HR Translation Services
Translation of handbooks, policies, notices, benefits documents and training for employers with multilingual workforces.
The short answer
Several rules decide when HR documents need another language. New Jersey employers must give the Earned Sick Leave notice in English, Spanish, and any language a majority of workers speak if the state publishes it. ERISA plans must offer help in a language enough participants read (29 CFR 2520.102-2(c)). Anyone who helps a worker complete Form I-9 signs Supplement A.
Rules that apply
Each rule links to its source. Checked 4 November 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the office that will receive your documents.
| Rule | Source |
|---|---|
| Employers must provide the NJ Earned Sick Leave notice in English, Spanish, and any other language that is the first language of a majority of the workforce, if the Department of Labor has published it. | NJ Department of Labor, Earned Sick Leave |
| A preparer or translator who helps an employee complete Section 1 of Form I-9 must complete and sign Supplement A. | USCIS, Form I-9 |
| ERISA plans meeting participant thresholds must add a notice in the foreign language offering assistance with the summary plan description. | 29 CFR 2520.102-2(c) |
| Required safety training must be given in a language and vocabulary workers understand. | OSHA, Training Standards Policy Statement (2010) |
| A rule requiring employees to speak only English at all times is presumed to violate Title VII; a limited rule needs business necessity. | 29 CFR 1606.7 |
| H-2A employers must give workers the work contract in a language they understand. | 20 CFR 655.122(q) |
What HR teams translate
Employee handbooks and policy manuals, offer letters and job descriptions, required workplace notices, benefits summaries and enrolment guides, safety procedures and training, performance and disciplinary documents, and separation agreements. For new hires from abroad, the documents coming in: diplomas, experience letters, and police certificates for background checks.
Notices with language rules
New Jersey's Earned Sick Leave notice is a good example of how state notice rules work: it must be given in English and Spanish, and in any other language that a majority of the workforce speaks as a first language, if the Department of Labor has published a version. Many federal and state posters are published by the agencies in Spanish and other languages. Use the official version where one exists, rather than translating the poster yourself; translate only what the agency does not publish.
Form I-9
Form I-9 is completed in English (a Spanish version exists for use in Puerto Rico). A translated I-9 for reference can help an employee understand it, but the employee completes the English form. If someone translates for the employee or helps fill in Section 1, that person completes Supplement A, the preparer and/or translator certification. The employee's documents, such as a foreign passport, are not translated for the I-9.
Handbooks and policies
A translated handbook binds the employer as much as the English one. Keep them on the same version, state that the English version governs if they differ (and make sure they do not), and have the acknowledgment form signed in the language the employee reads. Policies on language use at work need special care: English-only rules are presumed discriminatory unless limited and justified, so translate the policy exactly as written.
Benefits
ERISA does not require a full translation of a summary plan description, but when enough participants read only one other language, the plan must add a notice in that language offering help. Many employers translate the SPD and enrolment materials anyway, because benefit choices made without understanding cause disputes later.
What we don't do
We translate documents; we do not give employment-law advice, complete I-9s, or provide interpreters for meetings or investigations.
Documents we translate for this
Employee Handbook translation
Translation of employee handbooks, policy manuals and workplace notices for employers with staff who read Spanish, Portuguese and other languages.
Resume translation
Translation of resumes, CVs and experience letters for US jobs, jobs abroad and visa petitions, adapted to the target country's CV conventions.
Diploma translation
Certified diploma and degree certificate translation for credential evaluation, licensing boards, employers and use abroad.
Police Certificate translation
Certified translation of FBI background checks for use abroad, and of foreign police certificates for USCIS and the NVC.
Price
$39 for the first page (up to 250 words) into English, $49 into any other language, then $0.116 per additional word. Each file is priced on its own. The signed certificate of accuracy is included.
Full pricingTurnaround
24 hours standard for most documents. Expedited service is +50% for 6–8 hours and +100% for 1–3 hours. Large files are quoted with a delivery date before you pay.
Questions
Can you translate benefits enrolment guides?
Yes. Plan names, deadlines and amounts are kept exactly, and the guide follows the English layout so HR can answer questions page by page.
Can you translate a foreign police certificate for a background check?
Yes, with a certificate of accuracy. See our police certificate page for what each country's certificate usually contains.
Can employees complete Form I-9 in Spanish?
The Spanish I-9 is for use in Puerto Rico. Elsewhere, employees may use a Spanish version for reference but complete the English form; a translator who helps signs Supplement A.
Which languages must the NJ sick leave notice be in?
English, Spanish, and any other language that is the first language of a majority of your workforce, if the Department of Labor publishes it.
Should a translated handbook say the English version governs?
It is common and sensible, but it does not excuse errors: employees rely on the version they read. Keep both accurate and on the same revision.
Do you translate job postings and offer letters?
Yes. Short documents like these usually fit within the first-page price.
Related
Prepared by Global Certified Translations, Edgewater, NJ. Translations are signed by a State Court Certified Translator. This page explains translation requirements; it is not legal advice.
Ready to send your documents?
Upload them for an instant word count and price.
Get an Instant Quote