United Public Employees (UPE) met with Merced County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) on October 6, 2025, to discuss the County’s proposed Bilingual Standards Policy. This policy outlines when employees qualify for bilingual pay and how bilingual assignments are determined.
During the meeting, UPE strongly objected to language in the draft policy that would have allowed the County to require employees who are not receiving the bilingual differential to provide interpretation services. UPE made it clear that no employee should be made to interpret without being paid the bilingual differential.
As a result, the County removed this language from the policy and confirmed that BHRS will not require any employee who is not certified to interpret or translate. The County also removed language that previously stated that employees on a bilingual list would be required to interpret with or without the differential.
The Department explained that employees who are certified and assigned to positions that regularly require bilingual work will receive the bilingual differential. If an employee moves to an assignment that does not require bilingual duties, the differential may be removed.
BHRS also confirmed that there are 95 bilingual allocations within the Department. The bilingual differential remains $0.65 per hour for employees. Employees approved for bilingual pay will receive the differential beginning the first pay period after approval, and those being removed will receive at least two pay periods’ notice before it is removed.
Bilingual employees play a vital role in ensuring clients with limited English proficiency receive fair and equal access to services. UPE will continue to monitor the implementation of this policy. If you are asked to interpret or translate and are not receiving the bilingual differential, please notify UPE immediately.
UPE WOULD LIKE TO THANK UPE GOVERNING BOARD MEMBERS LISA SYKES AND MONICA LERMA FOR THEIR ADVOCACY AND SUPPORT.
