Always  Innovating:  
               YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/YD2797Kci_w                           Amazon’s 
                                                                         ASL Program
                                                                      Amazon aspires to be “Earth’s 
                                                                      most customer-centric company.” 
                                                                      Customers can be those that use our products 
                                                                      and services but can also be our internal col-
                                                                      leagues and our external business partners as 
                                                                      well. Jeff Bezos, Amazon Founder and CEO, 
                                                                      sets this tone saying, “Listen to the customer, 
                                                                      and invent for the customer.” Within the Hu-
                                                                 man Resources department at Amazon, we identified 
                                                                  the Deaf community within the hiring and employ-
                                                                    ment process as a customer. Amazon is proud to 
                                                                     partner with our Deaf customers to remove bar-
                                                                       riers and raise the bar by providing self-service 
                                                                         accommodations to Deaf employees in busi-
                                                                          ness offices and Fulfillment Centers across 
                                                                           the U.S. 
                                                                               Amazon’s corporate culture is guided 
                                                                                by 14 Leadership Principles that we 
                                                                                 refer to in all business decisions. In 
                                                                                  creating an in-house ASL accom-
                                                                                modation program, it was import-
                                                                           ant to highlight a few of the most relevant 
                                                                      principles as we worked towards offering world 
                                                                 class linguistic accommodations: 
                                                           •  Customer Obsession
                                                           •  Insist on the Highest Standards
                                                           •  Hire and Develop the Best 
                                                           At Amazon, we hire only RID and BEI certified interpreters. 
                                                           At this time, our team of interpreters has hundreds of collec-
                                                           tive years of professional interpreting experience. The hiring 
                                                           process for ASL Interpreters at Amazon includes interviews 
                                                           in both English and ASL, with Deaf customer and stakehold-
       46     VIEWS  Volume 36 • Issue 3
         er participation, interpreting assessments using tools pio-     “I attribute a large part of my success here at Amazon to 
         neered by Gallaudet research, and interpreting scenarios  the fact I have a [staff] interpreter…which lets me focus on 
         that evaluate one’s professional judgment. Working within  doing my job well. Amazon has a fast-paced and dynamic 
         the Amazon ASL Interpreter Program is not the traditional  culture that’s always changing, which made it very hard for 
         staff interpreter role. Interpreters provide on-demand and  me to manage my communication needs with outside agen-
         pre-scheduled interpreting services while also acting as ac-   cies. The flexibility of having a [staff] interpreter lets me and 
         commodation partners and collaborative problem-solvers.  my team adjust to any scenario at any moment…The most 
         Amazon Interpreters team up with Deaf employees to cre- important thing about all of this is that I have equal access to 
         ate Deaf culture trainings for hearing staff, educate on the  communication in an inclusive culture that lets me be equiv-
         Giving interpreters the support to be a 
         whole professional instead of “just the 
         interpreter” means everyone benefits from 
         what they bring to the table. Together, we 
                                      know we can do more.
         appropriate use of VRI technology, and promote Deaf-led  alent to my peers. I do not get left behind and become “that” 
         ASL classes – ultimately aimed at continuing to create an  Deaf person in the corner because there is no interpreter 
         inclusive, Deaf-friendly work environment. Amazon inter- available.”
         preters work in a wide variety of locations, such as Fulfill-  What makes Amazon’s ASL Program different is that the 
         ment Centers (FCs), Delivery Stations and Corporate offic- company is bringing in the professional in-house interpret-
         es. No matter the location, all Amazon ASL interpreters are  ers, as owners in the company. Amazon interpreters enjoy 
         focused on the same goal: provide high quality ASL accom- the same full compensation packages as other salaried em-
         modations that empower and attract Deaf talent to support  ployees, with a dynamic work environment that Ginevra 
         their career growth.                                           Deianni, the ASL Interpreter Program Operations Man-
         The response from the Deaf Amazonians about the ASL  ager says: “is the best of both worlds between the diversity 
         Program has been overwhelmingly positive. Anthony Bernal  of freelance, and the dependability of a full-time position. 
         in the FC environment from California says:                    With such diverse settings, employee language needs, and 
         ”I have been an Ambassador at my location for a year now. I  projects to develop, every day is truly different at Amazon.” 
