1. A. If a party or witness cannot readily hear, speak, or understand the spoken or written English language, on motion timely submitted, the Board, the Executive Director, or the presiding hearing officer, as appropriate, shall appoint a qualified interpreter to provide assistance during the hearing.
2. B. An interpreter shall take an oath or affirmation that the interpreter will accurately translate.
3. C. The party requesting the interpreter shall bear the cost of the interpreter, unless the party or witness is hearing-impaired.

4. D. Waiver of Cost of the Interpreter.

   1. (1) A party who by reason of indigence is unable to pay the cost of the interpreter may file a request for waiver of that cost with the presiding hearing officer. The waiver request shall be accompanied by an affidavit verifying the facts set forth in the request and the applicant’s inability to pay.
   2. (2) If the presiding hearing officer is satisfied that the applicant is unable by reason of indigence to pay the cost of the interpreter, the presiding hearing officer may waive the payment of cost, with the cost paid by the Board.
   3. (3) A waiver of the cost of an interpreter shall be available only to an individual applicant and not to a group or other entity.

Authority: State Government Article, §22-306(e), Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date:

Regulation .01 adopted effective April 1, 2002 (29:6 Md. R. 568)

Regulation .02 adopted effective May 27, 2002 (29:10 Md. R. 826)

Regulation .03 adopted effective April 1, 2002 (29:6 Md. R. 568)

Regulations .01—.03 under State Higher Education Labor Relations Board, Permissible Labor-Related Activities repealed and new Regulations .01—.26 under Public Employee Relations Board, Procedures Applicable to All Proceedings adopted effective May 13, 2024 (51:9 Md. R. 414)