The U.S. Department of Labor commemorates the 24th anniversary of Executive Order 13166, which mandates federal agencies to enhance access to services and programs for individuals with limited English proficiency, reaffirming its commitment to improving communication accessibility for all workers.
President Bill Clinton signed Executive Order 13166 on August 11, 2000, "to improve access to federally conducted and federally assisted programs and activities for persons who, as a result of national origin, are limited in their English proficiency."
In November 2023, the department announced the release of its updated Language Access Plan, which included the establishment of the Centralized Language Assistance Office within the department's Civil Rights Center. The announcement responded to a 2022 memorandum from U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland urging federal agencies to enhance communication accessibility by reviewing their language access plans in line with Executive Order 13166, "Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency."
Since releasing the updated Language Access Plan and establishing the Centralized Language Assistance Office, the department has continued implementing improvements in communication accessibility. These improvements include:
- Translating vital materials and information into other languages and developing outreach strategies to connect with communities representing individuals with limited English proficiency.
- Translating Worker.gov, Employer.gov, and MigrantWorker.gov into languages such as Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
- Continuing interpretation services in more than 170 languages through the National Contact Center to ensure responses in preferred languages.
- Providing resources and guidance to departmental agencies to improve access for non-English-speaking workers and those with limited English proficiency.
- Collaborating with departmental offices and agencies to enhance their own language access plans tailored to their missions and programs.
"The department is dedicated to ensuring that our programs—and those we fund—remain open to all regardless of an individual's English proficiency," stated a department spokesperson. Alongside over 40 federal agencies, the department prioritizes implementing effective policies and procedures to eliminate language barriers in its programs.
Next year, the department will continue collaborating with partners in the Federal Interagency Working Group on Language Access led by the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division. As a working group member, the department will learn about and share information on effective staff training for language access; selecting, evaluating, hiring, and retaining multilingual staff; contracting qualified translators and interpreters; and using technology for accurate and reliable language assistance services. With this unified approach, the department aims to fulfill Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964's promise and Executive Order 13166's goal of preventing discrimination and ensuring equal treatment under law.
Information about the updated Language Access Plan along with additional details about the Civil Rights Center’s initiatives supporting non-English speakers can be found on both LEP.gov and the Civil Rights Center’s website.
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