5.05-1 

ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION:   AR: 5.05-1 DATE APPROVED: June 10, 2014
SUBJECT: Limited English Proficiency Policy ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT: Administration

POLICY:

Executive Order (E.O.)13166 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits recipients of federal financial assistance from discriminating based on national origin by, among other things, failing to provide meaningful access to individuals who are limited English proficient (LEP).
 
The purpose of this Limited English Proficiency (LEP) policy guidance is to clarify the responsibilities of recipients of federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and assist them in fulfilling their responsibilities to persons, pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and implementing regulations. It was prepared in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000d, et seq., and its implementing regulations provide that no person shall be subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin under any program or activity that receives federal financial assistance, and;  

DEFINITIONS:

Limited English Proficiency – The LEP program provides assistance for people whom English is not their primary language and who have a limited ability to read, speak, write or understand English. 

PROCEDURE:

  1. When the County or an agent of the County receives federal funding for a program or service, the staff responsible for that program will take reasonable steps to provide meaningful access to LEP individuals.
    1. LEP Person does not speak English as a primary language and has limited ability to read, speak, write or understand English. 
      • Hearing or visual impairments – sign language interpretation and Braille texts are accommodations of disabilities provided under the Americans with Disabilities Act and/or Section 504 of the Rehabilitative Acts of 1973.
      • Illiteracy – LEP individuals protected by the Executive Order and Title VI are those who not only cannot speak, read, or write English, but primarily speak, read or write an language other than English. 
Reasonable steps shall include but not be limited to:
  1. Translation of vital documents – A document will be considered vital if it contains information that is critical for obtaining the federal services and/or benefits or is required by law.
  2. Seeking a bilingual interpreter to facilitate discussion and answer questions. This service will be provided at no cost to the recipient. 
  3. Providing reasonable accommodations through technology for persons with hearing, visual or other physical impairments.
  1.  
  2. All ads for a public meeting will contain language which provides notice that the County will provide special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which includes translation services (free of charge).
  3. County staff will monitor local demographics. When 5% of the population eligible to be served or likely to be directly affected by the program/activity will need services or information in a language other than English is achieved, all vital documents will be translated. For many larger documents, translation of vital information contained within the document will suffice and the documents need not be translated in their entirety.

    It may sometimes be difficult to draw a distinction between vital and non-vital documents, particularly when considering outreach or other documents designed to raise awareness of rights or services. It is impossible from a practical and cost-effective perspective to translate every piece of outreach material into every language; and Title VI and EO 13166 do not require this of their recipients. However, in some circumstances lack of awareness of the existence of a particular program may effectively deny LEP individuals meaningful access. It is important for recipients, sub-recipients and contractors to continually survey/assess the needs of eligible service populations in order to determine whether certain critical outreach materials should be translated into other languages. 
  4. Affected programs will review their respective delivery processes annually to ensure that the process does not deny or limit participation by LEP persons. 
  5. The County shall maintain a discrimination – complaint process utilizing the attached form. The County Administrator and County Attorney shall serve as the reviewer for any filed complaint. 
LEP persons shall be provided notice of their opportunity to file a discrimination complaint in accordance with Title VI. LEP persons may be advised orally of the opportunity to file a discrimination complaint pursuant to the regulations using an interpreter. LEP persons should be made aware of the free, oral translation of vital information that Citrus County will provide upon request. 

FOOTNOTES & REFERENCES TO RELATED AR’s: Supersedes AR 5.02-04 dated September 28, 1981; AR 5.02-04-1 dated October 6, 1998.

FORMULARIO DE QUEJA
(Condado de Citrus)
Nombre de la persona discriminada


 Numero de telefono
(Residencia)

 Numero de telefono
(Trabajo)
Direccion de residencia (Number y calle,
numero de departamento)


 Ciudad, estado, y condigio postal de residencia
 
Nombre de la persona que discrimino contra usted, y nombre de la depencencia
Direccion de la persona o dependencia que
discrimino contra usted


 Ciudad, estado y codigo postal de la persona o dependencia
que discrimino contra usted
Fecha del incidente discriminatorio
Causa de la discriminacion:
  Raza   Retaliacion   Sexo   Estado Civil   Religion
  Color de 
Piel		   Nacionalidad

   Edad

   Impedimento Fisic
Mental		   Ontro
Eplique claramente como sucedio la discriminacion y quienes participaron en ella. Incluya en su explicacio cualquier conocimiento que tenga de tratamiento diferente a otras personas. Adjunte cual quier otro escrito relacionado con su caso.  
Firma
 Fecha