Operational Guidelines: Job Interview Interpreter Grant (JIIG)

If a job seeker is deaf, hard of hearing or has a speech impairment and is attending job interviews with private sector employers, he/she can apply for funding to have a sign language interpreter, lip-speaker or other interpreter (with or without professional qualifications) attend the interviews with him/her.

DSP will pay a fee for a three hour period on a sliding scale depending on the level of qualification of the sign language interpreter. Travel costs for the interpreter are paid at a set rate.

A person may have several interviews arranged and can apply for funding to have an interpreter provided for each one.

There is no limit to the number of interviews a person can attend with an interpreter.

Funding is also available to cover the cost of an interpreter to assist a person with hearing or speech problems during the induction process when he/she starts work with a private sector employer, to assist with such issues as introduction to colleagues and attending briefings on health and safety, work duties and housekeeping issues.

A maximum of three hours interpreter support is available, to be utilised by the person as he/she feels he/she needs it. For instance, he/she may use the services of an interpreter for one hour daily for three days, for one hour weekly for three weeks, etc.

The in-employment interpreter support for the induction of a new employee can be used in addition to assistance at job interviews.

A Job Interview Interpreter Grant is not payable in the following circumstances:

• For an interview or induction with a public sector employer – in this case, interpretation costs should be met by the public sector body carrying out the interview or induction
• For an interview or induction for an employment that is publicly funded (for example, Community Employment Scheme) – in this case, interpretation costs should be met by the public sector body that is funding the employment
• For any purpose other than a job interview or induction with a private sector employer

It is the responsibility of the job seeker to source and select his/her own sign language or other interpreter. He/she can choose to employ a friend, a family member or a professionally qualified sign language or other interpreter.

In order to receive funding under this scheme interpreters must be tax-compliant and must provide a copy of Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC) or Tax Clearance Access Number (TCAN) for electronic tax clearance. The jobseeker should ensure that the interpreter is aware of these obligations before engaging their services.

If the job seeker does not already have an interpreter, he/she can source sign language interpretation services nationwide through:

Note: The Sign Language Interpreting Service also offers a remote interpreting service (IRIS), from Monday to Friday, 10am-4pm, which allows you to book an Irish sign language interpreter to be present at an interview, etc., via a remote video link (e.g. Skype, OoVoo, etc.).

CSL are researching the feasibility of supplying a remote interpreting service and may be able to provide an Irish sign language interpreter to be present at an interview, etc., via a remote video link (e.g. Skype, OoVoo, etc.).

DSP have been advised that the rates payable to a sign language or other interpreter for a half day (up to 3 hours) range from €95 to €205. The individual rate payable depends on the level of qualification of the interpreter and the duration of the assignment.

Travel costs are also payable to the interpreter – either the cost of public transport or payment at the rate of €0.25 per km where no public transport is available.

• The job seeker or newly hired employee contacts his/her local DSP INTREO Centre to obtain a JIIG Application Form Section 1 and a JIIG Application Form Section 2, or downloads the forms from the DSP website
• The job seeker or newly hired employee completes the forms as far as possible prior to the job interview or induction. Ideally, he/she should at least obtain a verbal agreement to the grant from a DSP Case Officer before the job interview or induction. If possible and if time permits, he/she should get the JIIG Application Form Section 2 signed by the Case Officer before the job interview or induction
• The job seeker or newly hired employee brings the application forms to the job interview or induction, where they are signed and stamped by the employer/company and signed by the interpreter (and stamped, if the interpreter has a stamp)
• The job seeker or newly hired employee brings or sends the forms to his/her local DSP INTREO Centre or to his/her DSP Case Officer
• On receipt of the application forms and supporting documentation in DSP, the claim is processed and payment is made directly to the interpreter or to the sign language interpreting service, as appropriate

Upon completion of the job interview or induction, the job seeker or newly hired employee will return the JIIG application forms signed and stamped by the employer and signed by the interpreter (and stamped, if the interpreter has a stamp) to verify that the interview or induction has taken place and that an interpreter was present

On receipt of the application forms, the Case Officer and his/her Assistant Principal will submit details of the approved application, as well as the other documentation specified below, to: Department of Social Protection, JIIG payment, Accounts Payable, Accounts Branch, Floor 2, Government Buildings, St Alphonsus Road, Dundalk, Co Louth.

Accounts Payable require the following in order to process the payment:

• Original JIIG application forms – the JIIG Application Form Section 2 should be signed and stamped by the employer and the interpreter (if the interpreter has a stamp), and approved by the Case Officer and AP
• Copy of the Letter of Approval
• Original Payment Authorisation Form completed by the Case Officer and AP
• Original invoice from the interpreter or interpreting service
• Original EFT Bank Mandate completed by the interpreter or interpreting service
• Copy of Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC) or Tax Clearance Access Number (TCAN) for electronic tax clearance for the interpreter or the interpreting service

Payment is made in arrears directly to the interpreter or to the interpreting service.

Job Interview Interpreter Grant