         work with our DHH population and partner with our site’s  Melissa Sweeney, one of Amazon’s ASL Interpreter Spe-
         [staff] interpreter to encourage and motivate the Deaf As- cialists reflects, “I have always loved the spontaneity of the 
         sociates to get involved. Having an Amazon interpreter on- interpreting profession and I was somewhat hesitant about 
         site helps our DHH Associates communicate with anyone so  becoming a staff interpreter because I didn’t want to give 
         we can learn more and be set up for success…This access to  up that variety. However, I have found working at Amazon 
         communication makes Amazon one of the best companies,  to be anything but monotonous. I’ve been able to travel to 
         and others are noticing. Having access to an interpreter  so many different cities and types of sites, and I get to meet 
         helps me connect with my team, and I have opportunities  new people practically every day. There’s something new 
         to promote within by gaining more experience to reach my  each day and I love the challenge of keeping up with such a 
         dreams.”                                                       fast-paced culture!” Giving interpreters the support to be a 
                                                                        whole professional instead of “just the interpreter” means 
         Brendan Gramer, a Deaf Senior UX Designer from the cor- everyone benefits from what they bring to the table. Togeth-
         porate setting describes his experience:                       er, we know we can do more.
                                                                                                           www.rid.org                       47
         In 2019, we implemented the pre-interview interpreter 
         screening process for all Deaf candidates... This pro-
         cess empowers both the Deaf candidate and the inter-
         preter to perform optimally during the interview and 
          promotes trust within the professional relationship. 
         Earning customer trust is another foundational tenet of  The benefits of having internal ASL language partners has 
         Amazon’s Leadership Principles. Amazon Interpreters aim  been beneficial to hearing individuals too. Individuals are 
         to extend this trust to our freelance colleagues who work  interested in learning more about Deaf culture and make 
         with us through our vendors. Vendor-employed interpret-           necessary changes that promote accessibility for all. Pris-
         ers are our guests and our partners in providing the highest  cilla Gomez, a Senior Human Resources Business Partner 
         quality services to our Deaf employees. We highly value this  states, “Having interpreters has been a colossal benefit to 
         relationship and seek to strengthen it by bringing inter-         the HR department. We are able to support our Deaf As-
         preting industry best practices into our standard process-        sociates in a much more efficient manner. The employees 
         es. In 2019, we implemented the pre-interview interpreter  appreciate having someone onsite that they can leverage 
         screening process for all Deaf candidates. This pre-briefing  to communicate with their team, managers, and support 
         allows Deaf candidates who have applied for a job at Ama-         teams.” With Amazon staff interpreters, HR is no longer a 
         zon the opportunity to meet with an interpreter before their  gate to be passed but rather a partner in service.” Tristina 
         scheduled interview. This empowers candidates to be sure  Blokdyk, a shift manager in a busy Fulfillment Center loves 
         the interpreter is a good linguistic match, as well as share  the connection as well: “Having an ASL Interpreter Special-
         their resumé and specialized/preferred sign vocabulary as  ist on-site prevents communication barriers between us and 
         a part of assignment preparation. This process empowers  our Deaf Associates. Any messages or new rollouts are more 
         both the Deaf candidate and the interpreter to perform op-        easily implemented successfully.” Promoting seamless com-
         timally during the interview and promotes trust within the  munication and a trusted accommodation experience are at 
         professional relationship. Amazon is serious about insisting  the heart of Amazon’s ASL Interpreter Program. Amazon is 
         on the highest standards for this crucial encounter in the hir-   proud to be bringing the highest quality and most efficient 
         ing process.                                                      ASL accommodations to Amazon employees!              5
         Strengthening the relationship with our vendor-employed  About the Authors:
         interpreters includes offering better prep materials across  Ginevra Deianni | Operations Manager, ASL Interpreter 
         the board. Amazon culture loves acronyms! Our sites in-           Program
         clude cutting-edge technologies and equipment that cre-           Certified Interpreter: RID CI/CT 
         ates specialized terminology completely foreign to a visitor.   Dana Redfield | ASL Interpreter Specialist
         Even the names of our Fulfillment Centers are spoken like  Certified Interpreter: RID: NIC, ED:K-12
         short, strange words:  ONT8, FAT1, MIA5. The Amazon  Jasmine Paul | ASL Interpreter Specialist
         interpreting team is currently creating an ASL video library  Certified Interpreter: RID NIC 
         with Deaf Amazonians to teach in coming interpreters pre-
         ferred signs for Amazon-specific vocabulary. Deaf employ-         The Amazon ASL Program mission statement is to revolu-
         ees embrace the process of owning their unique work jargon  tionize communication access by providing best-in-class 
         and filming their ASL preferences for a seamless interpret-       sign language and related services to current and future 
         ing experience. Have you seen how many signs there are for  Amazonians employed in the US. We will do this by focus-
         just the company name “Amazon”?                                   ing on quality, technology and cultural inclusion.
         48       VIEWS  Volume 36 • Issue 3