Who pays for CAT tools (EX: Trados) The Employer or the Translator?
Thread poster: Alexandra Brind'Amour
Alexandra Brind'Amour
Alexandra Brind'Amour
Canada
Local time: 13:22
French to English
+ ...
Oct 23, 2020

If employed FT as freelance translator, is the translator responsible for CAT tools or does the employer pay for CAT resources?

 
RobinB
RobinB  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 12:22
German to English
Employed? Oct 23, 2020

Hi Alexandra,

Legally speaking, you're either a freelancer (self-employed) with clients or an employee with a employment contract. If you're self-employed and working as your own business, you're responsible for your own equipment, though a client (not: employer) may offer to buy software for you.

It may also happen that a company will ask a freelancer to work full-time for them, in which case they should also be paying for the equipment. In this case, however, you need
... See more
Hi Alexandra,

Legally speaking, you're either a freelancer (self-employed) with clients or an employee with a employment contract. If you're self-employed and working as your own business, you're responsible for your own equipment, though a client (not: employer) may offer to buy software for you.

It may also happen that a company will ask a freelancer to work full-time for them, in which case they should also be paying for the equipment. In this case, however, you need to be aware of employment law in your jurisdiction. Although it happens quite often, "in-house freelancers" will be classified as employees in most countries, with corresponding rights and (e.g. social security and tax) obligations. This is probably also likely to be the case even if you're working from home.

You should ask your professional association for advice here.
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MollyRose
Sheila Wilson
Sara Massons
Kevin Fulton
Omer Dasbilek
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Christine Andersen
 
John Fossey
John Fossey  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 13:22
Member (2008)
French to English
+ ...
Employee vs freelancer Oct 23, 2020

It depends whether you are an employee or a freelancer. If you are working full-time for a single employer, for an extended period of time, chances are you may be considered an employee and not a freelancer (regardless of any agreement you might have).

See the link below for more inform
... See more
It depends whether you are an employee or a freelancer. If you are working full-time for a single employer, for an extended period of time, chances are you may be considered an employee and not a freelancer (regardless of any agreement you might have).

See the link below for more information (Ontario):

https://www.ontario.ca/document/your-guide-employment-standards-act-0/employee-status
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Lingua 5B
Lingua 5B  Identity Verified
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 18:22
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
You mean FT in-house or freelance? Oct 23, 2020

If in-house, then it’s mostly likely the employer. What’s your status, employee or freelancer, what kind of contract do you have?

There are some FT contracts under “freelancer” status. It’s basically you being someone’s employee without any employee benefits whatsoever.

So it’s not about FT or PT, it’s about employee/freelancer status.

For instance, for some engineers that I know that are employed full-time in-house, all their expensive engi
... See more
If in-house, then it’s mostly likely the employer. What’s your status, employee or freelancer, what kind of contract do you have?

There are some FT contracts under “freelancer” status. It’s basically you being someone’s employee without any employee benefits whatsoever.

So it’s not about FT or PT, it’s about employee/freelancer status.

For instance, for some engineers that I know that are employed full-time in-house, all their expensive engineering software licenses are covered and paid by their companies/employers. That probably wouldn’t be the case if they worked freelance.
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Helene Carrasco-Nabih
Helene Carrasco-Nabih  Identity Verified
Morocco
Local time: 17:22
Member (2018)
German to French
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
The Employer may offer to pay for a specific CAT tool Oct 23, 2020

I invested money (and time) in TRADOS because as a freelancer I really have to, it is inescapable. However, I was recently approached for technical translations by a company that works both with TRADOS and TRANSIT. The translation company offered me a free licence and free access to TRANSIT Translation Memories for the duration of our contract, referring to a certain number of translations. Since I get more to do and as this can go on and on, the TRANSIT licence will be expanded at the translati... See more
I invested money (and time) in TRADOS because as a freelancer I really have to, it is inescapable. However, I was recently approached for technical translations by a company that works both with TRADOS and TRANSIT. The translation company offered me a free licence and free access to TRANSIT Translation Memories for the duration of our contract, referring to a certain number of translations. Since I get more to do and as this can go on and on, the TRANSIT licence will be expanded at the translation company's expenses, as long as they decide to work with me.

