Chinese workers urged vs hiring private translators

Chinese workers are warned against hiring private translators when they file labor complaints, and urged instead to utilize the services of a Chinese-English translator recently hired by the Department of Labor.

Translator Perry Lo joined the department in September, providing free translation services to Labor staff and nonresident Chinese workers. He is the only in-house translator at the department.

In an interview, Lo said his first job at the department was to translate all public notices issued for alien workers. He also participates in labor hearings and assists in the conduct of labor investigations involving Chinese workers.

Lo said he was employed by Labor to curtail the workers’ use of private translators, who normally charge workers up to $300 for filing a complaint or temporary work authorization.

Private translators have also been blamed for the proliferation of the so-called “copycat complaints.”

The term refers to nearly identical—and often frivolous—claims filed mostly by garment workers whose sole purpose is to be able to transfer to another garment factory. Many of the complainants in these cases refuse to engage in good faith mediation of their labor disputes, and instead, seek a memorandum to seek work for other employers.

Lo noted that some private translators make up accusations for complainants or forge U.S. Department of Labor documents to purposely mislead workers that they can seek other employers.

“Outside translators are poor in English. They commit a lot of grammatical errors, and sometimes even twist the meaning of what the complainants say,” Lo said.

According to Lo, a number of Chinese workers still bring private translators to Labor hearings, even after he started working at the department. He said there is no point in continuing to pay for translation services, as hearing officers require him to be present in all hearings.

He added that the department is currently assessing his workload to determine if another Chinese-English translator needs to be hired.

For the meantime, translators from the Federal Ombudsman’s Office continue to help Lo in assisting Chinese workers.

In a memorandum issued last year, Labor Secretary Joaquin Tenorio urged employees to refrain from telling workers who wish to file a complaint or seek a temporary work authorization to come back with a translator.

He said this could drive workers to pay for translation services, which could cost up to $300.

“You do not need to hire a translator to obtain a memorandum to seek temporary employment or a temporary work authorization. If you need assistance in filing a complaint, advise the labor staff that you need assistance. A translator will be provided free of charge,” reads a separate public notice posted at the DOL building in San Antonio.

There are over 30,000 nonresident workers in the CNMI. About half of these work in the garment industry, which employs mostly Chinese workers.