Order 2023-05 – Language Access Policy Page 1 of 3
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ORDER 2023-05 2
A
N ORDER OF THE PORT OF SEATTLE COMMISSION 3
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… To develop a language access policy and plan that ensures 5
inclusion of non or limited English speakers, including those 6
who are hard of hearing or deaf, in the use of Port services and 7
facilities; and the portwide implementation of a plan directing 8
divisions with publicly facing public services to offer language 9
assistance services including translation and/or interpretation. 10
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P
ROPOSED 12
A
PRIL 11, 2023 13
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T
EXT OF THE ORDER 15
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The Port Commission hereby directs the Executive to develop a Portwide policy on language access. At a 17
minimum, this language access policy shall include an assessment of current practices (including a 18
review of publicly facing documents, resources, signage, websites, social media sites, and forms); 19
development of a guidance manual for divisions to create language access plans; and a proposal for 20
budgeting resources necessary to implement this policy. The Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion 21
(OEDI) and External Relations (ER) shall deliver a report to the Commission and Executive Director by 22
February 29, 2024 on the findings of any language access assessments and the development and 23
implementation of language access policy across the Port. The findings of this report may then be used 24
to inform additional Executive Director and/or Commission action. 25
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The following shall be considered a guide to the implementation of this order: 27
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1. OEDI shall conduct an assessment of every department, except External Relations, across the29
organization to determine the following: the most critical materials that need translation, the30
need for interpreters, and the level of training and implementation necessary to meet Safe31
Harbor guidance by the U.S. Department of Justice and/or the Four Factor LEP Analysis32
framework from Federal agencies as part of the Title VI plans for the Port of Seattle and SEA.33
These assessments will be conducted with support from the Change Team and shall be34
completed by February 29
th
, 2024.35
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2. External Relations shall conduct a prioritized assessment of its most critical internal and external37
facing communications and determine the level of resources needed to implement language38
access in the department’s materials and programming. External Relations shall share these39
findings with OEDI by September 2023 and propose a multi-year, prioritized language access40
implementation plan for ER starting in the 2024 budget. External Relations shall also collaborate41
with OEDI in assessing the Aviation Division.42
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3.
By September 2023, OEDI and ER shall start to collaborate to develop a Language Access
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guidance manual. This Language Access guidance manual must include, but is not limited to,
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guidance for when targeted, culturally and linguistically responsive public communications must
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be translated, how to establish and meet interpretation requests as they relate to services
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Item number: 11a_attach_1
Meeting Date: March 12, 2024
Order 2023-05 – Language Access Policy Page 2 of 3
offered by the Port of Seattle, how to select quality, certified translators and interpreters when
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needed, when to consider alternative forms of language access when translation or
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interpretation may not be the most effective methods, and post-translation and interpretation
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quality assurance review. This guidance manual shall be completed and available for
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department and division use by February 29
th
, 2024.
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4.
Based on the assessments in Sections 1 and 2, by February 29
th
, 2024 the Office of Equity,
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Diversity, and Inclusion and External Relations shall begin to provide departments and divisions
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technical assistance for establishing and/or updating annual language access plans.
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Departments prioritized for support will be departments and divisions with external facing
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and/or customer facing operations. This technical support shall include budget planning for
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departments to resource language access strategies and implementation.
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5. Departments and divisions shall establish and/or update their language access plans on an 62
annual basis starting no later than 2025. 63
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6. Any language access assessments or annual language access plans shall consider the needs of 65
people who communicate using American Sign Language. 66
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7.
Per the 2022 Salary and Benefits Resolution, Human Resources shall propose a policy and
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compensation model for Port employees who are tasked with translation services outside of
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their regular job duties prior to the 2025 budget development process.
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8. OEDI shall collaborate with King County to access King County’s data related to first, second, and 73
third tier languages and make this data available through the equity index and by sharing with 74
other departments throughout the organization. 75
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9.
The Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion is designated co-lead to provide technical support,
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oversight, and program management duties in fulfillment of this order.
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10.
External Relations is designated co-lead to provide technical support for departments to execute
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language access plan strategies related to the Port's external facing operations and outreach
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activities in fulfillment of this order.
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11.
By February 29, 2024, OEDI and External Relations shall provide a report to the Executive
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Director and the Commission on lessons learned and future considerations related to this order
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to establish language access plans and tools across the Port.
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Order 2023-05 – Language Access Policy Page 3 of 3
STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE ORDER 96
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The Port of Seattle strives to be inclusive in providing access to services and to provide a welcoming 98
environment for customers, employees and the general public. We welcome citizens, neighbors, and 99
visitors from throughout the world regardless of race, color or national origin and strive to exceed the 100
values expressed in Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which requires recipients of Federal financial 101
assistance to take reasonable steps to make their programs, services, and activities accessible by eligible 102
persons with limited English proficiency. The Port is committed to access to services, especially 103
historically and currently overburdened communities and populations, including those with limited 104
English proficiency, to promote the general health, safety, and economic prosperity of our region. 105
