Standards 1 - 7
These are about correspondence sent to another body or person separate to the organisation.
What is correspondence?
- Any written communication or contact exchanged between two or more parties. It could include letters, emails, text messages, faxes, live online chat facilities, forms, or circulars, but not social media.
- It includes electronic communication as well as on paper.
- It includes correspondence generated automatically such as bills or automated email replies.
- It includes correspondence sent for information only that doesn’t need a reply.
If you receive correspondence in Welsh, you must reply in Welsh when a reply is needed unless the person has clearly indicated a reply is not needed in Welsh.
If you are corresponding with an individual for the first time, you must ask if they wish to receive correspondence in Welsh. If they say yes, you must keep a record of that wish and ensure future correspondence is in Welsh from then onwards. If they don’t reply, you must continue to correspond bilingually until they confirm either way.
If you don’t know whether someone wants to correspond in Welsh or English, you must provide a Welsh language version of the correspondence until the person confirms either way.
You must keep a record of correspondence language choice. What this is and how it looks will differ from team to team, but make sure you have one and that it is checked before any correspondence is sent.
If there is no record, it would be a good idea to check with your customers or service users.
If the same correspondence is sent to several people, you must send a Welsh language version of that correspondence at the same time as an English version. This may be relating to a circular, newsletter, email, text, or letter. Individual language choice does not affect the same correspondence being sent to several people.
If you produce Welsh and English versions of correspondence, you must not treat the Welsh language version less favourably than the English.
You must say that you welcome correspondence in Welsh, that you will respond in Welsh, and that corresponding in Welsh will not lead to delay. You could include the Iaith Gwaith logo and suggested text:
You must include a Welsh language version of your contact details in your email messages which includes your job title and corporate sign-off details.
Any automated text or disclaimers on emails must be in Welsh.
You should also have a bilingual out of office message. You can use this template:
Sorry to have missed you. I will be out of the office until dd/mm/yy. For urgent enquiries please contact (name) on (telephone or email), otherwise I will respond to your email upon my return.
Kind regards,
Mae'n flin gen i'ch colli. Fe fyddai allan o'r swyddfa tan dd/mm/bb. Cysylltwch ȃ (name) ar (telephone or email) am ymholiadau brys, fel arall fe fyddai'n ymateb i'ch ebost pan fyddai'n dychwelyd.
Cofion,
These standards do not cover internal correspondence but do cover all instances when someone outside the organisation is sent correspondence. Remember that Welsh language internal correspondence may be covered by Operational Standards!
Internal correspondence:
Any paper correspondence relating to an employee’s job, performance management, training needs, complaints, disciplinary matters, or leave if that individual has requested it in Welsh.
All-staff emails, articles, alerts, or newsletters such as communications sent through GovDelivery that will also be available on Staffnet+ should be sent in Welsh.