Legislation
SECTION 17-A
Limited English proficiency
Workers' Compensation (WKC) CHAPTER 67, ARTICLE 2
§ 17-a. Limited English proficiency. 1. The board shall provide
translation of (a) all documents and forms published by the board that
injured employees complete; and (b) all board documents that provide
general information to injured employees on the process of applying for
workers' compensation benefits. The translation shall be in the ten most
common non-English languages spoken by individuals with limited-English
proficiency in the state of New York.
2. The board shall provide interpretation services to injured
employees with respect to its provision of services, information and/or
benefits.
3. The board shall publish a language access plan that reflects:
(a) the means by which it provides language assistance services;
(b) the titles of all available translated documents and the languages
into which they have been translated;
(c) the number of public contact positions at the board and the number
of bilingual employees in public contact positions, including the
languages they speak;
(d) a training plan for board employees which includes, at minimum,
annual training on its language access policies and how to provide
language assistance services;
(e) a plan for annual internal monitoring of the board's language
access plan;
(f) a plan of how the board intends to notify injured employees of
offered language assistant services; and
(g) the appointment of a language access coordinator at the board, who
shall be publicly identified.
4. The language access coordinator for the board shall monitor the
board's compliance with this section by annually collecting data on the
provision of language assistance services, the availability of
translated materials, whether signage is properly posted, and any other
relevant measures.
translation of (a) all documents and forms published by the board that
injured employees complete; and (b) all board documents that provide
general information to injured employees on the process of applying for
workers' compensation benefits. The translation shall be in the ten most
common non-English languages spoken by individuals with limited-English
proficiency in the state of New York.
2. The board shall provide interpretation services to injured
employees with respect to its provision of services, information and/or
benefits.
3. The board shall publish a language access plan that reflects:
(a) the means by which it provides language assistance services;
(b) the titles of all available translated documents and the languages
into which they have been translated;
(c) the number of public contact positions at the board and the number
of bilingual employees in public contact positions, including the
languages they speak;
(d) a training plan for board employees which includes, at minimum,
annual training on its language access policies and how to provide
language assistance services;
(e) a plan for annual internal monitoring of the board's language
access plan;
(f) a plan of how the board intends to notify injured employees of
offered language assistant services; and
(g) the appointment of a language access coordinator at the board, who
shall be publicly identified.
4. The language access coordinator for the board shall monitor the
board's compliance with this section by annually collecting data on the
provision of language assistance services, the availability of
translated materials, whether signage is properly posted, and any other
relevant measures.