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Committee backs bilingual stipend for regular staff; temporary participation left discretionary
Summary
The policy committee reviewed a proposed bilingual-pay stipend for Spanish and Mandarin fluency, endorsing a $100-per-pay-period stipend for full-time staff and leaving temporary-employee eligibility discretionary and subject to budget and proficiency testing.
The Isla Vista Community Services District Policy Committee discussed a proposed bilingual-stipend policy on Oct. 21 that would pay employees who use Spanish or Mandarin on the job. Committee members supported a $100-per-pay-period stipend for regular full-time staff and agreed to make stipend eligibility for temporary employees discretionary.
Staff told the committee the $100 figure was taken as a benchmark from the City of Santa Barbara’s practice but is negotiable. The district would require employees to pass a proficiency test approved by the district to qualify and would institute periodic retesting to maintain eligibility.
A staff presenter described past demand for Mandarin-language services during the district’s mobility-plan outreach, saying the district "encountered it a lot when we were doing the mobility plan" and that town halls drew attendees who required Mandarin materials and assistance. Committee members emphasized that not all temporary employees use bilingual skills equally; the policy therefore would allow managers to award the stipend on a case-by-case basis for temporary hires whose duties involve regular community contact or tabling.
The committee discussed estimated cost exposure. Staff reported current temporary and regular bilingual-capable employees are under 10–12 in total and that worst-case cost if everyone received the stipend could be roughly $2,000 per month; members said the actual cost would depend on hiring and budget availability. The policy will require the district to adopt an approved proficiency-testing vendor (staff mentioned contacting a third-party provider) and to assess budget impacts before final adoption.
The committee directed staff to include testing procedures, clarify the "may" language for temporary employees, and return a revised policy with budget estimates and a recommended testing vendor for board approval.
