County employees who are fluent in English and a foreign language, and are assigned to a position requiring use of the bilingual skill, shall be compensated in accordance with the County Code.
Criteria for determination of eligibility are:
- The assignment requires bilingual skill of the employee in order that the public service responsibility of the Department to the foreign language group may be met;
- The unit commander concurs on the need for the bilingual skill in the assignment;
- The absence of an employee with the required skill would hamper the effectiveness of the Department in the discharge of its responsibilities; and the need for the bilingual skill is a continuing and frequent one which measurably contributes to the efficiency of the office.
Selection of employees for such bonus is based on the following:
- The candidate must possess fluency in the designated language and in English and must possess knowledge of, and sensitivity to, the culture and needs of the foreign language group being served;
- Prior to submitting an application for bilingual bonus pay, the employee in question must pass an oral fluency examination. Appointments for such test are to be made by calling the bilingual coordinator of Personnel Administration Bureau;
- Candidate must be certified by the Department as being qualified.
Rules governing such appointments are:
- Compensation shall not be effective before the month in which the unit commander makes his finding, as required above;
- The authorization for such compensation shall remain in effect only as long as the facts on the Bilingual Pay Request Certification and Authorization form remain true and the employee has a competent or better performance evaluation. It is the unit of assignment’s responsibility to notify Personnel Administration Bureau, in writing, whenever an employee is absent in excess of 60 calendar days;
- A paid temporary absence of the employee which does not exceed 60 calendar days shall not affect the compensation;
- If the employee is absent for more than 60 calendar days, the additional compensation shall be suspended during such absence;
- This bonus shall not apply to persons employed in positions of Interpreter (Item 1154);
- This bonus shall not constitute a base rate.
Unit commanders may obtain application forms from Personnel Administration Bureau.
The following rules apply to the application:
- An original and one copy of the application shall be typed and the employee number indicated;
- The unit commander will sign in the space provided for the supervisor's recommendation;
- The original and copy of the application as well as a copy of the language proficiency card shall be forwarded to Personnel Administration Bureau;
- Personnel Administration Bureau shall approve or disapprove the application, indicate the authorization number, and forward the copy to the unit of assignment.