Information for Service Providers

We strive to meet the communication needs of Deaf, DeafBlind, hard of hearing individuals in any given situation, ensuring equal access for all involved. We hold ourselves to high professional and ethical standards. We do this with respect, timeliness, and transparency.

Boston University is a professional setting. As independent contractors, you are expected to follow university policies including, but not limited to Title IX, the American with Disabilities Act and other federal and state non-discrimination laws.

All independent contractor interpreters are expected to adhere to RID’s Ethical Practices System to ensure consumer protection, resolve conflict and uphold the standards of NAD-RID Code of Professional Conduct (CPC).

Dress Codes

All jobs are business casual unless otherwise specified in uSked.

Work Locations

Boston University is a large institution with multiple campuses.  Providers can expect to administer services in various settings in both academic and non-academic environments.

These include:

• Classroom lectures, discussions, and labs
• Related academic events (e.g- office hours, guest speakers, performances)
• Non-academic, BU campus events
• Visits to Boston University’s Student Health Services (SHS)
• Personnel-related matters with and for Deaf staff and faculty members

Providers will not be expected to administer services is some environments.

These include:

• Accompany a Deaf consumer on personal errands, interpreting conversations outside the scope of daily business matters
• Medical visits outside of Boston University’s Student Health Services (SHS)
• Work that does not relate to Boston University

If at any time you as a provider feel uncomfortable with what you are asked to do, you are encouraged to speak with your interpreting team and/or the Coordinator of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services.

Communication with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Individuals

We expect you to have ongoing professional communication with Deaf individuals for whom you’re providing services. Please exchange contact information and communicate directly about classroom needs, scheduling, etc.  If a deaf or hard of hearing consumer notifies you of scheduling changes including cancellations, please notify DAS as soon as possible.

If a conflict arises, we expect you to first try to resolve things together.  Feel free to bring us into the loop should those attempts prove unsatisfactory, or if there are other ways we can support you.

Please keep in mind, in most cases, you will be providing services for young adults.  This may be the first time they have been away from home, requesting their own services, advocating for themselves, and/or interacting with interpreters.

Communication with Faculty

Faculty will be notified ahead of time that a provider will be in their classroom.  Should faculty have additional questions about the process that their student cannot answer, they can be referred back to DAS. If during class, faculty mention scheduling changes, please notify DAS and we will follow up with faculty to confirm.

Interpreting in a Team

The majority of the time, interpreters provide services in teams.  We expect you to exchange all relevant contact information with your interpreting team and reach out to each other as needed.  For us, it’s all about the work and meeting the communication needs of each assignment. If the job requires only one interpreter, or if only one could be secured, you will be notified ahead of time.  You are free to decline any offer that you do not feel comfortable with.

We are aware that from time to time, conflicts may arise within your team.  We expect that you talk to each other first. Connect with your team and try to resolve all differences together.   If you are unable to successfully resolve your professional issues, please reach out to us and let us know in what way we can support you. Professional boundaries are respected so the deaf, hard of hearing individuals, and providers all feel comfortable and set up to do their best work.

Interns/Mentees

If you have an intern or mentee, they are not necessarily permitted to shadow your assignments. This must first be approved by DAS, any direct consumers of interpreting services, as well as the interpreting team. Contact the Coordinator of Deaf and hard of hearing services for more information.

ASL: All communications regarding scheduling and booking interpreting jobs should go through aslods@bu.edu. Note that all work confirmations will come from dhhods@bu.edu due to our scheduling software settings; we ask that you continue to correspond with aslods@bu.edu for all interpreting-related matters.

CART: All communications regarding scheduling and booking CART jobs should go through dhhods@bu.edu.

uSked (Scheduling platform): New providers will receive instructions on how to set up a uSked account.  New and returning providers can access job schedules and essential details through this system.  We expect all providers to use this portal.  Please contact DAS if you have any trouble accessing the system.

DAS is not a designated Emergency Response department, nor are we equipped to handle critical emergencies; that said, for “urgent” matters we will get back to you as soon as possible.

We will be transparent about the process. We will tell you where we are in the process of filling requests, finding a team, and the reasons you are or are not booked.

