Section 8-1002. Definitions

For  purposes  of this chapter, the following
  terms have the following meanings:
    a. "Agency" means the  human  resources  administration/department  of
  social  services,  including  any  part,  subdivision,  field  office or
  satellite facility thereof.
    b. "Agency office" means a job  center,  food  stamp  office,  medical
  assistance  program  office, or other part, subdivision, field office or
  satellite facility of  the  agency  or  agency  contractor  office  that
  performs a covered function.
    c. "Agency contractor" means any contractor that enters into a covered
  contract with the agency.
    d.   "Agency  personnel"  means  bilingual  personnel  or  interpreter
  personnel who are employees of the agency.
    e. "Bilingual personnel" means agency,  agency  contractor,  or  other
  contractor    employees,   not   including   work   experience   program
  participants, who provide language assistance services  in  addition  to
  other duties.
    f.   "Contract"   means  any  written  agreement,  purchase  order  or
  instrument whereby the city is committed to expend or does expend  funds
  in return for work, labor or services.
    g.   "Contractor"   means   any   individual,   sole   proprietorship,
  partnership, joint  venture  or  corporation  or  other  form  of  doing
  business that enters into a contract.
    h.  "Covered  contract"  means  a  contract  between  the agency and a
  contractor to perform a covered function.
    i. "Covered function" means any of the following functions:
    1. Benefits or services offered or provided at agency offices;
    2. Benefits or services provided  by  agency  contractors  to  provide
  employment  services  in  connection  with  participation of individuals
  engaged in activities required by sections  335  through  336-c  of  the
  social services law;
    3. Home care services; and
    4. Determinations regarding eligibility for subsidized child care.
    j.  "Covered  language" means Arabic, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Korean,
  Russian or Spanish.
    k. "Document" means the following forms and notices developed  by  the
  agency:
    i. Application forms and corresponding instructional materials;
    ii. Notices that require a response from the participant;
    iii. Notices that concern the denial, termination, reduction, increase
  or issuance of a benefit or service;
    iv.  Notices  regarding the rights of participants to a conference and
  fair hearing; and
    v. Notices describing regulation changes that affect benefits.
    l.   "Interpretation    services"    means    oral,    contemporaneous
  interpretation of oral communications.
    m.  "Interpreter  personnel" means agency, agency contractor, or other
  contractor   employees,   not   including   work   experience    program
  participants,   whose   sole   responsibility  is  to  provide  language
  assistance services.
    n. "Language assistance services" means interpretation services and/or
  translation services provided  by  bilingual  personnel  or  interpreter
  personnel  to a limited English proficient individual in his/her primary
  language to ensure their ability to communicate effectively with  agency
  or agency contractor personnel.
    o.  "Limited  English  proficient  individual" means an individual who
  identifies as being, or is evidently, unable to communicate meaningfully

  with agency or  agency  contractor  personnel  because  English  is  not
  his/her primary language.
    p.  "Other  covered  agency"  means  the administration for children's
  services; the department of homeless services; the department of  health
  and  mental hygiene; and all functions served by the agency that are not
  covered functions, including any  part,  subdivision,  field  office  or
  satellite facility thereof.
    q.  "Primary  language"  means the language in which a limited English
  proficient individual chooses to communicate with others.
    r.  "Translation  services"  means   oral   explanation   or   written
  translation of documents.