[Edited at 2020-10-23 20:10 GMT]
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Vasu Valluri
Vasu Valluri
India
Local time: 22:52
Russian to English
+ ...
The one who wants it to be used pays for it. Oct 24, 2020

Today there are numerous CAT tools out there for grabs. If a customer wants the translators working for them should use a particular CAT Tool or a set of CAT Tools or software, then he should pay for the usage of that CAT tool. If the translators themselves want to use a CAT tool, then the translator should pay for it. It is another matter that the translator can always hike his/her price to include the tool's usage cost.

 
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 18:22
Member (2003)
Danish to English
+ ...
Basically, the person who decides Oct 24, 2020

I pay for my CAT tool, and I tell my clients that I use my CAT or no CAT.

I can still translate without a CAT, and for small documents like scanned certificates and non-machine readable PDFs, it may be more trouble than it is worth to set the source up for a CAT translation.

I have tried and hated too many CAT tools - clunky, slow or lacking in features that I have fine-tuned on my own CAT to suit the way I work. A CAT should be an advantage for the translator, or else
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I pay for my CAT tool, and I tell my clients that I use my CAT or no CAT.

I can still translate without a CAT, and for small documents like scanned certificates and non-machine readable PDFs, it may be more trouble than it is worth to set the source up for a CAT translation.

I have tried and hated too many CAT tools - clunky, slow or lacking in features that I have fine-tuned on my own CAT to suit the way I work. A CAT should be an advantage for the translator, or else there must be some exceptional reason for using it. If the client insists on a CAT tool that the translator has not chosen, then the client should cover any extra expenses, including learning time and extra translation time if the CAT is not as efficient as the translator's favourite.
(OK, that is probably wishful thinking, but think about it anyway!)

If client CATs do not allow me to link up my own glossaries and resources, they cancel out most of the pre-collected experience I have stored, and reduce me to a beginner! I have 20+ years of translating experience and many years in other jobs as well, and I cannot have it all in my head, but I have systematically stored it, and I keep it up to date as far as possible in Trados.

I have also benefited greatly from agencies who have sent TMs over the years. In Trados I could see the initials of trusted colleagues who had contributed some of the segments, or I could see which segments came from my own earlier work. (I could also note the initials of translators I did not always agree with, check an extra time, and correct or delete as necessary if their suggestions came up.) For me, Trados is well worth the investment.

I started using Trados in-house, when I was employed, and there IS a clear distinction between employment and freelancing under Danish law where I live. There, my employer insisted that I should use Trados (or Déja Vu) for certain jobs, and, naturally, paid for it and provided the dongle, which was necessary back then.

But since I have been my own boss, I have decided, and I pay.
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Daryo
Daryo
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:22
Serbian to English
+ ...
You CAN NOT be "employed FT as freelance" Oct 24, 2020

you are either "employed" - an employee in which case your employer will have to supply you with "the tools of the trade"
or
you are "freelancer" i.e. an independent / self-employed contractor in which case your client pays ONLY for the delivered services / goods and nothing else.

Which doesn't prevent you as a freelancer to request from the client to supply you with the software that you don't have if the client insists on that specific software being use
... See more
you are either "employed" - an employee in which case your employer will have to supply you with "the tools of the trade"
or
you are "freelancer" i.e. an independent / self-employed contractor in which case your client pays ONLY for the delivered services / goods and nothing else.

Which doesn't prevent you as a freelancer to request from the client to supply you with the software that you don't have if the client insists on that specific software being used - **IF** you are willing at all to have an agency imposing on you which translation methods / tools you will be using.
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Dan Lucas
 
Baran Keki
Baran Keki  Identity Verified
Türkiye
Local time: 20:22
Member
English to Turkish
Both Oct 25, 2020

If a translation agency ('employer') wants you to use a specific TM (meaning the "CAT" tool) so that they can deduct your rates for matches, it's they who provide you with a license to use their CAT tool (which usually turns out to be a crappy web-based tool like Memsource).
But there is also a widely held (mis)belief that every translator has Trados installed in their computer, so assuming this some 'employers' just send you a package with a TM or ask you to connect to their server witho
... See more
If a translation agency ('employer') wants you to use a specific TM (meaning the "CAT" tool) so that they can deduct your rates for matches, it's they who provide you with a license to use their CAT tool (which usually turns out to be a crappy web-based tool like Memsource).
But there is also a widely held (mis)belief that every translator has Trados installed in their computer, so assuming this some 'employers' just send you a package with a TM or ask you to connect to their server without providing a license. In that case it is you who should buy the CAT tool.
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Who pays for CAT tools (EX: Trados) The Employer or the Translator?







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