Booking Jobs

Jobs are booked in order of need and with a goal of providing equally effective communication for all involved parties. Each assignment is evaluated for the interpreter skills and qualifications that are required, and offers are made to interpreters based on that evaluation. When requests are received, the Coordinator will reach out to the preferred providers first when applicable.  If you have any questions about an assignment, please do ask prior to your booking.

We have different types of work requests that you might receive, including:

• One time Request
• Ongoing Semester Request
• On-call

As jobs arise for which we believe you are qualified, you will receive an offer email from BU. If you are interested in the job, hit reply and indicate your interest. This is a great time to ask questions about your team, the class, potential date conflicts.  We will try to include as much detail as we have at the time to help inform your decision making. Most jobs are booked in teams.  Occasionally two interpreters are not available for a teamed assignment.  In these cases, depending on a number of factors, we may ask you to keep the assignment and work alone. If this happens, we ask that you bill time and a half for the time you’re alone. This will be arranged on a case-by-case basis; please ask if you have any questions. Some jobs do not require two interpreters.  We will let you know in advance if the job is intended for one interpreter. Please be flexible.  All students have the right to add and drop classes.  At times your schedule might change based on the consumer’s schedule.  We will work quickly to notify you.

Confirmations

Once you receive a job confirmation from the scheduling platform, you are formally booked. Once confirmed, any changes to assignments are considered a renegotiation of your time. If there are different Deaf and hard of hearing individuals, very different start or end times, or other significant changes, you will be asked to work the assignment but are under no obligation to do so. Alternately, if you are no longer available for part of an all-day assignment, we reserve the right to find an interpreter who can cover the full time, as opposed to looking for a sub to cover just the portion you can no longer do.

Please note, the Coordinator is often building teams and schedules. Expressing interest does not mean you have been booked for the job.

Removal from Jobs

Providers can be removed from jobs for a variety of reasons.  If possible and appropriate, we will try to book you for a new job. Reasons for removal include, but are not limited to:

1. If a student drops a class;
2. If there is a professional incompatibility that is interfering with the students’ learning or work process;
3. Provider is determined not qualified for a specific job;
4. Provider and Deaf individual(s) are not a linguistic match; and/or
5. If a provider is alleged to or has violated University, RID or other ethical policy or procedural standards that run counter to the BU community’s need.

DAS is committed to transparency in the process.  The Coordinator of Deaf and hard of hearing Services will let you know the reasons for your removal or modification.

Consumer Absences

If a consumer unexpectedly does not show up after the job has begun, please notify DAS. In the event a consumer does not show up, providers are expected to stay the first thirty minutes of the job before leaving.

After-Hours Communications

We anticipate the majority of communication will happen during business hours.  That said, in limited circumstances, the Coordinator can be reached after hours by emailing: aslods@bu.edu for interpreter related assignments and dhhods@bu.edu for CART related assignments with the subject line “Urgent.”

Provider-related emergencies are defined to be:

• Inability to get to your job, for example, due to illness
• Full team has not arrived (after you have tried to reach out unsuccessfully)

Substitution Dates 

Once you are sure you’ll accept an ongoing assignment, we ask you to share any known sub dates at the time of booking or by a specific date as requested by the coordinator so that we may arrange coverage.

For absences that occur after first booking, it is your responsibility to inform all DAS, the consumer and your team of your conflict, and find a BU approved and consumer preferred provider to cover your assignment. You may ask the consumer who they prefer. Keep in mind consumer preferred providers are subject to change at any time so for that reason, please check with the consumer first.

If you have difficulty finding a substitute, feel free to reach out to us. We can share additional names of providers for you to try.

We understand that sometimes emergencies happen. If you have an emergency sub request, please notify your team and the consumer and reach out to DAS at either aslods@bu.edu or dhhods@bu.edu. We will try our best to find a last minute sub. Our email accounts are managed by multiple people so please do not text any staff directly as they will not always be immediately available.

Boston University pays providers as “Independent Contractors.” In general, we follow the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH) rate structure and aim to keep our rates above their current rates. Our interpreter rates are calculated based on the following factors:

• Level of credentials (eg. State-screened, nationally certified, etc.)
• Years of holding certification

Rate Increases for Interpreters 

As you are awarded additional credentials, please forward your award letters to the Coordinator of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, so that your hourly rate can be evaluated as appropriate.

