Bilingual Oral Fluency Examinations

The bilingual oral fluency examination is intended to ensure that individuals communicating in non-English languages, in the performance of their job duties possess the requisite skill/proficiency to provide for effective communication. The exam is designed to measure skills in vocabulary (commonly used terms and expressions), pronunciation (ability to be understood, enunciation, and clarity of expression), grammar (characteristic systems of words and the grammatical structure of the language), comprehension (ability to grasp significance of information), and resourcefulness (ability to appropriately communicate an idea, while retaining intent, from one language to another).

Requests for bilingual oral fluency examinations are made by forwarding the Oral Bilingual Examination Request Form (SPB 810-BE) to the Bilingual Services Program (BSP). The request form is approved and signed by the department's Personnel Officer or other designated representative.

• Oral Bilingual Examination Request Form (SPB 810-BE)

The oral bilingual fluency exam is conducted over the telephone. The fee is $115 per competitor. Payment must be submitted with the Examination Request Form and received by the BSP prior to scheduling any competitor for an oral fluency examination. The examination fee includes: administering the exam, issuing the results and entering the results onto the SPB’ on-line system. Additional information about scheduling an employee or a previously submitted request for a bilingual oral fluency exam can be obtained by contacting the Bilingual Testing Coordinator at (916) 651-9017 or bilingual@spb.ca.gov.

The SPB has approved delegation of bilingual fluency testing to other state departments for specific languages. The following document identifies those state departments with delegated testing authority to conduct bilingual oral fluency exams for the identified non-English languages:

• Departments with Delegated Authority to Administer Bilingual Oral Fluency Exams 

Requirement to be Eligible to Receive Bilingual Pay:

In order for a state employee to be eligible for bilingual pay, it is required that the employee utilize their bilingual skills at least 10 percent of their normal work schedule. Positions must be in a setting where there is a demonstration of clients showing that bilingual skills are clearly needed. The skills may be used to meet the communication needs of the public in a direct one on one public contact position.

Bilingual Pay

The employee’s department determines whether or not an individual's duties meet the Bilingual Pay Criteria and certifies that the requirements have been met.

• Bilingual Pay Authorization Form (STD 897)

Please refer to the employees’ bargaining unit contract for information regarding Bilingual Pay Criteria and/or check with your Personnel Officer.