Limited English Proficiency (LEP)

The purpose of this page is to provide resources that highlight the rights of LEP persons and responsibilities of federally conducted and federally assisted programs to overcome language barriers so that their services are equally accessible to limited English proficient individuals.

Overview of Executive Order 13166
From the Federal Coordination and Compliance Section, Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice, this resource provides a brief overview of Executive Order 13166 which states that LEP persons should not be excluded from receiving public services due to language barriers. Programs that receive federal financial assistance must ensure their services are accessible to all eligible persons, including those with limited english proficiency.

Executive Order 13166 LEP Resource Document: Tips and Tools from the field (PDF)
Also from the Federal Coordination and Compliance Section, Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice, this is a great resource for organizations seeking to improve the accessibilty of their services for LEP individuals. This document provides various tips and tools that can help as a guide for organizations or other federally assisted programs in their process of implementing an effective language access system to comply with Executive Order 13166.

Federal Citizen Multilingual Gateway (Translated materials)
This resource provides a wealth of federal resources that are translated in 87 languages. These federal resources include civil rights and laws, employment information, educational materials, food assistance programs, health and saftey programs, and a range of other important topics.

Choosing a Language Access Provider (PDF)
From the Federal Interagency Working Group on LEP, this resource provides guidelines and tips when choosing and working with a contract third-party language provider. As most organizations do not have enough bi-lingual staff to accommodate all language assistance needs, utilizing a third-party language provider is an effective solution in working with LEP persons.

Increasing Access to Justice for LEP Asian Pacific Americans
The purpose of this report from the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is to identify the importance of improving language access in the national court system to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with limited english proficiency.

All resources cited at www.lep.gov. Please visit this informational website for more resources.