CART Rates

For all independent ON SITE CART providers:

2-hour minimum flat rate of $250 per day (includes initial set up)

Hourly rate of $100 for subsequent hours

General Billing Guidelines

Interpreters are paid a 2-hour minimum *initial provider appearance fee, per assignment, and may bill for intervals between assignments that is 2 hours or less within a given day.

*For example: If there is a job for 2-3pm, then a break 3-4pm, then another job 4-5pm, you should bill for the 1 hour break in between, but you can’t also make both jobs be 2 hours. You can bill for 2-5pm (3 hours total), but not 5 hours total.

Additionally during a paid interval, you might be asked to fill another assignment, which you can accept or decline at your professional discretion.  

CART providers may bill the daily minimum rate when there are intervals between assignments of 4 hours or more within a given day.

Mileage/Parking

Mileage and parking are not compensated for on the Charles River, Fenway, and Medical Campuses.  If BU is sending you far from campus, mileage can be negotiated. Please see Parking & Transportation below about parking on campus and other services. 

Prep Time for Academic Classes (Interpreters Only)

Interpreters are paid one hour of prep per class meeting for prep work that they do. Additional prep time can be requested if needed for complex courses and must be pre-negotiated. Prep time is typically not offered for ASL classes but can be requested. 

Prep Time for Events (Interpreters Only)

For events, one hour of prep is typically provided. Prep for performance interpreting will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Prep meetings with interpreter teams, consumer (s), and/or event coordinators outside of event booking time are counted as prep time. Additional prep time can be requested if needed (i.e., if booked for multiple workshops in a single day) and must be pre-negotiated.  

If you are asked to log in early for an event, the additional time will be added to your booked time and is not counted as prep time.

Pre-Recording Interpreting 

The two hour minimum does not apply to pre-recording interpreting work (Spoken English to ASL/ASL to Spoken English) by interpreters. Interpreters will bill for the exact amount of time spent doing this type of work.

Cancellation Policy

Boston University has a large community of Deaf and hard of hearing faculty, staff, and students.  Some jobs can be scheduled well in advance, others cannot be anticipated.

Ongoing Assignments

Ongoing Assignments: If an ongoing job (e.g. a semester-long class) is entirely canceled, with less than two weeks’ notice, a provider can bill for 2 weeks’ worth of classes, effective from date of cancellation notice.  If a single (or more) date of an ongoing job (e.g. professor cancels class due to an emergency) has been cancelled less than two weeks-notice, providers can still bill for that.

The Coordinator will offer you jobs as they arise throughout the day.  Each job is at your professional good-faith discretion based on fit and skillset. We ask that you hold the full contracted time unless and until the Coordinator formally releases you.

One-time Assignments

If a one-time assignment occurring on one day is canceled with less than 48 business hours’ notice, the provider can bill for the full time booked. 

Please note:  If a consumer informs you that a job will be canceled, we ask that you immediately inform the Coordinator. 

Invoicing

All Invoices should include the following information:

• Invoice number
• Date of invoice
• Dates and names of events
• Start and end times
• Rate per hour
• Total hours billed
• Name, mailing address and email address
• The phrase “due upon receipt”

Please address and email invoices to odsbills@bu.edu

Attention to:

Willow Burke, Financial Analyst
Boston University Disability & Access Services
25 Buick Street, 3rd floor
Boston, MA 02215

Please contact Willow Burke with any invoice questions at odsbills@bu.edu

Direct Deposit

We recommend signing up for Direct Deposit in lieu of checks. This can be done at any time. Instructions are below:

1. Go to www.paymode.com/bu. All adjustments to Direct Deposit information can be managed from this site.
2. Click “Join Now” and complete the form. (In the “Corporate Tax ID” field, enter your EIN.)

Please allow for up to eight weeks for Direct Deposit to take effect. Once Direct Deposit is in place, future invoices will be paid via this method.

Payment

Please submit invoices as soon as possible, ideally no later than 30 days after date of service. Payment can normally be expected three to four (3 – 4) weeks after invoice. Please note: We will need a completed W-9 Form with your first invoice. The first invoice will take an additional week or two to process as we get you set up in our system.

Prior to each semester, DAS will reach out to professors to obtain prep materials.  This may include Blackboard access, syllabi, books, and ensuring videos are captioned.  These materials will be shared with assigned providers. You will be contacted by DAS when your books for classes are ready to be picked up. 

