Amid growing concerns about the potential spread of COVID-10 virus, Isle Interpret is diligently working to minimize the impact of the pandemic on our daily operations and communication access services throughout Hawai'i. ISLE is committed to supporting our communities by ensuring the communication access is a priority even during these uncertain times while working to keep all customers, independent contractors, and employees safe. With the uncertainty of how severely Hawai'i will be impacted, we are monitoring the situation and have a contingency plan in place to adjust face to face services to remote services as needed and appropriate. We are monitoring local, national, and global news to plan best how to serve you while keeping us all safe.
We are in communication with requesters, interpreters, CARTs, and CANs and are happy to report with confidence that currently we are still very able to provide onsite services for all requesters and deaf clients who still require such services. Interpreters are preparing to be able to provide remote services if/when remote services are needed. We are confident that we will continue to be able to serve Hawaii’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing community with local providers rather than having to resort to using mainland VRI companies. Information on remote services has been sent out to requesters and is also available on our website. Due to public health and safety concerns, we anticipate that some assignments may be canceled or postponed. ISLE will offer VRI, remote CART, and remote CAN services when appropriate. When there are schedule changes due to the public safety circumstances, ISLE will not bill a requester for a late cancellation/date change that is a result of health and safety concerns. we are asking that the typical cancellation terms be waived by interpreters, CARTs, and CANs. We understand these anticipated cancellations will likely impact communication access providers' earning ability and are trying to prepare service providers for these possibilities during these unique times. ISLE expects to continue to be able to provide communication access services through this uncertain time. We do not have a large scheduling staff, but our staff work remotely which complies with social distancing precautions to keep them safe from COVID-19. Our staff also are experienced at rotating responsibility for processing emergency requests during and outside of business hours. We are confident our ability to be available 24/7 will continue to support the communication access needs of Hawai'i. We have a sizable registry of actively working communication access providers both in Hawai'i and elsewhere who we are confident will be able to cover the services needed during this crisis even if some of them are quarantined and unable to work. All ISLE employees, interpreters, CARTs, and CANs are being encouraged to follow the CDC’s tips for preventing the transmission and spread of COVID-19 to keep themselves and their loved ones safe and healthy. Here is a brief video ISLE created and is sharing Keeping Yourself Safe from COVID-19. We are also sharing a brief summary of tips for communication access providers and have included an excellent video in ASL that provides CDC and WHO information regarding COVID-19 created by a partner agency, ASL Services.
We will keep all customers, independent contractors, employees, and community members updated on the status of services and when normal business activity can be resumed through email, text message, ISLE’s website, and social media platforms. Mahalo for your continued support and understanding as we collaboratively and diligently work to keep us all safe while doing our best to continue to provide communication access services to Hawaii's Deaf Community. Me ke aloha pumehana, Tamar & Susan ISLE Management
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Protactile Principles |
isle_tips_for_working_with_interpreters___captioners_2018.pdf | |
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Tax Incentives for Businesses & Healthcare Providers
Congress has arranged two types of tax incentive for businesses to assist in offsetting the costs of providing access as mandated by the ADA. Section 44 of the IRS Code allows a tax credit for small businesses and Section 190 of the IRS Code allows a tax deduction for all businesses.
The tax credit is available for businesses with annual revenues of $1,000,000 or less 30 of fewer full-time employees. The tax credit is for 50% of expenditures for providing access in a given year up to $10,250, which equates to a maximum tax credit of $5,000. This includes the cost of providing sign language interpreting services for customers.
The tax deduction is available to all businesses with a maximum deduction of $15,000 annually.
The following website provides more information on these tax incentives: http://www.ada.gov/reachingout/lesson81.htm. Otherwise you can contact the Department of Justice's ADA Information line at 1-800-514-0301.
Congress has arranged two types of tax incentive for businesses to assist in offsetting the costs of providing access as mandated by the ADA. Section 44 of the IRS Code allows a tax credit for small businesses and Section 190 of the IRS Code allows a tax deduction for all businesses.
The tax credit is available for businesses with annual revenues of $1,000,000 or less 30 of fewer full-time employees. The tax credit is for 50% of expenditures for providing access in a given year up to $10,250, which equates to a maximum tax credit of $5,000. This includes the cost of providing sign language interpreting services for customers.
The tax deduction is available to all businesses with a maximum deduction of $15,000 annually.
The following website provides more information on these tax incentives: http://www.ada.gov/reachingout/lesson81.htm. Otherwise you can contact the Department of Justice's ADA Information line at 1-800-514-0301.

isle_information_on_disabled_access_tax_incentives_2015.pdf | |
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information_and_resources_for_vri.pdf | |
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Author
Tamar Lani
Susan Kroe-Unabia
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