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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
You can make a request with us in a few different ways — please utilize whichever is most convenient for you! Click here (www.topsli.com/service-request)to complete our service request form on our website, email us at interpreting@topsli.com with your request details, or call us at 689.867.8377 or 689.867.8378 for emergent needs.
We strive to accommodate every request, including urgent or same-day needs. However, providing as much advance notice as possible — ideally at least two weeks — allows us to secure the most qualified interpreter and ensure the best match for your setting. To put it simply, the more notice, the better! We do understand life happens though, and we’re happy to work with you and accommodate your scheduling needs.
This is our specialty! Please call us at 689.867.8377 or 689.867.8378 and follow up with an email to interpreting@topsli.com. Our team will begin working on your request immediately. One of the biggest benefits of working with us at Top Interpreting is that, as the owners and managers, we are also interpreters ourselves. If our incredible team is unavailable for short notice, we can often jump in to support emergent needs!
Not at all! Contracting with us simply allows us to move quickly when a request arises, but there is no commitment to utilizes our services or minimum requirement. You may schedule services with us as often as needed — or not at all. We always recommend having an agreement with us completed so that when those needs do arise, we are already connected and engaged contractually, and ready to swiftly and efficiently coordinate interpreting services for you!
This is an important question, and we always appreciate when we receive it! The more you care about the quality of the interpreter for your interaction, the more we as a community can work together to raise the standards across the board for interpreter and agency qualification and accountability. This is our mission!
Interpreter qualification can be assessed based on several factors, such as credentials and/or certifications, education, background knowledge and experience, specialized training, continuing education and professional development, mentorship and internship experience, + more.
The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) sets national standards for the interpreting profession and oversees the maintenance of interpreter certifications and continuing education. Many interpreters hold RID national certifications (ex: NIC, CI/CT, CDI, etc.) demonstrating national-level minimum competency and professionalism. Others hold recognized credentials such as advanced EIPA scores or advanced BEI levels, showing subject-matter knowledge and specialized skill.
This is why it is crucial to partner with an interpreting agency who understands the ins and outs of the field — as interpreters ourselves, we are able to assess the unique needs and demands of each assignment request and ensure that the most qualified interpreter(s) be assigned.
As part of our onboarding process, each interpreter completes a skills-based assessment and interview, and credentials are carefully assessed and verified — allowing for intentional placement and high-quality communication you can trust. If your organization or consumer has a preference for an interpreter with a specific qualification or credential, please feel free to share that with us! We are happy to accommodate those requests as much as possible.
ACCESSIBILITY MATTERS
Understanding Your ADA Responsibilities
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires businesses and organizations that serve the public to provide effective communication for individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. This often includes furnishing appropriate auxiliary aids and services, such as qualified sign language interpreters or Communication Access Realtime Transcription (CART).
For more information, visit the National Association of the Deaf (NAD)
to learn about your responsibilities for providing and covering the cost of interpreting services.
The following section outlines key considerations to help you understand your obligations and ensure accessible, compliant services.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR ADA RESPONSIBILITES
The Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing population varies widely in their preference and ability to utilize and understand American Sign Language and/or communicate in spoken/written English. An auxiliary aid or service that works for one individual may not be effective for another. Always ask the individual what type of support they need to ensure full and equal access.
Under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), businesses and organizations open to the public — including healthcare providers, schools, employers, event hosts, camps, museums, and other service providers — must ensure effective communication for individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.
When communication is necessary for full and equal access, appropriate auxiliary aids must be provided. This can include qualified interpreters, CART services, or other communication support depending on the setting and the individual’s needs.
Covered entities are required to obtain and pay for auxiliary aids necessary to achieve effective communication (42 U.S.C. § 12182(b)(A)).
Covered entities may not charge the individual requesting the service for the provision of these aids. These expenses are considered part of operating overhead. See 28 C.F.R. § 36.301(c)
Federal regulations (28 C.F.R. § 36.303) define auxiliary aids and services to include:
• Qualified sign language interpreters
• Certified Deaf Interpreters (CDIs)
• Oral or tactile interpreters
• Cued speech transliterators
• Communication Access Realtime Transcription (CART)
• Captioning of audio-visual materials
The ADA defines a qualified interpreter as someone who can interpret effectively, accurately, and impartially, both receptively and expressively, using any necessary specialized vocabulary (28 C.F.R. § 36.104).
Employees with basic sign language skills, family members, companions, or minor children are not considered qualified interpreters, except in very limited emergency circumstances.
Computer-generated or automatic captions are often inaccurate and do not meet the ADA’s standard for effective communication. Ensuring meaningful access typically requires qualified interpreters or professional captionists who can provide accurate, reliable communication for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals.
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