Chandler recently expanded its bilingual pay program to include six languages.

For more than 15 years, eligible Spanish-speaking employees who assist customers have received extra pay. Now, five other languages fall under the policy — they include American Sign Language, all Chinese dialects, Hindi, Tagalog and Vietnamese.

Chandler chose the languages based on feedback from city staff and the most recent U.S. Census data.

Employees must test for both English and the other language to receive an annual stipend of $600 or $1,200, depending on proficiency levels.

Employees covered under a memorandum of understanding — similar to a contract — are paid based on their MOU.

In a press release, City Manager Josh Wright said, “The revamped policy recognizes the growth of languages commonly used in our community and the need to serve residents and businesses in other languages. We value these skills in our current employees and welcome applications from job seekers who bring these talents to our diverse community.”