Book Return

Providers are responsible for returning books to DAS by the last day of each semester.  We will send you a return book reminder. The bookstore charges late and non return fees so please try to be timely.  Please make sure to check in with staff at drop-off so that we can cross your book(s) off the list. Providers will be charged a fee for books returned late.  Providers will need to pay the price of the book for texts not returned.

Blackboard and Internet

Providers will be given access to Blackboard Learn and other online learning management systems for their ongoing courses. Subs will likely not have access.  

• During onboarding, providers will be set up with a BU email address and Kerberos (BU) password.  This BU email address will be used to give you access to Blackboard.
• With your BU email address, you also get access to BU’s campus internet. Connect by clicking BU (802.1x) and log in with your Kerberos username and password.

Captioning

Professors are asked to provide a list of all media being used. DAS will work with instructors to ensure videos and movies are captioned.  There may be times when a short video is not captioned and you might be asked to interpret it. Please work directly with the instructor(s) and student(s) to determine the most appropriate access in these situations, and be in touch with DAS if we can support you in any way.

Our office does not cover the cost of parking for independent contractors providing services on campus. If you are interested in acquiring a permit, BU Parking & Transportation Services needs notification from our office that you are authorized to receive a permit. Please reach out to DAS for an authorization letter. 

For most up-to-date information regarding permit rates, please visit the BU Parking and Transportation page. If you call the office at (617) 353-2160, be sure to inform them you are providing services as a provider for BU DAS.

Boston University has different permit types:

Green Day/Commuter for both Charles River and Medical Campus

Anyone who is a non-affiliate of BU would have to pay the full prorated cost of a green permit. Green permits have reciprocal parking privileges at the Medical Campus, 710 Albany Street Garage. To benefit from this reciprocal parking arrangement, Green permit holders must:

Take a parking ticket from the dispenser at the 710 Albany garage entrance gate

Before leaving the garage, go to the Medical Campus Parking office (adjacent to the 1st floor of the 710 garage) and present the following:

1. 1. 710 Albany parking ticket
   2. Parking permit (if on hanger) or permit number (if adhered to the driver’s-side window)
   3. University identification card (Terrier Card)

Parking staff will then validate the parking ticket can then be used to exit the facility.

Daily Parking Program for Charles River Campus Only

This replaces Red (Pay-on-Entry) Permits. Rate is $8 a day. Those on the daily program would have to pay whatever the daily rate is over at the Medical Campus.

Obtaining a Terrier Card 

For security purposes and to gain access to some buildings on the Charles River Campus and the Medical Campus, you may need BU Vendor Identification Cards, a.k.a. “Terrier Cards.” Please ask DAS to provide you with a verification letter. 

Terrier Cards can be used as identification when riding the BU Shuttle.

The Terrier Card Office distributes BU IDs. For information regarding the hours of operation and location, please visit the Terrier Card Office. Please understand there are significant rushes at the beginning of the semester for picking up Terrier Cards.

Snow & Emergencies

When BU is closed for inclement weather, providers for ongoing classes are canceled and will be paid. Interpreters booked for non-class assignments (eg. events, meetings, residential life, etc.) are not necessarily canceled and should check directly with the requestor and/or Deaf individual(s) to find out whether or not they’re still needed. Email addresses for requesters can be found in the provider scheduling platform.  If you’re booked for something that is still happening despite the campus being closed and you cannot safely get there, please email details of the assignment to aslods@bu.edu immediately so we can work to find you a replacement.

Please note the Boston University Medical Campus has a ‘no close’ policy and remains open during emergency closings. If the Medical Campus chooses to close, a separate announcement will be broadcasted.

You may call 617-353-SNOW (617-353-7669) to hear a recorded message regarding the closing or delayed opening of Boston University. BU Today is a timely and accurate source for snow-related delays and cancellations.

Would you like to sign up for the BU Emergency Alert System? The emergency alert system will notify you by email and/or text message in the event of any significant emergency on campus. To sign up, please update your emergency contact information for the BU Emergency Alert System on the BUworks Central Portal.

Boston University Academic Calendar

Please note: many of our professional schools publish their own calendars that might differ from the main University Academic Calendar, so we ask that you refer to their specific pages for additional details. Boston University observes most major holidays.