Description

This 30-minute online lesson addresses cultural awareness and language sensitivity, including language barriers and how to work with interpreters for UI agency staff. Best practices are suggested for state agency personnel and hearing officers on how to communicate with limited English proficient (LEP) individuals and individuals from diverse cultures. It explores various situations in which UI staff would engage with an LEP individual either on the phone or in the office.

The lesson was developed as part of the UI Lower Authority Appeals Training Hearing Office Online Training. It is available here as a stand-alone lesson recommended for all UI staff who may work with LEP individuals and interpreters.

After completing the Cultural Awareness and Language Sensitivity training, participants will be able to:

• identify the three modes of interpretation, 
• describe the role of the interpreter, 
• describe how hearing officers can work effectively with interpreters within appeals hearings, 
• list strategies for agency personnel and hearing officers in handling situations where ambiguity can have a negative impact, 
• avoid comments or actions that can disparately impact the Limited English Proficient (LEP) community, 
• identify practices for working with interpreters, and 
• identify how to satisfy the Federal criteria established to measure the quality of states’ appeals performance in conducting impartial hearings when cultural and language issues are potential barriers.