connection with their primary job functions.
II. AUTHORITY
Human Resources is responsible for administering this policy.
III. APPLICATION
This policy applies to all Maricopa County elected offices and appointed departments as well as the Flood Control
District, the Library District, and the Stadium District. This includes all full and part-time employees, except for
individual elected officials.
IV. DEFINITIONS
A. Appointing Authority: An elected official, the single administrative or executive head of a department, or the
designated representative authorized to act in this capacity.
B. Multilingual Pay: Additional compensation paid to an eligible employee for providing sign language or
Non-English language services.
V. POLICY
A. The use of multilingual pay is not required. An Appointing Authority may authorize multilingual pay for
FLSA exempt or non-exempt employees when a business need is identified for the use of sign language
or the ability to speak, read, or write a language other than English.
B. If multilingual pay is authorized by an Appointing Authority, it must be applied consistently to all similarly-
situated employees under the Appointing Authority’s direction. Multilingual pay is subject to rescission at
any time at the discretion of the Appointing Authority, and rescission of multilingual pay does not constitute
a demotion and is not subject to appeal to the Merit Commission.
C. Rates and Funding: Multilingual pay rates shall be approved by the Board of Supervisors. Departments
must fund multilingual pay within their existing budgets and demonstrate it does not create a future
unfunded obligation.
D. Levels of Pay: Multilingual pay may be authorized at one of two levels: Associate or Journey
1. Associate Level - Employees must use multilingual capabilities an average of at least 5% of their
work time and be able to translate and communicate accurately.

Policy Title: Policy Number: HR2477
MULTILINGUAL PAY Current Adoption
3-21-2018
Date:
2. Journey Level - Employees must use multilingual capabilities an average of at least 25% of their
work time and must pass a multilingual test, administered by Human Resources, with a score of at
least 70%. An employee who fails the test may not retake it for 90 days.
An employee must also retake the test if
a. The employee has stopped receiving multilingual pay for more than a year.
b. The employee leaves the County for more than a year and subsequently returns.
c. The multilingual test is modified.
E. Audit: Prior to authorizing multilingual pay for an employee, departments must conduct and maintain a
10-day, uninterrupted work period audit that demonstrated the requisite level use of multilingual
capabilities. These audits must be performed and submitted to Human Resources:
1. When initially authorizing multilingual pay for an employee.
2. Periodically, as determined by Human Resources, for all employees receiving multilingual pay to
ensure they still qualify for it.
3. When an employee receiving multilingual pay is appointed, transferred, promoted, or demoted to
another position.
4. When an employee receiving multilingual pay leaves County employment and then returns.
F. Effective Dates: The effective date for Associate Level multilingual pay is the first day of the next pay
period following a valid 10-day audit. The effective date for the Journey Level multilingual pay is the first day
of the next pay period after the employee passes the test.
G. Time Worked Only: Multilingual pay shall only apply to actual time worked and is not be paid on non-
productive time (e.g., sick leave or vacation time).
H. Ending Multilingual Pay: Departments must end multilingual pay when the use of multilingual skills are
no longer necessary.
I. Additional Requirements: An Appointing Authority may impose additional limitations or business-related
requirements on the use of multilingual pay as long as those requirements do not conflict with this policy
and are applied fairly and consistently in comparable situations.
J. The County Manager or designee may approve exceptions to this policy that are consistent with the intent
of the policy.
Revision History
Version Revision Date Description of Revision
1 12-15-2010 Initial version (C-49-11-031-6-00).
2 4-11-2012 Removed the annual audit requirement (C-49-11-031-6-01).
3 3-21-2018 Updated to streamline and simplify policy language (C-31-18-032-6-00).
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