Translation as a Profession (Benjamins Translation Library)

Chapter 4. The translating profession 99may arise and is capable of reacting rapidly to find the appropriate answers if anyproblem does arise.In a translation company, the outsourcing manager is a specialist projectmanager or ‘dispatching officer’ whose job is to optimise the process by findingexactly the right translator for each contract (i.e. a translator whose skills are bestsuited for the type of work on hand).2.2 Freelance translatorsFreelance translators, or so-called ‘independent’ translators, are self-employed,meaning they are not in any legal sense ‘bound’ to their clients or work providers.They either work for ‘direct’ clients (whom they invoice directly) or for agencies(or brokerage firms) that actually get the contracts and subcontract them to thefreelancers.Freelance translators are expected to pay all mandatory taxes, charges orsocial security contributions (i.e. local taxes, income tax, business taxes, healthinsurance, state and occupational pension schemes, etc.).The freelance translators’ independent status is legally based on the voluntarycontractual relationship they enter into with their clients. This means that bothpartiesagreeontheratethatwillbechargedforthejobandonthedeadline,and translators are then deemed to be free to carry out the translation in themost appropriate manner, while obviously taking into account their clients’specifications.Many freelance translators are registered as ‘single-person companies’. Manybona fide translation companies consider that this amounts to unfair competitionin the sense that ‘real’ companies have to face much higher overheads and costs.The actual legal framework of freelancing depends on the national legislationapplicable. Under French law, for instance, the work provider becomes an employerinthelegalsenseifhetellsthetranslatorhowtodothework,monitorsthework in progress and reprimands or otherwise penalizes that translator if the workis not carried out to his satisfaction. The practical effect would be for the workprovider to have to pay all taxes and contributions that apply for salaried staff.Given that their income depends on the time spent working, most freelancerswork long hours and many would be willing to work longer hours as that wouldmean the order book is full.This being so, flexibility and the freedom to decide on how much to workat any given period is considered the major advantage of freelancing. A highlysignificant number of freelance translators work part time by choice, and thisexplains why the profession is particularly attractive to women.