Signing a Service Level Agreement for Linguists/Service Providers Thread poster: Albana Dhimitri
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Hello all, I would greatly appreciate your responses as it is urgent. I have been asked to sign a *Service Level Agreement for Linguists and other Service Providers* by an outsourcer who I am for the first time collaborating with. My concerns are: 1) Is this a usual translators' practice? 2) How do you digitally sign on a PDF? Thankfully Albana | | |
Maya Gorgoshidze Georgia Local time: 09:38 Member (2004) English to Georgian + ... Moderator of this forum
Albana Dhimitri wrote: I have been asked to sign a *Service Level Agreement for Linguists and other Service Providers* by an outsourcer who I am for the first time collaborating with. My concerns are: 1) Is this a usual translators' practice? Not very usual, but service providers are sometimes asked to sign an agreement this way. Albana Dhimitri wrote: 2) How do you digitally sign on a PDF? Please see: http://www.proz.com/post/967159 Kind regards, Maya | | |
Albana Dhimitri Greece Local time: 07:38 Greek to Albanian + ... TOPIC STARTER Dear Maya, grateful to you for taking time to answer! | Nov 3, 2008 |
I worry if there are any ways this signature ( on agreement) or the agreement itself can be used imroperly by the agency (which, as I already mentioned, have had no previous contact with) or at my expence, in any way. Thanks. | | |
Well, I guess you will have to read it through carefully | Nov 3, 2008 |
Do not sign any parts that you are not happy with. Discuss these with the outsourcer, find out why they are included, and, if necessary, agree to sign a version with them excluded. | |
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Albana Dhimitri Greece Local time: 07:38 Greek to Albanian + ... TOPIC STARTER Thanks a lot, Astrid. | Nov 3, 2008 |
Astrid wrote: "Do not sign any parts that you are not happy with. Discuss these with the outsourcer, find out why they are included, and, if necessary, agree to sign a version with them excluded." Yes, that seems to be the best way to prevent any (possible) future problems. | | |
First, the fact that they have sent you an agreement puts you under no obligation to sign it. However, being asked to sign an agreement is not in and of itself unusual. Make sure it's an agreement with which you are comfortable. As concerns signing a PDF, are they requiring it? Can you print it out and mail or fax the printed copy with a signature? | | |
dd dd Local time: 13:38 English to Chinese + ... The Express Mail or Postal Charges | Jan 26, 2009 |
I was asked by a Singapore translation agency to sign a Confidentiality Agreement and mail the signed hardcopy to them before I can be on board as one of their External Translation Partners. I inquired first with an express service company which quoted USD20 for airmail that will arrive in Singapore within 2 days. But I thought to myself, why should I spend so much on this before I even get any job from them? So, finally I sent the document to them by sea mail, which costed me USD... See more I was asked by a Singapore translation agency to sign a Confidentiality Agreement and mail the signed hardcopy to them before I can be on board as one of their External Translation Partners. I inquired first with an express service company which quoted USD20 for airmail that will arrive in Singapore within 2 days. But I thought to myself, why should I spend so much on this before I even get any job from them? So, finally I sent the document to them by sea mail, which costed me USD1.00. My opinion is, if a translation agency wants the translators to sign and send them any hardcopy agreement, they should expressly offer beforehand to reimburse the express mail/postal charges. ▲ Collapse | | |
Service Level Agreement is Different from Regular Freelance Agreement | Feb 6, 2009 |
Albana Dhimitri wrote: Hello all, I would greatly appreciate your responses as it is urgent. I have been asked to sign a *Service Level Agreement for Linguists and other Service Providers* by an outsourcer who I am for the first time collaborating with. My concerns are: 1) Is this a usual translators' practice? 2) How do you digitally sign on a PDF? Thankfully Albana Dear Albana, Actually, Service Level Agreement is different from the regular Freelance Agreement. Service Level Agreement means that besides translating you also outsource your work, which means you either work with a team of translators or own a company. Service Level Agreement protects the translations company in terms of taking business away from them (totally justified), as under Service Level Agreement more detailed information about projects is usually disclosed (which is not disclosed under Freelance Agreement). This type of Agreement is usually used for small translation companies, freelancers who outsource work, work in teams with large volumes or/and different languages. | |
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torres70 Spain Local time: 06:38 German to Spanish + ... Translator's Agreement | May 18, 2010 |
A translation Agency asked me to sign up a Translator's Agreement but I feel really uncomfortable about it. What would you do? It says that in the case of violation of the customer protection obligation, excluding the defence of continuation, the translator will pay the Agency a contractual penalty amounting to EUR 20,000. And for each breach of the labour poaching prohibition clause, the translator pays a contractual fine amounting 5,050. I don't know. I really need work, but is this real... See more A translation Agency asked me to sign up a Translator's Agreement but I feel really uncomfortable about it. What would you do? It says that in the case of violation of the customer protection obligation, excluding the defence of continuation, the translator will pay the Agency a contractual penalty amounting to EUR 20,000. And for each breach of the labour poaching prohibition clause, the translator pays a contractual fine amounting 5,050. I don't know. I really need work, but is this really necessary? What if it is their customer who contacts me on the Web? What do you think? ▲ Collapse | | |