Know Your Rights LEP Beneficiary Brochures (English)

RIGHTS
KNOW
YOUR Federal Interagency
Working Group on
Limited English Proficiency
If you believe you have experienced
National Origin Discrimination, or want
more information, please contact:
You can also talk to the supervisor of
the person you think discriminated
against you. You can also talk to a
community group that works on civil
rights issues.
Together, we can help people get the
benefits and services they need, in ways
they can understand.
Sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture, the
United States Department of Health and Human Services, and
the United States Department of Justice.
Do you have trouble with English? Are you unable
to speak, read, write, or understand English well?
If so, you are Limited English Proficient (LEP).
Federal agencies and organizations that get
money from the federal government have to take
reasonable steps to help people who have trouble
with English.
Sometimes, when a government agency or an
organization does not help you because you are
LEP, they violate the law. This is called National
Origin Discrimination.

EXAMPLES of Possible Discrimination:
1
You and many people who live in
1
The hospital knows that many
your area speak Vietnamese and 	people who cannot understand
often go to the hospital for emergency 	English and speak Vietnamese live in
care. The hospital does not understand 	the area. The hospital has interpreters
these LEP patients. Most Vietnamese 	who are ready and able to help you
patients do not understand what the 	when you go to the hospital for
hospital tells them about their medical 	emergency care.
care.
2 You call 911 to report a crime. The
2 You call 911 to report a crime. The
operator does not understand you 	operator connects you quickly to an
and cannot help you. 	interpreter who helps you.
3 Your child’s school sends important
information or a notice to you in 	3 Your child’s school has many
Spanish–speaking parents. The
English. The school knows you speak 	school knows you speak only Spanish.
only Spanish. The school refuses to 	You should receive the important
provide the information to you in 	information or notice in Spanish.
Spanish and suggests instead that your
child interpret the information for you.
4 You try to apply for food stamps.
4 The food stamp office has an
The application is in English. You do 	interpreter, or contacts a telephone
not understand the application. The 	interpreter, to help you. An application
Food Stamp office workers tell you to 	in your language is given to you.
come back with your own interpreter.
There is a Federal law that protects your
civil rights. The law is called Title VI of
the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
EXAMPLES of Good Practices:
“If you are mistreated because you are LEP, it may be National Origin Discrimination.”