Translation agreement Thread poster: Samurailady
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Samurailady
Egypt
Local time: 23:14
English to Arabic
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Hi everyone,
I am a freelancer translator working part time only because I already work in the administration field, but I love translation and I want to change to be a full time translator one day.
I have been searching online for work since a very long time, and I finally found a company that might be interested in my work, and in order to make sure they will let me work with them, I sent then my CV not mentioning my current but just being a freelancer translator.
Today they... See more Hi everyone,
I am a freelancer translator working part time only because I already work in the administration field, but I love translation and I want to change to be a full time translator one day.
I have been searching online for work since a very long time, and I finally found a company that might be interested in my work, and in order to make sure they will let me work with them, I sent then my CV not mentioning my current but just being a freelancer translator.
Today they sent me a 3 years agreement to sign and I don't know what I should do, is it legal to sign a contract with them knowing that I already have a job, shall I tell them that I spreads have a job? They knew I can only work part time but they didn't mention it in the contract.
I want to know if all the translators are doing nothing but not being transistors or some others could have other jobs and they can sign other contracts with translation companies.
I really want to change my career, but I don't know if it is right of legal to sign a contract with them knowing the fact I have a job already.
I can do both but I thought working as a part time freelancer doesn't require signing contracts, I did it before and I didn't sign anything, so may be that is shy I am confused this time.
Your soon advise will be highly appreciated.
Thank you ▲ Collapse
| | | | | My latest event | Sep 13, 2016 |
Samurailady wrote:
I can do both but I thought working as a part time freelancer doesn't require signing contracts, I did it before and I didn't sign anything, so may be that is shy I am confused this time.
Your soon advise will be highly appreciated.
Thank you
In my latest correspondence, I told to work only with large volume medical translations. An agency sent me a NDA and I signed. They later told me that the job volume is about 400 words, not 21,000 words as told me before.
I understand that this is an unfair NDA, agreement without actual jobs, which can be enforced against me later.
Soonthon L.
| | | | Samuel Murray 
Netherlands
Local time: 22:14
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
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| Are you sure it is an *employment* contract? | Sep 13, 2016 |
Samurailady wrote:
Today they sent me a 3 years agreement to sign, and I don't know what I should do -- is it legal to sign a contract with them knowing that I already have a job?
If it is an employment contract that forces to do work for them, then you would have to consult a legal expert, or at least let them know that you already have a full-time job.
However, if it is the type of contract that does not change you into an employee of the company, i.e. a contract that gives you the freedom to accept or reject any work they send you during those 3 years, then it should not be a problem. Many translation agencies require freelance translators to sign contracts, but these contracts do not make the translators employees of those agencies.
I thought working as a part time freelancer doesn't require signing contracts, I did it before and I didn't sign anything...
Freelancers also sign contracts sometimes. It is the nature of the contract that is different.
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 21:14
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
| Check your employment contract | Sep 13, 2016 |
Samurailady wrote:
Today they sent me a 3 years agreement to sign and I don't know what I should do, is it legal to sign a contract with them knowing that I already have a job, shall I tell them that I spreads have a job? They knew I can only work part time but they didn't mention it in the contract.
I don't know what the word "spreads" is doing in there, but anyway I'd say that there is probably no legal problem to signing the contract with the company. However, doing so may well breach the terms of your current employment contract. That contract could well state that you aren't allowed to take on other work, sometimes called "moonlighting". Even if it's allowed, you may well have to get permission from your employers in advance, or at least let them know.
I can do both but I thought working as a part time freelancer doesn't require signing contracts, I did it before and I didn't sign anything, so may be that is shy I am confused this time.
Personally, I seriously doubt that you can do both successfully, but of course there's nothing to stop you giving it a try. I imagine this is a translation agency? Even knowing that you're only available part-time, they are probably expecting you to only have other part-time commitments, not full-time ones. They will quite likely have tight deadlines that you're unable to meet; they'll want to contact you during the day, if only to get a yes/no decision on your availability for work; etc. Also, translation is a highly intellectual job that demands a wide-awake and raring-to-go brain, not only that's just done an eight-hour day in the office. Even if your day job is intellectually easy, boredom makes the brain just as tired. If you're going to be translating all evening and into the night then you'll quickly find that you can't provide the quality that the agency client demands.
On that note, I'd like to make a remark that maybe I shouldn't, and maybe I'm not allowed to, so I apologise in advance if it's unwanted. Your level of English really is not adequate for into-English translations. That use of "spread" leads me to believe there's at least some reliance on Google Translate, accompanied as it is by phrases such as "since a very long time", "my current but", "a 3 years agreement", "your soon advise", among many other errors. You may well be an accomplished translator from English into Arabic (your native language, I believe?) - I have no idea - but not the reverse pair, and not FR>EN either. Professional translators who can claim to translate between two "foreign" languages are an extremely rare breed.
