2002 Bilingual / Multilingual Temporary Salary Supplement (TSS) Testing Policy

Georgia State Seal

Department of Human Services

Policy and Manual Management System

Index:

POL 2002

Revised:

07/01/2025

Next Review:

06/30/2027

Subject

The purpose of this policy is to address provisions related to temporary salary supplements (TSS or supplement) issued to bilingual/multilingual client-facing employees and employees who assist with business operation needs to enhance the Department of Human Services’ ability to serve customers in their language of choice. This policy guides testing eligibility, protocols, frequency, and other considerations related to bilingual/multilingual TSS.

Policy

A TSS shall be paid to employees in positions where bilingual/multilingual proficiency assists the Department in providing excellent customer service to clients and constituents.

The designation of bilingual/multilingual required positions is the sole prerogative of the Department and is based on operational, staffing and budgetary needs. Provisions of this policy applicable to DFCS only are noted accordingly.

Applicability

This policy applies to all Divisions and Offices of the Department of Human Services.

Definitions

Bilingual – the ability to speak English and one other language.

Language – refers to the method by which an individual communicates with another, in languages other than English, and other accepted means of communication used by customers with sensory impairments.

Limited English Proficient – refers to persons who do not speak English as their native/primary language and who have a limited ability to read, speak, write or understand English.

Multilingual – the ability to speak English and at least two other languages.

Eligibility

A bilingual/multilingual employee who wishes to receive a TSS must meet the following minimum standards:

  1. The employee must be in good standing (e.g., no performance plans or other performance-related documents of concerns on file within the last calendar year).

  2. The employee must be in a primarily (more than 80% of work time) client-facing role that requires direct interaction with Limited English Proficient (LEP) customers and constituents. The employee may also be in a role which assists with DHS business operation needs that may require speaking in a language other than English.

  3. The employee must complete and submit the Bilingual/Multilingual Supplement Request form to the DHS Limited English Proficiency/Sensory Impairment (LEP/SI) Program Manager or his/her designee.

Process for Requesting a TSS

A bilingual/multilingual employee who would like to receive a supplement and meets the eligibility requirements (see Section 2) should notify their direct supervisor of their interest.

  1. Upon request, the DHS LEP/SI Program Manager will provide a copy of the Bilingual/Multilingual Supplement Request form (see Attachment A) to be completed by the employee.

  2. Once the form is completed and approved by the employee’s manager, the form must be returned to the DHS LEP/SI Program Manager for review to determine if the employee meets eligibility requirements.

Bilingual/Multilingual Testing Requirements

An employee must demonstrate language proficiency to receive a bilingual/multilingual supplement. Language proficiency is demonstrated via testing completed by an approved DHS vendor.

  1. An employee who is interested in testing to determine eligibility to receive a bilingual/multilingual supplement will have up to 30 calendar days from the date the testing link/schedule is provided by the DHS LEP/SI Program Manager to complete the proficiency test.

  2. The Department will fund the employee’s first attempt at obtaining a passing score on the bilingual/multilingual test.

  3. An employee must demonstrate competency to receive a supplement. Currently, a passing score of 10 or above will demonstrate competency with 12 being the highest score that may be obtained on the test.

  4. Employees who do not exhibit proficiency in their chosen language(s) will be considered ineligible. While employees may opt to retest, please note that the cost of the retest will be the responsibility of the employee. To arrange a retest, employees must submit a new request form and ensure that the "Retest" option is selected.

  5. An employee approved to receive a bilingual/multilingual supplement will be required to retest every five years from the date of their last successful test to measure continued proficiency. An employee who fails to demonstrate proficiency in their chosen language(s) will be deemed ineligible, and their supplement will end on the next available pay period on either the 1st or 16th day of the month. The employee’s HR liaison will need to submit a requisition to end the supplement.

Bilingual/Multilingual Supplement Processing

Once the employee has achieved a passing score of 10 or higher, they should contact their supervisor to initiate the processing of the Temporary Salary Supplement (TSS).

Responsibilities

The Office of General Counsel’s – Limited English Proficiency/Sensory Impairment (LEP/SI) program is responsible for issuing and updating, as appropriate, procedures to implement this policy. For additional information or assistance regarding language testing, please contact the LEP/SI office, or email lepsi@dhs.ga.gov.

The Office of Human Resources (OHR) is responsible for the final approval and processing of the TSS, including bilingual/multilingual supplements. For additional information or assistance regarding TSS, please contact your local Human Resource Office, or email DHS-Policies@dhs.ga.gov.

Authority

None

References

DHS Man 2001 Access Plan for Constituents with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and Sensory Impairments (SI)

History

None

Evaluation

The Office of General Counsel’s - LEP/SI program evaluates this policy by providing updates to the procedures to enhance programmatic operations and service delivery.