Conference Registration Charge for Interpreters Thread poster: Doris Ganser
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My clients had to pay a full conference registration fee for the simultaneous interpreters they hired through my company. Has anyone ever heard about this happening? I have not and would like them to get their registration fee back. By the way, this is in the United States. Thanks in advance for any comments,
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Déesse
Local time: 02:27
French to Dutch
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In Belgium, for my agency, it would be completely unacceptable for an end client requiring my interpreters to pay an entry fee.
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Inga Petkelyte 
Portugal
Local time: 01:27
Lithuanian to Portuguese
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The interpreters were not officially appointed by the organization, I suppose? Then they were treated as the conference attendees and hence, the payment. Had your clients contacted the organizers before taking the interpreters into the conference? That could have sold the problem.
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| Conference Registration Charge for Interpreters | May 19, 2015 |
Inga Petkelyte wrote:
The interpreters were not officially appointed by the organization, I suppose? Then they were treated as the conference attendees and hence, the payment. Had your clients contacted the organizers before taking the interpreters into the conference? That could have sold the problem.
No, the interpreters were working for one of the companies participating in the conference. The company had visitors from China who needed interpreters. My client paid the visitors' registration fees, and the conference organizers insisted on payment of the registration fee of the two interpreters as if they were participants in the conference. Had they been interpreters for the deaf, they would probably be covered by the American Disabilities Act. Nevertheless I had never heard anything like that in my 40 years in this business and as a conference interpreter myself for decades. I would like to help the client get their money back.
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| Conference Registration Charge for Interpreters | May 19, 2015 |
Déesse wrote:
In Belgium, for my agency, it would be completely unacceptable for an end client requiring my interpreters to pay an entry fee.
Thanks for your comment.
Well, after 40 years in this business and a long-time conference interpreter myself, I had never heard of anything like it in the US. I would like to help my clients get their money back from the conference organizers.
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Steffen Walter
Germany
Local time: 02:27
Member (2002)
English to German
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(Conference) interpreters are service providers and should thus always be admitted free of charge, irrespective of who they provide their service to. This behaviour of the conference organisers borders on the unethical in my opinion.
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Inga Petkelyte
Portugal
Local time: 01:27
Lithuanian to Portuguese
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I would try to get the fee reimbursement, then.
If your clientes were active aprticipants, not just attendees, the they should have right to certain facilities. I would look into their policy and would definitely contact the organizers. Maybe your clients, not knpwing the language (if I am getting it right here) didn't manage to reach the understanding on this point? I would try to help my clients, if appropriate in this case, by contacting the organizers directly. I've done that multiple ... See more I would try to get the fee reimbursement, then.
If your clientes were active aprticipants, not just attendees, the they should have right to certain facilities. I would look into their policy and would definitely contact the organizers. Maybe your clients, not knpwing the language (if I am getting it right here) didn't manage to reach the understanding on this point? I would try to help my clients, if appropriate in this case, by contacting the organizers directly. I've done that multiple times already here, in Portugal. ▲ Collapse
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| Conference Registration Charge for Interpreters | May 19, 2015 |
Steffen Walter wrote:
(Conference) interpreters are service providers and should thus always be admitted free of charge, irrespective of who they provide their service to. This behaviour of the conference organisers borders on the unethical in my opinion.
Thank you for your comment, Steffen. You are in England, I suppose?
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Steffen Walter
Germany
Local time: 02:27
Member (2002)
English to German
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| Not quite ... | May 19, 2015 |
... I'm based in Germany .
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| Conference Registration Charge for Interpreters | May 20, 2015 |
Steffen Walter wrote: ... I'm based in Germany .
Hm, one should probably never try to guess based on spelling. I should know better -- my spelling used to be British, too, when I was still in Germany. I did the thing I should have done in the first place and looked at your profile instead -- "habe mit den Ohren geschlackert". I'm impressed. And thank you for having taken time to answer me in spite of your obviously very busy schedule.
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| Conference Registration Charge for Interpreters | May 20, 2015 |
Doris Ganser wrote: Déesse wrote:
In Belgium, for my agency, it would be completely unacceptable for an end client requiring my interpreters to pay an entry fee. Thanks for your comment. Well, after 40 years in this business and a long-time conference interpreter myself, I had never heard of anything like it in the US. I would like to help my clients get their money back from the conference organizers.
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| Conference Registration Charge for Interpreters | May 20, 2015 |
Déesse wrote:
In Belgium, for my agency, it would be completely unacceptable for an end client requiring my interpreters to pay an entry fee.
Thank you very much for your comment.
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mariealpilles
France
Local time: 02:27
Member (2014)
English to French
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| Interpreters' fees | May 20, 2015 |
I feel this is very unethical and unprofessional, verging on gross impoliteness. Any conference organiser should make sure that ALL the participants understand, are able to follow and intervene. I have been hired sometimes for one participant only and have never been charged fees.
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