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Samurailady
Egypt
Local time: 23:14
English to Arabic
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TOPIC STARTER | Translation agreement | Sep 13, 2016 |
Dear Sheila,
Thank you for you reply, the word spread was definitely a mistake, as I was in a hurry while I was writing this email, because the company is waiting for a reply and I want to know what will I say to them, I even did not check my email before sending it, so probably I meant to say shall I tell them I still have a job or I do have a job, but it was a typing mistake, I did not say I am expert in translation into Arabic or any other language, I am still new but I am doing ... See more Dear Sheila,
Thank you for you reply, the word spread was definitely a mistake, as I was in a hurry while I was writing this email, because the company is waiting for a reply and I want to know what will I say to them, I even did not check my email before sending it, so probably I meant to say shall I tell them I still have a job or I do have a job, but it was a typing mistake, I did not say I am expert in translation into Arabic or any other language, I am still new but I am doing my best to make it work, so I can leave my administration job and have a full time salary only from translation,but that does not mean that I used google translator to write this email.
Of course when they gave me projects before they did have deadlines and I did meet it, sometimes I did not but it was not because I have another job, it was some technical issues I faced with SDL Trados Studio 2015.
I know what I am doing is very hard, and yes some days I couldn't sleep to deliver their work on time, but when there is a will there a way and as you said I can always try.
[Edited at 2016-09-13 16:31 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Samurailady
Egypt
Local time: 23:14
English to Arabic
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Translation agreement | Sep 13, 2016 |
Dear Soonthon,
I think what worries me much is the fact of the 3 years, I think they want to make sure they can give me any projects with the same rate for 3 years, which I really do not mind, I know money is important too, but what I care about is also experience, but I did translate projects for them with almost 10.000 words, I was available when they wanted and I met their deadline and they didn't ask me to sign anything.
Do you sign a contract or an agreement every-time yo... See more Dear Soonthon,
I think what worries me much is the fact of the 3 years, I think they want to make sure they can give me any projects with the same rate for 3 years, which I really do not mind, I know money is important too, but what I care about is also experience, but I did translate projects for them with almost 10.000 words, I was available when they wanted and I met their deadline and they didn't ask me to sign anything.
Do you sign a contract or an agreement every-time you work for an agency?
Thank you. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Samurailady
Egypt
Local time: 23:14
English to Arabic
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Translation agreement | Sep 13, 2016 |
Dear Samuel,
I read it again and yes I think it is a real contract, governed by the law of their country, it is mainly concentrated on their rights instead of mine, of course it guarantees the same rate for 3 years, also it didn't mention that it is a full or part time contract and it doesn't explain anything about avoidance of contract, I dont know what shall I tell them if I don't want to sign this contract, and do all freelancer translators has to sign a contract with agencies they work... See more Dear Samuel,
I read it again and yes I think it is a real contract, governed by the law of their country, it is mainly concentrated on their rights instead of mine, of course it guarantees the same rate for 3 years, also it didn't mention that it is a full or part time contract and it doesn't explain anything about avoidance of contract, I dont know what shall I tell them if I don't want to sign this contract, and do all freelancer translators has to sign a contract with agencies they work for ? and for how long? ▲ Collapse
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 21:14
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
| Some responses | Sep 14, 2016 |
Samurailady wrote:
that does not mean that I used google translator to write this email.
I'm very glad to hear it . I hope you'll consider removing the into-English pairs from your ProZ.com profile as they certainly won't be doing your professional image any favours.
If I can pick up on items in your posts addressed to others:
I think what worries me much is the fact of the 3 years, I think they want to make sure they can give me any projects with the same rate for 3 years
It's extremely odd for a contract to actually mention a rate, AFAIK. None of the ones I've ever had have done that. They always say that the rate will be the one stated on the PO (or words to that effect). I can't see why they'd want to close the route to lowering the rate for some mega-easy/mega-quick jobs, any more than you should be closing the door on raising your rate. It's not just in three years that the possibility exists - they might give you a very tricky job tomorrow that needs a lot of research or formatting, or strict style guide instructions to follow that take time.
I did translate projects for them with almost 10.000 words
So why the sudden need for a contract, and one needing an urgent signature at that? This is sounding more and more strange.
do all freelancer translators has to sign a contract with agencies they work for ? and for how long?
I've answered the first part in your other thread. But I should add that I've NEVER signed a contract that specified a length of time. The non-compete clause will normally have a time period associated with it, but not the entire contract. That simply covers all dealings that the two parties have i.e. it's indefinite.
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