Human Resources is sharing a recent legislative update that affects public employers in Oregon.
Senate Bill 731 requires that when a public employer provides a bilingual or multilingual pay differential, it must also provide a pay differential for an employee’s use of American Sign Language (ASL) in performing assigned duties, in the same manner as other language skills.
This law took effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
At RCC, the bilingual pay differential is currently available to eligible Classified employees under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Consistent with the CBA and SB 731, if ASL is identified by the College as required or preferred for a Classified position, eligible employees who are evaluated and certified as proficient would be able to access the differential under the same process used for other languages.
At this time, RCC does not have any Classified positions designated as requiring or preferring ASL. Human Resources will support departments if language needs are identified in the future.
For those interested in reviewing the legislation, the bill can be found here: SB 731 – Oregon Legislature Overview.
Employees with questions are encouraged to contact Human Resources.
Thank you for your continued commitment to accessibility, equity and inclusion.