USDA 

United States Department of Agriculture 

Food Safety and Inspection Service 

- FEO Z Z 2017

LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY 


POLICY STATEMENT 


Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is responsible for ensuring that equal access to 

services, programs, and activities is provided to persons with Limited English Proficiency (LEP). 

LEP persons are defined as individuals who do not speak English as their primary language and 

who have a limited ability to read, write, speak, or understand English. This policy pertains to 

the language needs of FSIS' LEP customers. It does not apply to FSIS employees who, in order 

to perform their duties, must be fluent in the English language. 

FSIS will take reasonable steps to ensure that LEP persons have meaningful access and an equal 

opportunity to participate in its services, activities, programs, and other benefits. FSIS utilizes a 

four-factor analysis in determining the steps that are needed to communicate effectively with 

LEP persons. Using the four-factor analysis, the Agency considers: 

1. The number or proportion ofLEP persons eligible to be served or likely to be 

encountered by the program or recipient; 

2. The frequency with which LEP individuals come in contact with the program; 

3. The nature and importance ofthe program, activity, or service provided by the 

program to people's lives; and 

4. The resources available to the program/recipient and costs. 

The responsibility to reduce language barriers encompasses the Agency's obligation to both 

translate vital documents and provide oral interpretation of critical information. FSIS will 

provide written translation services for vital documents used in order to carry out its meat, 

poultry and processed egg products inspection programs. Vital documents are defined as written 

material that contains information that is critical for accessing a program or activity or that is 

required by law, such as consent forms, applications, and notices of rights. FSIS will also 

provide oral interpretation services to convey information necessary to carry out its inspection 

programs. 

FSIS will utilize various resources to translate and interpret critical information. These resources 

include employees who are fluent in a particular language, other Federal agencies, or contractual 

providers of language services. The Agency will provide these services at no cost to the 

customer, in an accurate and timely manner. 

To ensure that the FSIS workforce fully understands the Agency's LEP policy, the Agency has 

developed a LEP plan. In addition, training is available and other guidance is available at: 

http://www.fsis. usda. gov /wps/portal/informational/ aboutfsis/ civil-rights. 

An Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer 
Page 2 

It is important that FSIS employees are aware ofthe program discrimination complaint process 

available to customers. Customers or prospective customers who believe that they have been 

subjected to discrimination can initiate a program discrimination complaint by completing the 

United States Department ofAgriculture's (USDA) Program Di crimination Complaint Form. 

They may also file a program discrimination complaint by writing a letter to the USDA, Office 

ofthe Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (OASCR), at the following address: 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, OASCR 

1400 Independence A venue, SW 

Washington, DC 20250-9410 

For additional information about what to include in a Program Discrimination Complaint, see 


How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint, on the USDA's website at: 


https ://www .as er. usda. gov /filing-program-di. crimination-complai11t-usda-customer. For 


information on the discrimination complaint process, contact OASCR, Information Research 


Service, on (202) 260-1026 or 1 (866) 632-9992 (toll free) or send an email to OASCR at: CR­


INFO@ascr.usda.gov. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities, 


may contact OASCR through the Federal Relay Service on 1 (800) 877-8339 or 1 (800) 845­

6136 (Spanish). 


Ifyou have a question or need assistance, please contact the FSIS Civil Rights Staff at 


1(800)269-6912 or by email at: AskCRD@fsis.usda.gov. You can find additional information 


about the FSIS EEO and Civil Rights Program at: 


http://www.fais.usda.gov/wps/portal/informational/aboutfsis/ci 

Administrator