Cedar Rapids deaf translation business lays of 55 workers

CEDAR RAPIDS- A Cedar Rapids company plans to shut its doors indefinitely until a federal agency gives them approval to open again.  UR Relay provides translation service or relay service for the deaf and hard-of-hearing.  But Monday, the company closed its doors after nearly six years in business.  Owners say it's because a new Federal Communications Commission or FCC rule requires all companies providing a relay service to be individually licensed.  With the license comes federal funding.

At 5pm Monday UR Relay closed and that means 55 more people on the unemployment line.  Owners say they applied for that special certification back in November, but haven't heard back from the FCC.  And without federal dollars, owners say they just ran out of options. 

"I'd like to order for carryout,” said UR Relay Communications Assistant Barb Jacobs. 

It's a simple request for most.   And for the deaf or hard-of-hearing, using a service like UR Relay makes it just as easy for them as well.

"We're helping people communicate about things in their lives,” said Jacobs.

 It's done by phone, text, instant message and even video conferencing.

"We made it available for a deaf person to be mobile instead of tied to a phone line or tied to a computer that's attached to a wall,” said UR Relay Owner Bill McClelland.

But not any longer.  UR Relay will close its doors indefinitely while waiting for certification to operate by the FCC.  Its primary customer's license expired in January, and since then, company owners have been paying overhead and employee salaries out of pocket.  Monday, funds ran out.

"Until they can certify us as a provider ad give us our license, we don't have a job for our employees based here in Iowa,” said McClelland.

Employees like Barb Jacobs.

"We were given the option to stay or have the day off.  The calls are still coming in. We're here,” said Jacobs.

55 people without jobs and a local business closing up shop.

"We're hopeful the FCC approves our application in short order and we're able to call all our employees back,” said McClelland.

"This just isn't fair that because of paperwork this shouldn't continue for the company and the clients,” said Jacobs.

Fair or not, company owners say they don't have choice.  The goal again is to get approval soon so UR Relay can try to get back their customer base and their employees.