Alert:COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and TIS National services

Get the latest updates on COVID-19 impacts to our services here

TIS National – COVIDSafe arrangements

TIS National treats the health and wellbeing of its service providers (interpreters), clients and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic with the highest priority. We encourage our interpreters and clients to follow advice issued by the Department of Health and refer to the health department website in their state. The Department of Health provides regular detailed updates about COVIDSafe requirements. These include sanitation procedures, social distancing and the correct wearing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including face coverings.

Our Interpreter Liaison team communicates regularly with interpreters about COVIDSafe requirements through various channels, including our online interpreter portal, interpreter newsletter, email and telephone. Consistent with Department of Health advice, TIS National has instructed its interpreters to:

  • self-isolate if they test positive to COVID-19 or have been advised to self-isolate
  • not attend on-site bookings if they show any symptoms (even minor) or have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19
  • hand back on-site face-to-face assignments if they are unable to attend because they are unwell or are in self-isolation.

Based on advice from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee, we have informed interpreters that they must be vaccinated against influenza before undertaking any interpreting assignments in aged care facilities. Interpreters who choose not to receive an influenza vaccination this year will not be able to perform on-site assignments in aged care facilities.

TIS National encourages its interpreters to comply with agency instructions for their own safety and that of others. This may involve answering specific screening questions relating to their recent health and travel, as well as possible temperature testing.

TIS National supports clients who require interpreters to answer health screening questions prior to the commencement of a booked on-site assignment. Once an interpreter is allocated, the client can email these questions to our Service Delivery Team at: tis@homeaffairs.gov.au

TIS National will forward health screening questions to the interpreter and provide the interpreter’s response to the client prior to the assignment. Clients may also consider other COVID Safe options such as pre-booking a phone interpreter, or accessing our immediate phone interpreting service or Automated Telephone Interpreting Service (ATIS).

Should you require any further information or clarification, please contact our Client Engagement Team at: tispromo@homeaffairs.gov.au