Terms of Service

The following terms and conditions apply to all services provided by MORR Interpreting, LLC—also referred to as “MORR”—and in the event of any dispute are governed by the laws of the United States and the state of Maryland.

1.1  “Actual Service Time” means the time during which the event actually commences and concludes without regard to the original contracted service time.

1.2  “Agreement” means the entire content of these terms and conditions, as well as all written and oral agreements made by way of email, text message, phone or video call, or facsimile communications.

1.3  “Appointment” means the scope and purpose for which MORR was contracted to provide service.

1.4  “Appointment Time” means the time during which the event is to take place.

1.5 “Client” means the entity who contracted MORR’s services and who is financially responsible for such services.

1.6  “Conference” means an event that takes place over the span of one or multiple synchronous and consecutive days with allowances for 1-3 day hiatuses such as taking a break over the weekend. It is understood that multiple days in this context are a part of the same event.

1.7 “Consumer” means the non-deaf, also referred to as “hearing”, deaf, hard-of-hearing, or DeafBlind—those deaf and blind—person(s) for whom MORR’s services are being requested.

1.8 “General Access” means service provision for the benefit of a general audience and not for any persons in particular.

1.9  “Interpreter” means the services provider contracted through MORR Interpreting, LLC.

1.10 “Services” mean on-site spoken and/or signed interpretation or translation from English to American Sign Language (“ASL”) and vice versa in the simultaneous, consecutive, or sight-translation modes.

1.11 “Video Conference Platform” or “VCP” means an online technology that allows users in different locations to hold virtual meetings without having to move to a single shared location (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts, WebEx, Hopin, StreamYard).

2.1 Independent contractor status. MORR serves as an independent contractor of Client in the performance of Services under this Agreement. Nothing contained or implied in this Agreement creates a relationship of employer-employee between Client and MORR; nor does it create a joint venture, partnership, or similar relationship between Client and MORR. MORR is free from direction and control over the means and manner of providing Services, subject only to the right of Client to specify the desired results. MORR understands and agrees to the statements as outlined in (a) through (c).

(a)  MORR must file all corporate and/or individual tax returns and pay Federal and State taxes, as appropriate;

(b)  Client is not responsible for withholding any income or any other taxes with respect to MORR's fees; and

(c)  MORR has no claim against Client for any employee benefits of any kind. MORR bears the full expenses of its operations, except as to those expenses which are for the specific performance of Services contracted by Client and agreed to in advance. Any reference made in this Agreement to "in writing" includes email and/or facsimile communications.

3.1 Code of ethics. Parties are engaged in the business of interpreting services ("Services") and agree to comply with the National Association of the Deaf-Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf Code of Professional Practice (“CPC”). The full code may be viewed on the RID’s website at http://www.rid.org/ethics/code.

3.2  Release of Interpreter. Interpreter is not responsible for providing Services outside of the scope of the contracted Appointment. In some situations where Services are not being rendered, Interpreter is to be released and does not assume responsibility for the remainder of the Appointment. See Article 4 and 6 for billing.

(a) Consumers who are not present at the start of the Appointment will be considered late. The Interpreter is to be released if the late Consumer does not appear within a grace period of 15-minutes per hour of the Appointment Time (e.g., if an assignment is from 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM the grace period is 30-minutes). This term does not apply to Appointments classified as General Access.

(b) If Services are no longer required, the Interpreter is to be released and does not assume responsibility for the remainder of the Appointment. This applies to scenarios such as when the Actual Service Time is shorter than the Appointment Time and in instances of cancelation or no-show.

3.3 Recording and broadcasting. The Interpreter's interpretation is not under any circumstances to be recorded or broadcast unless specified and agreed to in writing prior to the commencement of the Appointment. If MORR agrees to be recorded/broadcast, an associated fee will be assessed.

(a) This term does not apply to translation work as it is recorded work by nature.

4.1  Fees. Client agrees to pay MORR for all incurred Assignment-related expenses and fees, further referred to as “expenses and fees”, “expenses”, or “fees”. Fees are non-refundable to Client unless stated otherwise and/or waived by MORR. Prior to signing an Agreement, MORR will provide Client with a service estimate detailing all projected fees to include, but are not limited to, accommodations, transportation, equipment purchases, and admin fees. In such cases where new or unexpected expenses arise, MORR will require Client approval before such additional expenses can be assessed. In addition, MORR will not make any Assignment-related purchases without Client approval.

4.2 Industry standards. In alignment with the interpreting profession's industry-standards, Client will be billed at least a two-hour minimum.

(a) If the Appointment ends prior to two hours, the industry-standard two-hour minimum will still apply. For example, if the service rate is $90 per hour, and the Appointment Time is 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM, the Appointment will be billed at $90 x 2.00. 

(b) Any unscheduled service time will be billed in 15-minute increments. For example, if the service rate is $90 per hour, and the Appointment Time is 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM but Actual Service Time is 1:00 PM – 3:07 PM, the Appointment will be billed at $90 x 2.25.

