Employment Status

• The vast majority of National DI Survey respondents indicated that they worked part-time (82%) and on a freelance basis (80%).
• The majority who worked full-time had staff positions; part-time interpreters were working freelance.
• The majority of Deaf Interpreters (61%) reported that they worked exclusively in a Deaf-Hearing interpreting team; however numerous respondents (29%) reported working alone at least some of the time, depending on the requirements of the work setting.

Work Settings

• Social services and medical appointments were the two most common work situations for all DI respondents. 48% of respondents indicated that they work in these settings.
• 27% indicated that the majority of their work was in healthcare settings (mental health and medical).
• 15% indicated that the majority of their work was in the legal setting.
• 41% indicated that the majority of their work was in settings other than legal and healthcare. Included in “Other” was education, indicated by 16% of respondents.

Referral of DIs

The survey asked: “Who most often decides that your interpreting services are needed?”  Respondents indicated that on average, they referrals come from these sources:

• Interpreter Referral Services 51% of the time
• Deaf Consumers 42% of the time
• Hiring Agencies 40% of the time
• Hearing interpreters 32% of the time