Sec. 1. 39-A MRSA §153-B is enacted to read:

§153-B.__Translators, interpreters required

1.__Requirement.__The board shall provide qualified translation and interpretation services to an employee with limited English proficiency at every stage of proceedings under this Act beginning with receipt of the employer's report of injury pursuant to section 303 and with respect to every communication with that employee.__The board shall ensure that the interpreters and translators assigned to employees with limited English proficiency under this section:

A.__Have sufficient training in interpreting, ethics, confidentiality and the process and procedures involved in pursuing a claim under this Act;

B.__Are sufficiently fluent in the required languages; and

C.__Are made available to employees with limited English proficiency throughout the duration of the processing of the claim and resolution of dispute.

2.__Telephone interpreting service.__The board shall contract with a telephone interpreting service to provide prompt communication with employees with limited English proficiency.

3.__Identification of employees in need of translation or interpretation assistance.__The board shall provide training to its staff in methods to effectively identify employees in need of translation or interpretation assistance.

4.__Provision of services to witnesses.__The board shall provide translation and interpretation services qualified in accordance with subsection 1 to witnesses or prospective witnesses with limited English proficiency who appear or are called to appear in proceedings before the board and with respect to every communication with those witnesses or prospective witnesses.

SUMMARY

This bill requires the Workers' Compensation Board to provide qualified interpretation and translation services to persons with limited English proficiency.