Terms and Condition

Terms and Condition for translations

Payment of the full amount is required on the due date unless otherwise agreed.

Electronic translations will normally be e-mailed unless otherwise agreed. If delivery is requested by courier, the costs will be paid by the client. The fee will be based on a completed computer word count in the original document version (the language and format that is provided by the client). The quote will be a rate per word.

Source material should be in Word, Excel or PDF format and if possible, in a font no smaller than Arial 11 or Times New Roman 12. Faxed documents or documents in a smaller font are not sufficiently clear for translation. We cannot translate illegible material.

The acceptance of the quotation/contract by email must be the person responsible for payment, preferably the Financial Director or his or her designated representative for a company or an organization.

If a client decides to cancel a translation once a contract has been accepted by the client through email and the translator/s has/have started the work, the client will be obliged to pay for all the work that has been done.

If the client changes the text while the translation is in progress, the delivery date may be delayed accordingly.

The Iservice Translation's (translator) will not be liable if there is any legal action including defamation that may arise because of the content of the original source material or its translation.

The Iservice (translator) will not be liable if there is any claim for infringement of copyright and/or other intellectual property rights in all cases.

Terms and Condition for Interpreting:
Facilities and equipment

The facilities and equipment shall be in perfect working condition.

The booth shall be spacious enough to accommodate two persons comfortably.

The booth should be situated so that the interpreters have a clear view of the conference hall, speakers and screen, if used.

There must be a qualified technician in attendance at all times. The quality of the translation will be affected by unsuitable, inappropriate, poor and/or unsupervised sound equipment.

Each delegate must have a headphone for comments and questions in both languages.

Transcription in English or tape recordings must be requested if required.

Payment

Unless otherwise agreed, a deposit of 50% of the fee should be paid to confirm the arrangement.

Unless otherwise agreed, the balance should be paid by no later than 9 a.m. (9:00) on the final day of the conference.

If this is not paid in time, the interpreters will have the right to stop work and to charge an additional 10% if the balance is paid within 7 days and an additional 10% on the outstanding balance(including overtime) for each succeeding 7 days the amount is unpaid.

The interpreter’s fee is a professional fee and should be paid in full. Tax and PAYE may not be deducted from their fee.

Cancellation

The interpreters will have the right to charge a cancellation fee if the conference is cancelled and if they cannot find other work for those days at an equivalent fee.

Working hours

There should not be more than six and a half actual working hours per team.

In exceptional cases, the interpreter may work for a maximum of one (1) extra hour beyond the stated limit, subject to agreement upon remuneration.

The lunch break should be at least one full hour, the two tea breaks should not be less than 15 minutes and the interpreters should not be asked to work during the lunch hour or the tea break.

Daily fee

The interpreters will be paid the full daily fee even if they are only required for part of a day.

Overtime

If interpreters are needed for more than the number of hours anticipated, they should be asked if they are willing and able to work additional hours at the overtime rate in the agreement.

They have the right to refuse to do so and the client might therefore have to try to find a second team of interpreters.

The conference organisers must be aware that they must work within the stipulated hours and the interpreter has the right to work only the agreed hours.

Unless otherwise agreed, the overtime fee will be paid at the end of each conference day on which the interpreter works overtime.

Number and size of teams

If it is planned or anticipated that interpreters will be needed for more than 7 hours in one day, a second team of interpreters may be required.

There should be two interpreters for one direction in each language combination (e.g. Portuguese to English) and one interpreter must not be asked to work alone or with an inexperienced interpreter, unless otherwise agreed.

However, in practice in Southern Africa, there are usually two interpreters who work in both directions (Portuguese to English and English to Portuguese).

The fee for working in both directions is higher as the interpreters do more work and the client has fewer interpreters.

Another reason for this is that in Southern Africa, there is often more interpreting from English into the other language.

Please discuss simultaneous interpretation for breakaway sessions with us.

Budget

Conference organisers are asked to make provision in their budgets for possible overtime hours and also for a second team of interpreters. They cannot ask interpreters to work overtime and then say that they did not budget for this.

Meals and tea breaks

Lunch and light refreshments are provided for the interpreters. Please ask for their dietary requirements.

The interpreters do not work during their lunch and tea breaks.

Documentation

Please send copies of the programme and documentation to the interpreters a week before the conference. This will give the interpreters a chance to become familiar with the subject matter and the specialised terminology.

Some speeches would be useful.

Other useful material could include the theme of the conference, a list of about 30 key words or specialised terminology, a list of acronyms likely to be used and their meanings and/or equivalents in the other language/s if these are available.

A list of delegates will help the interpreters to pronounce their names correctly.

Travel and Accommodation

Travel arrangements, fee for travel days and transfers should be discussed and agreed with the interpreters.

Travel should be on a commercial airline approved by the interpreter such as SAA.

The client is responsible for costs of all transfers.

Accommodation is single, never shared, in an establishment of at least 3-star equivalent, with a full private bathroom en suite, in a quiet position and in good condition.

The client pays costs relating to all accommodation, all meals and light refreshments, safe and secure parking and per diem allowances.

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