4.3  Cost of living adjustment. Commencing as of January 15, 2022, and on each January 15th thereafter, the then effective Service Fee shall be increased over the following 12 months by an amount which shall reflect the Maryland Consumer Price Index as reported on January 1st of the new year by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor.

5.1 Payment collection. MORR will issue Client an invoice no more than 15 days post-Appointment. Client must pay invoice, in-full, to include all fees and expenses no later than fifteen (15) calendar days from when MORR submits the invoice by an accepted form of payment (see section 5.4).

(a) In the case of Conference Appointments, 50% of the total estimate is due 30-days in advance of the first day Services are scheduled, or upfront in cases where there are less than 30-days until the Appointment. The remaining 50% is due upon Service completion to be paid, in-full, no later than 15 calendar days from when MORR submits the invoice.

5.2 Late fees. Overdue invoices are subject to a late fee 10% of the amount that is past due for each thirty-day period the invoice remains outstanding, unless an agreement has been arranged between MORR and Client otherwise.

(a) Payment arrangements for overdue invoices must be documented in writing.

5.3 Payment contingencies. In no event should payment to MORR be contingent on the Client receiving payment from their client, consumer, or sponsor.

5.4  Accepted forms of payment. Invoice payments may be made via credit, debit, ACH, check, CashApp or Zelle. Some forms of payment are subject to a 1-3.25% convenience fee. Please make checks payable to MORR Interpreting, LLC.

(a) Gift cards are not an accepted method of payment.

6.1 Billing upon cancelation. A “cancelation” is an Appointment that will no longer take place. Cancelations must be communicated in writing to MORR by the Client to be recognized. Cancelations without such documentation from the Client may not be recognized and subsequent fees will be assesed in the same way as a non-canceled Appointment. In the event of a cancelation, the Client may still incur service fees.

(a) For client cancelations made with less than 48-hours notice in advance of the Appointment date, Client will owe and be invoiced 100% of their service estimate.

(b) For client cancelation made with more than 48-hours notice but less than 72-hours notice in advance of the Appointment date, Client will owe and be invoiced only for the cost of any non-refundable, Assignment-related expenses incurred by MORR.

(c) For client cancelation made with more than 72-hours notice in advance of the Appointment date, Client will owe no monies to MORR nor will they be invoiced.

(d) In the event the Appointment canceled is a Conference for which MORR was contracted to coordinate interpreters, sections 6.1(a-c) do not apply. In terms (d)(i) through (d)(iv), days means calendar days.

i. In these such cases, client cancelations made with less than 7-days notice in advance of the first day Services are scheduled, Client will owe and be invoiced 70% of their service estimate to include any non-refundable, Assignment-related expenses incurred by MORR.

ii. In these such cases, client cancelations made with more than 7-days notice but less than 14-days notice in advance of the first day Services are scheduled, Client will owe and be invoiced 30% of their service estimate to include any non-refundable, Assignment-related expenses incurred by MORR. Payment made to MORR in excess the 30%, less fees, will be refunded to Client.

iii. In these such cases, client cancelations made with more than 14-days notice but less than 30-days notice in advance of the first day Services are scheduled, Client will owe and be invoiced 10% of their service estimate to include any non-refundable, Assignment-related expenses incurred by MORR. Payment made to MORR in excess the 10%, less fees, will be refunded to Client.

iv. In these such cases, client cancelations made with more than 30-days notice in advance of the first day Services are scheduled, Client will owe no monies to MORR nor will they be invoiced.

6.2 Billing upon no-show. A “no-show” Appointment is considered an Appointment where a Consumer does not show up resulting in Services not being rendered between a deaf and non-deaf Consumer. A no-show Appoinment will result in Client being invoiced, in-full, in accordance with their service estimate.

(a) In the case of General Access Appointments, a “no-show” is considered an Appointment where the Client does not show up resulting in Services not being rendered.

(b) In the case of remote or virtual Services, instances where the necessary VCP links are not shared with MORR, or if Client does not give MORR the necessary access to the VCP (e.g., accepting an Interpreter from the VCP waiting room), said Appointment will be considered no-show.

7.1 Responsibility following emergency cancellation. Neither Client nor MORR will be liable for any failure or delay in performing an obligation under this Agreement that is due to any of the following causes, to the extent it would be inadvisable, commercially impracticable, illegal, or impossible: acts of God, accident, riots, war, terrorist act, pandemic, quarantine, civil commotion, breakdown of VCP, breakdown of internet service provider, natural catastrophes, governmental acts or omissions, changes in laws or regulations, national strikes, fire, explosion, or or any other emergency beyond the parties' control.

(a) For the avoidance of doubt, Force Majeure shall not include (i) financial distress nor the inability of either party to make a profit or avoid a financial loss, (ii) changes in market prices or conditions, or (iii) a party's financial inability to perform its obligations hereunder.